Digital learning has become relevant in today’s education sector, especially when it comes to transforming changes in suburban and rural areas.
At SK Ayer Lanas in Jeli, Kelantan, Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd has launched its first SMART Classroom in the country to help make a difference for the young pupils.
Through the Samsung SMART Classroom, these pupils will no longer be confined to static textbook information, but will be able to source information from customised content and applications for better interaction.
This form of digital learning will enhance their performance in and out of school.
Officiating the launch was International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who was accompanied by Kelantan State Education Department director Hussain Awang and SME corporate affairs director Datuk Roh Jae Yeol.
Also present were Jeli District Education Office head Abdul Kadir Sulaiman and SK Ayer Lanas headmaster Wan Hanafi Wan Yusoff.
The launch of the Samsung SMART Classroom at SK Ayer Lanas is in tandem with the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, to help scale up the quality of learning and pave the way for more effective and customised learning in schools.
The advent of 21st-century smart classrooms such as this initiative will help schools meet the technological demands and create a unique interactive learning environment and bridge the gap between Malaysia’s rural and urban schools.
Mustapa said there were “immense benefits” to be gained from the Samsung SMART Classroom.
“Students will be able to tap into a richer network of resources and have the opportunity to engage more with their teachers and peers,” he said.
“It will be a stepping stone for the future generation to be exposed to a competitive global environment and digital learning.
“The students will be equipped with essential knowledge and innovation so they can contribute and help towards developing Malaysia to a world-class standard and have a successful future in the 21st century.’’
SK Ayer Lanas was established in 1957 and now have a total number of 631 students and 62 teachers. As the first school in the region and in Malaysia to launch the Samsung SMART Classroom, the school can look forward to fully utilising the learning materials available on more than 40 Samsung devices.
Targeting the four core subjects of English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mathematics and Science, pupils from Years One to Six will be divided into groups and dedicated sessions.
They will gain easy access to digitised learning materials and obtain information from secured and monitored sources through the Samsung devices.
The pupils will also get to interact with the teachers who will facilitate each child’s progress.
The educational content is customised to complement the current national school syllabus, designed in such a way that is relevant, engaging and interactive to appeal to the interest of students.
It is equipped with monitoring capabilities where teachers are able to supervise the progress of individual students on the learning exercises and provide additional and targeted coaching where necessary.
Said Hussain: “The launch of Samsung SMART Classroom could not have been timelier, as digital learning is truly the way forward in education.
“We are honoured and blessed to be able to provide these facilities for our young who are indeed our future leaders and the next entreprenuers of Malaysia.
“The Samsung SMART Classroom is an ideal platform for our children to learn in an interactive digital environment. We look forward to seeing great improvement and positive academic performance in this school.”
To aid the teachers in capitalising on these latest innovations from Samsung, the teachers will be coached on the use of the customised educational content and teaching materials, using the “train the trainer” concept.
The teachers would be able to guide students in their lessons, as well as sharpen their ICT skills, for their professional and personal development.
Mustapa, who is also Member of Parliament for Jeli, said that such initiative represented the Government’s commitment to create a more conducive, technology-enabled learning environment for the betterment of the local community, giving them a headstart to benefit from the advancements of information and communication technology.
Added Roh: “We believe this will open doors to more opportunities for growth, for everyone involved, from the students and teachers at this school, to the larger community in Jeli and beyond.
“We selected this school as the first location of choice to help minimise the digital divide between urban schools and those in under-served areas.
“We look forward to working with more schools in other areas to further extend the reach of technology in the nation’s classrooms.”
The Samsung SMART Classroom is part of the Samsung Global Corporate Citizenship initiative that employs Samsung technology and expertise for the betterment of local communities.
The Samsung SMART Classroom represents the Company’s efforts in the area of education, and has already made a difference in almost 400 schools in 72 countries worldwide.