Cyberbullying: Is it already happening in Papua New Guinea?

Cyber-bullying is a new (new type of bullying in PNG Context refers to recent introduction of new technologies in the country) type of bullying that involves the use of technology(Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, Computers) with access to the internet to bully others. The tools used by cyber-bullies include instant messaging(chats),emails, text message, websites and video chats. Social networks such as facebook.com and others are utilized dailly by cyber-bullies to attack their victims. For example,"Police are trying to locate a woman identified as Louisa Hainter, who allegedly posted defamatory remarks against Singut on the social network Facebook"(http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2011/05/ex-miss-png-fights-pornography-claims.html).
The victims are always known to the perpetrators.These include the use of verbal abuse, obscene languages, obscene images that target the victims base on their physical appearances, race, gender, age, academic status and social status such as unable to fit in with the others. For example, a girl who is doing extremely well in her academic work can be a prime target for other girls who dim themselves inferior and therefor can be abuse by these jealous girls.

Is cyberbullying actually happening in Papua New Guinea? There is no research carried out so far to ascertain the extent of cyber-bullying in Papua New Guinea. However, it would be safe to say that with the increase access to cheaper smart phones and tablet pcs (eg. I Pads) with internet capabilities by young Papua New Guineans and the increase use of  social networking sites such as facebook, it could happen right under the noses of their parents.One of the clear example that cyber bullying is already occurring in PNG society is the current bribery and extortion against the well known TV presenter and former Miss PNG- Antonia Singut(http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2011/05/ex-miss-png-fights-pornography-claims.html). Fortunately for Antonia, her parents and family members were very supportive and assisted her throughout her ordeal.It shows that not only ordinary Papua New Guineans can be affected but well known and respected Papua New Guineans are also not immune to bullying from unscrupulous human beings. This is only the tip of the iceberg but there are countless young Papua New Guineans out there that are constantly being bullied online daily without their parents knowing. Further, it should be noted that young Papua New Guineans are not even aware that they are being bullied. They take it as part of the everyday PNG culture. For example, many young Papua New Guineans think it is normal to swear at someone using the 'f' or 'c' words.

What makes this extremely difficult is that not many Papua New Guinea parents are ICT literate ;or if they are ICT literate they are not aware of the dangers that their children are facing everyday while on the net. I am a facebook user and I use this social networking site everyday. My experiences and my interaction with other facebook users has shown that most facebook users are young Papua New Guineans and most of them are school children ranging from Primary Schools to Tertiary level.

The huge advantage that cyber bullies have over other forms of bullying is that with the help of the technology bullies follow you where ever you go right into your bedroom or even right under the noses of your parents as long as you are online. Further, cyber-bullies, thrive on the ignorance of parents, educators, law enforcement authorities such as the police and even the victims themselves. There is no clear policy in place to assist victims in areas such as counselling or through legal means. There is no clear guidelines to assist Papua New Guinea children in particular to follow to seek assistance.( If there is such a guideline I am not aware of it). School authorities and the Department of Education need to carryout awareness to educate school children in light of the increase use of technology such as smart phones in particular and internet access in the country via these devices which may fuel the increase in cyber-bullying.

Why talk about Cyber-bullying? Cyber-bullying like the ordinary bullying can have drastic negative effect on the victims' lives. The victims can be psychologically affected.They can have long term emotional and behavioral problems and can affect their normal every day lives. They can even commit suicide if they feel that the world no longer cares for them. The victims such as school children can easily give up going to school. The victims themselves in future can become criminals because of the state of their mental health. In countries such as the US for example, innocent school children have been gunned down by victims of bullying.

What should parents and teachers in Papua New Guinea do to prevent cyber-bullying from occurring?

• If you are a parent try to spend some time discussing what your children are doing on-line and what sites they are visiting. Encourage them to discuss their social networking experiences and likely abuses from cyber-bullies.
• Encourage your children to record the instances of abuse and the date and time it occurs.This will become handy if you decide to take legal action in the future.
• As a teacher- a teacher needs to carry out awareness on the positive and negative effects of technology such as smart phones and internet. This will enable the children to make correct decisions while using these technologies.

The following websites are established to assist victims of bullying; and also those who want to know more about bullying; or those who wish to assist victims but require additional information to do so. Some of these websites are set up by victims of bullying and their horrifying experiences should provide valuable lessons for everyone.

http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au

http://stampoutbullying.tripod.com

http://www.there4me.com

http://www.bullying.co.uk

http://www.need2know.co.uk/bearbullying

http://www.stoptextbully.com

http://www.abs-kids.co.uk

hhttp://www.workplacebullying.co.uk
http://www.cyberbullyalert.com
http://mrdean.edu.glogster.com/cyberbullyingmrdean/

Integrating Digital Videos in Teaching and Learning in Papua New Guinea Outcomes Based Curriculum

 Digital Videos can be a great tool to create interesting and stimulating lessons for children in Papua New Guinea Primary Schools. There are a lot of advantages for using digital videos. The children will be able to observe real life videos based on their locality. The concept and content of the lesson will be clearly understood by students. It will stimulate discussion and generate new ideas. The teachers can easily design activities based on the videos. The videos can be replayed to reinforce the concepts taught in those particular lessons.The videos can be safely stored and re-used in the future.
The purpose of this article is to provide basic ideas on how to integrated Digital Videos in the Papua New Guinea Reform Curriculum (Outcomes Based) to supplement the already existing teaching strategists/methods currently being used by classroom teachers. It should provide a starting point for ICT literate teachers who are willing to experiment on using ICT in an innovative way.The paper assumes that the teacher is literate in ICT and can be able to confidently use ICT in teaching.

Fig.1. Trainee Teachers preparing their lessons for teaching.

Background to the Papua New Guinea Education System
Papua New Guinea introduced the reform curriculum popularly referred to as the Outcome Based Education (OBE). The main focus of the Outcome Based Education is to provide opportunity for children of Papua New Guinea to learn appropriate skills that will enable them to be useful and productive members of their Community when they complete Basic Education (Elementary Grades up to Grade 8 in Primary Schools). In the Reform Education System the children are expected to attend Elementary Schools (Preparatory to Elementary Grade 2) in order to be eligible to continue on to do Grade 3 up to Grade 8 in Primary Schools. Students sit for an external exam in Grade 8 and only students who do well are selected to continue on to do Grade 9 and 10. Students again sit for a Grade 10 exam and base on their Internal Assessment and Exam results they are then selected to do grade 11 and 12. The school drop out rate is one of the highest in the world with the majority of the children who drop off from school have no hope of pursuing further studies. Though there are numerous private schools establish in the country the school fees charge are astronomical and beyond the reach of ordinary parents.


ICT Oriented Classroom Models for Papua New Guinea Schools
Papua New Guinea is a developing nation with rich natural resources such as gold, natural gas and copper. The Country also has a rich and diverse environment and experiences whereby a teacher can draw upon to create interesting and meaningful lessons for their children in the classrooms. The materials required can vary from school to school depends on the financial abilities for that particular school.
However, in terms of technology usage in schools the country has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world. ICT is hardly used in most schools (approximately, 99 % of the total number of schools). These schools lack basic ICT equipment and facilities and the teachers lack the basic ICT skills to use them effectively in teaching and learning. The scenarios below can illustrate the type of setup in respective schools.The teachers and the school administrators can be able to adopt which ever model that is suitable for their schools. It is important to note that ICT is not limited to computers only but there are other ICT equipment that teachers can utilize as well.


Table.1.0. ICT Classroom model for Papua New Guinea Schools.

Model	Equipment Required	Organization
1.	A digital camera/camcorder and a desktop computer	Whole Class or put students in groups and rotate. In this model teachers can organize students in groups and create different activities base on the same topic/theme. That is one group can use the single computer while another group carries out a written comprehension exercise/activity.
2.	A digital camera/camcorder, a desktop computer, a data projector	Whole Class
3.	A digital camera/camcorder, a laptop, a data projector	Whole class
4.	A digital camera/camcorder, a data projector and more than 1 desktop computers (2 pcs and upwards)	Groups (Children do activities in small groups)
5	Digital Video Camera/Camcorder, TV Screen	Whole Class, Small Groups
6	School Computer Lab (5 Computers & up)	If a school has a separate computer lab (A classroom converted into a computer lab or a building purposely built to be used as a lab) then the Class Teacher need to see the IT Specialist to schedule his or her class to use the computers.

ICT Integration in Teaching and Learning using Outcomes Based Curriculum
ICT can be successfully integrated into wide range of topics contain in the Papua New Guinea Outcomes Based Reform Curriculum. It is assumed that the teachers are ICT literate and can handle wide range of ICT equipment confidently. This includes computers, video cameras, digital cameras, DVD players and so on. The idea is to use ICT meaningfully and in an interesting way. This should supplement the more traditional approaches currently employed by Papua New Guinea teachers. The following examples below will at least provide some examples for the teachers to assist them in their planning. The examples are taken from Lower and Upper Primary Grades. The examples will also assist Secondary School Teachers in their planning.


 Table.2.0 Sample Lesson Ideas: Integrating ICT in Primary School Subjects

Level	Grade	Subject	Strands/Sub-Strand (Topic/Sub-Topic)	Indicators	Lesson Ideas using digital videos
Lower Primary (Grade 3-5)	4	Community Living	Culture-Customs -describe customs related to events of significance	-describe traditional customs and religious practices about birth, death and marriage	-students use Encarta Encyclopaedia to view short video clips about different societies and compile a short report about traditional customs or -students view a video about a traditional society in Papua New Guinea and compare the customs to their own society.
	5	Community Living	Culture- Customs -Investigate relationships within societies	-describe rules of behavior in a matrilineal and patrilineal society
Upper Primary(Grade 6-8)	7	Science	Living Things-Nature of Living Things -Identify and compare the basic structure of living things and how they allow them to function in their environment	-make comparisons between the body coverings of animals and explain how these structures are suited to the environment in which they live	-students watch a video on animal reproduction and create an Interactive Power Point Presentation or -students carry out research on the Internet and compile report on different animals around the world.
	8	Science	Living Things-Nature of Living Things -describe and explain the processes of reproduction in living things and how the environment influences these processes	-identify patterns of reproduction in living things -draw the stages of reproduction	-students use Digital Video Camera to make a short video clip of common insects found around their homes and their different stages of reproduction and edit the video using Windows Movie Maker.(This is a long term project. Different stages of reproduction will be observed and recorded).

In order for the teacher to teach an ICT rich lesson the following points should be considered;
1. Plan your lesson and identify the ICT equipment that will be used in the lessons. Test these equipments to make sure they are working perfectly.
2. Organize the classroom setting to accommodate these lessons. These includes seating arrangements and setting up of the ICT equipment.
3.Decide whether you are going to use whole class or group activity.
4. Make advance booking to use the computer lab if you are planning to use the School’s Computer lab for your lesson.
5. If you are thinking of taking the children outside ensure that children's safety is considered.
6. Filter the Internet sites before allowing the students to use the Internet. Supervise the students while they are using the internet for research.


Conclusion
Digital videos can be integrated successfully in various subjects if the teachers take extra time and effort to plan their lessons that are interesting and meaningful. Young children enjoy lessons that utilize videos and other multimedia tools. These ICT tools should complement the existing traditional teaching methods use by teachers everyday in their classrooms. The examples listed above should provide teachers with some basic ideas on how to integrate ICT in their lessons using the Reform Curriculum (Outcomes Based).

Using Digital Videos to Evaluate Trainee Teachers Teaching Effectiveness at Balob Teachers College




Introduction

Balob Teachers College offers a two year Diploma in Teaching Primary program for both school leavers and non school leavers who wish to pursue their career in teaching at Primary Schools throughout Papua New Guinea. The College provides every opportunity for students to develop their skills in teaching and learning using wide range of resources which includes ICT tools.

   
Fig.1.0. Practice Teaching- Lanakapi Primary School, 2010

Using Traditional Approach to Evaluate Teaching Performances of Trainee Teachers.
The traditional approach refers to the use of lesson evaluation sheets in which the College Supervisor and the Classroom Teacher use to assess the College Students teaching performances. The single lesson evaluation form which consist of various teaching skills and are arranged according to the main parts of the lesson (Preparation, Introduction, Body and Conclusion). The main focus on this approach is the supervisor sitting at the back of the classroom with the evaluation sheet.The Supervisor uses Clinical Supervision which involves Pre-Conferencing and Post Conferencing sessions with the respective students.

The Professional Development Strand is responsible for the overall professional development programs at the College and coordinates the Practicum and the School Experience Programs for both first and second year students. Both of these programs provide opportunities for pre-service students to develop their teaching skills in an actual classroom environment.

The School Experience program uses two approaches. The first approach allows the students to prepare lessons and teach them in their peer groups. The students are evaluated by their own Colleagues and the College Supervisor. In the second approach students teach in an actual classroom in various schools in Lae at least once a week from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. These lessons are evaluated by the College Supervisor and the Classroom Teachers.

The Block Teaching (Practice Teaching) component is conducted at the end of the Second Term (The College divides its Academic Calendar into 3 terms) which runs for four weeks. The College students are posted to various schools throughout Morobe and Madang provinces.

The main disadvantage of the traditional approach is that students do not have the opportunity to observe themselves and identify their own weaknesses for further improvement. The evaluation comments come from the College Supervisors only. The method involves the supervisor, the trainee teacher and the single lesson evaluation sheet.


 Using Digital Videos to Evaluate Teaching Performances of Trainee Teachers- An alternative approach.
The use of Digital Videos in Teacher Training has been around for sometime and fully utilized in other Teacher Training Institutions world wide. The advantages of using this ICT tool is huge and can assist trainee teachers to improve their teaching performances if it is fully utilized. Digital Video was first trialed in June 18, 2010 at Bowali Primary School, Lae during the School Experience program.

 A small digital video camera was used to record six  Balob students teaching various lessons. These students volunteered to participate in the program. The videos were edited in the evening and shown the following evening each week for the duration of the School Experience program. The videos were shown using a laptop computer, a data projector and the big screen. The students were given an evaluation sheet each to evaluate their colleague's teaching (See figure 1.0). The students were given time at the end of the video presentation to make comments about what they have observed. The trainee teachers involved in the video program were given every opportunity to make comments on their teaching. The students easily identified weaknesses in their teaching and were able to make improvements. The students involved in the program overwhelmingly enjoyed the experience and have indicated that they have learned alot by watching videos of their own teaching.

Conclusion
The benefits of using digital video in teacher training is huge and can have greater impact on the evaluation of trainee teachers teaching performances at Balob Teachers College. The main advantage of using digital video is that students will be able to watch their own teaching and will be able to easily identify their strengths and weaknesses. The videos can be stored in a safe place and can be used from time to time to train quality teachers for tomorrow.


Fig.2.0. Sample Peer Evaluation Sheet.
Instruction


Watch the video and analyze your friends teaching. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson.


The following questions will guide you.


1. Introduction- How did the teacher introduce the lesson?(Describe)


2. Presentation -How did the teacher present the lesson? (Describe)


3.Conclusion -Did the teacher conclude the lesson? If yes, describe what the teacher did.


4. Teaching Method- Did the teacher use child centered approach? (Please explain)


5. List down other areas that need further improvement.




Fig.3.0  Group Activity- Grade 3 Students.


Note: Keep checking this blog for the next article on "Integrating Digital Videos in Teaching and Learning.

  

Using ICT in Promoting Child Friendly School Concept At Erap Primary School

Erap Primary School is situated at Erap DPI Station in the Markham Valley. It takes about 5 minutes vehicle ride from Nabzab Airport and about 38 Kilometres from Lae. The school is a level 5 Primary School consisting of 16 teachers and 500 school children. Children from Wawing National High School, Erap DPI Station, Trukai Oil Palm project and the surrounding villages attend the school. The school has a 24 hour electricity supply and all classrooms and teachers houses are permanent. Erap Primary School  has two desktop computers, a digital camera and a Television set was purchased recently for staff and students to use in their lessons. The school was chosen by the Department of Education to trial the Child Friendly School concept. The teachers have worked very hard in introducing wide range of strategies to ensure that the school is safe and friendly for everyone. The following strategies have been utilized:

1. Engaging Parents as partners by seeking their views on what is best for the school. Involving them in all school activities.
2. Getting to know the local people and their cultures.
3. Involving students to develop positive rules that they can follow.Students feel that they own the rules and are most likely to follow them ( In past practices, teachers formulate rules without students input).
4. Improving learning facilities.(Classrooms, library, sports facilities)
5. Using ICT in Teaching and Learning.
6. Educating children on their rights and responsibilities.
7. Respecting childrens' rights.
8. Applying suitable penalties for misbehavior (penalties that are positive and do not involve corporal punishment). Penalties are aligned with specific school rules. Students know the consequences in advance if they break these rules.
9. Engaging parents and children in extra curricular activities such as school sports, cultural activities.
10. Encourage children to hold class meetings to discuss issues affecting them.
11. Electing student leaders.
12. Using Child Centred Approach in Teaching and Learning.
13. Issuing school uniforms to students.

On 30th, April, 2010, a team of  academics from Balob Teachers College visited Erap Primary School to see how the school has implemented the child friendly school concept. This visit was the culmination of an In-service Training Week on the Child Friendly School concept which is part of the SLIP(School Learning Improvement Plans) program of the Department of Education.The College Lecturers spent two hours with the teachers discussing wide range of issues relating to the Child Friendly School concept and the SLIP program. The teachers responded to various questions posed by the College Lecturers on what they did to promote their school to become a child friendly school for their students. Alot of valuable information were provided by the teachers.The information provided by Erap Teachers will assist Balob Lecturers from the Community Development Strand to teach this new subject on "Child Friendly School" in the second semester of this academic year.

The feed back from the teachers and the general observation of the shcool has supported the view that the Child Friendly School concept has actually worked. The following are visible effects as asserted by the teachers.

• School Attendance has improved dramatically;
• Decrease in misbehaviour and discipline problems;
• Students are eager to learn;
• Academic performance has improved.

One of the significant strategy used by Erap Primary School is the use of ICT in teaching and learning.(ICT includes Computers, Television, Digital Camera/Camcorders...etc.). This is the first time I have seen a primary school using video/tv equipment in teaching ( Some Primary Schools in Lae are involved in School of the Air program, a weekly program provided by the Department of Education. This televison program is different from integrating ict in teaching and learning). I have not seen any urban schools that I have visited using this technology. What is so significant is that Erap is a rural school and yet it has effectively use this technology in teaching and learning. In relation to that, a grade 8 teacher at Erap commented that she uses the video equipment to reinforce her teaching on specific subjects such as science and physical education. For example, after teaching the unit/topic on soccer, the students watch a video on soccer. The following scenarios are used:

• Students are asked questions base on what they have seen;
• Students work in groups to discuss what they have learned;
• Students write a report/review of what they have seen;
• Students practice specific skills such as heading, passing and kicking in a practical session.

The students enjoy this aspect of the lesson and are always eager and look forward to the next lesson that uses ICT.

Information and Communication Technology is a powerful teaching and learning tool and can have positive impact on students' learning. School Administrators, parents, teachers and other stake holders need to understand the importance of ICT in order to effectively develop this technology in their schools. A success of any ict development in schools depend on school head teachers and principals. I am always of the view that in order for ict to be effectively introduced in schools the school head must be literate in ict. A teacher/principal that is illiterate in ict will not support the introduction of ict in his or her school. I am saying this because I have seen some head teachers in urban schools storing donated computers in the school store room for years because they don't know what to do with them.

The head teacher and teachers of Erap Primary School should be proud of their achievement in turning their school into a child friendly school and using ict as a strategy to promote the child friendly school concept.

Papua New Guinea Upper Secondary Syllabus

Introduction
The future generation of Papua New Guinea will benefit from the latest development in ICT as a result of the  development of a new ICT Syllabus for Upper Secondary Grades (Grade 11- 12). A team of writers consisting of adivsers from Australia, University Lecturers, Teachers College Lecturers, Secondary School Teachers met in Madang Resort Hotel for two weeks in September 2008 to write syllabuses for various Upper Secondary Subjects. The writers worked day and night to complete the first draft of the syllabuses. The syllabus writing workshop was funded by the Australian Government.

The ICT writing group consisting of 5 teachers, an officer from the Curriculum Development Divsion of the Department of Education and an Adviser from Australia. The writers initially encountered wide range of problems in relation to the type of content relevant to the Papua New Guinea situation. The job was quite difficult because this was the first attempt for the country to develop its own ICT Syllabus.The group took several days, debating, arguing and carrying out research on what is best to be included in the new syllabus. The group was fortunate to have the ICT adviser from Australia to provide advise on the latest trends and developments in ICT Education in other countries. The syllabus was revised several times based on crtical comments provided by various stake holders before the final draft was submitted to the department for approval and publishing.

This paper discusses the various sections of the ICT syllabus and obstacles that are likely to be experienced by secondary schools in the country that will affect the implementation of the new Syllabus.

Background
Papua New Guinea is an Island Nation consisting of more than 5 million people. The country has a diverse culture and about 800 plus languages spoken. English is the language of commerce and education. Children attend 8 years of basic education. Students sit for an external exam in Grade 8 and only students who do well are selected to continue on to do grade 9 and 10. Students again sit for a grade 10 exam and base on their internal assessment and exam results they are then selected to do grade 11 and 12. The school drop out rate is one of the highest in the world with the majority of the children who drop off from school have no hope of pursuing further studies. Though there are numerous private schools establish in the country the school fees charge are astronomical and beyond the reach of ordinary parents.

ICT development in schools in the country is very slow in relation to the other countries. This is especially true for primary schools. The majority of schools in the country lack proper ICT facilities, reliable electricity and constant financial support to maintain these facilities. Communication facilities and other government services in the rural areas are non existence. In urban centres many schools do not have computer labs for their students and teachers to use. The only people who have access to computers are school typists and receptionists and to some extend school principals who happen to attend short computer training courses and have basic ideas on how to use computers. The poor teachers and students are left on the sideline as mere observers. In a couple of primary schools I have visited in Lae the principals locked away donated computers in the school store room because they don't know what to do with them.

On the other hand, secondary schools seem to do fairly well especially secondary schools located in the urban areas. There is some form of computer labs establish for the students to use and ICT is taught as a separate subject despite the lack of a uniform ICT Syllabus for secondary schools. These schools develop their own syllabuses. The notable schools with proper ICT facilities are Lae Secondary School, Bumayong Secondary School and Bugandi Secondary. However, their counterparts in the rural areas lack ICT facilities and constant power supply.

Sections of the Upper Secondary Syllabus

 The new ICT Syllabus consist of the following main sections:

1. Syllabus Introduction
2. Rationale
3. Aims
4. Strands
5. Learning Outcomes
6. Unit Sequence and Content

The syllabus is then divided into two sections with separate units to be taught in grade 11 and 12 respectively. Each unit of work consist of a brief description, specific learning outcomes and contents to be taught.

 Syllabus Introduction

This syllabus is based on the curriculum principles from the National Curriculum Statement. It has been designed using learning outcomes that identify the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that all students achieve or demonstrate by the end of Grade 12. It is linked to the national curriculum learning area Culture and Community and builds on the knowledge and skills students have learnt since elementary grades.

 Fig.1. Syllabus Writers. (From Left to Right- Yana Elius, Dunstan Dirua, Judy Mclllree, Martha Aaron, Roel Paje, Andrew Kimin)

This Information Communication Technologies Syllabus offers a number of pathways to post- secondary study and the workforce. It has specialised and general applications in both areas.

Rationale

Development in technology has progressed very fast. The technological revolution is significantly changing the world. ICT is pervasive, penetrating all sectors of the economy, creating new jobs, changing others and enhancing many activities. These activities include changes in existing laws and ethical values and, most importantly, the articulation of technical skills to gain employment. ICT is playing an increasing role in all areas of life.

In order for Papua New Guinea to keep abreast with the global community, ICT must become an integral part of business, government and education. The continual improvements in ICT will eventually break the geographical barriers in Papua New Guinea. Geographical isolation will no longer be a hindrance to Papua New Guinea’s advancement; rather, ICT will create a virtual bridge to unite the whole country.

Students studying ICT develop technical, practical, personal and organisational skills. They are at the forefront of advances in communication, information technology and computing. They have the tools to enable access to up-to-date and relevant information. Studying ethical issues related to ICT helps develop good moral values and respect for other cultures.The study of ICT benefits students when they pursue further education and training or employment and when they actively participate in their communities.

Fig.2. Presentation of Certificates

Aims

• make a worthwhile contribution to the social and economic development of the country through the use of ICT skills
• develop knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in ICT that will be transferable to their career paths and future life directions
• provide students with knowledge of ICT that enhances their personal and professional productivity
• break the geographical barriers of Papua New Guinea
• develop knowledge and skills to enable them to compete globally.

Strands

The study of Information Communication Technologies is described in the following strands:

Information

‘Information literacy’ is the ability to gather information from multiple sources, select relevant material and organise it into a form that will allow the user to make quality decisions or take specific actions.

This strand identifies the information that is taken from data. Whatever data is encoded in the computer is interpreted in various ways to collect accurate and reliable information. This information comes in a variety of ways after processing, organising and analysing data to meet the needs of the end user.

Students learn concepts in data input, processing and output to help them to make informed decisions on information found in all areas of their lives.

Communication

Communication deals with the process involved in the transfer of information from one place to another. This transfer can happen in a variety of ways. In computer communications, data travels electronically at very high speed.

The speed of computer communication creates a big impact on computer users, in ways never imagined before. Continuous improvement in the use of satellite communications and the internet are making the world a smaller place.

Students understand the use of a range of communications hardware and software devices. They develop an awareness of the opportunities provided by the growing need for communication.

Technology

Technology is about the knowledge and creative processes that are involved in the development of hardware and software tools, techniques and the use of materials. Technology is designed and produced to meet a range of human needs, from personal to business, education and government.

Students learn about technologies that meet user needs and the impacts of those technologies.

Learning Outcomes

The Information Communication Technologies learning outcomes identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes and values all students achieve or demonstrate at the end of Grade 12. The learning outcomes for Information Communication Technologies are listed below.

Students can:

1.identify and describe computer hardware and software and their functions and capabilities

2.identify and describe a variety of information systems and how these are used within organisations

3.demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the legal and ethical issues of using and producing IT solutions and their effects on the society

4. describe suitable network designs to solve small business or organisational needs

5.demonstrate knowledge of procedures for protecting and keeping data securely on a computer or network

6.describe the hardware and software required for electronic communication between computers and computer systems including methods of connection

7.demonstrate understanding of the internet and e-mail and the issues involved

8.apply advanced skills and concepts in creating solutions to information problems using a range of information software

9.develop multimedia presentations using a range of hardware and software devices.

Units of Work

The Upper Secondary ICT Syllabus consist of thirteen units in which the students need to complete. The units are:

Grade 11 Units:

• Computer Fundamentals
• Advanced Word Processing
• Computers And Society
• Advanced Spreadsheets
• Database 1
• Internet 1
• Desktop Publishing

Grade 12 Units:

• Information and Communication Systems
• Database 2
• Internet 2
• Multimedia
• Computers and Employment

Implementation

The Department of Education and the Government of Papua New Guinea should be aplauded for taking the initiative to develop the first ICT syllabus for Upper Secondary Schools in Papua New Guinea. The next important task is to ensure the syllabus is properly implemented. In order for this to become a reality the following obstacles need to be addressed soon as possible.

1. Lack of proper ICT facilites
2. Lack of financial support
3. Unreliable electricity supply
4. Lack of Technical Support
5. Lack of ICT policy for schools
6. Land owner issues
7. Political interference in school affairs
8. Staff development needs of ICT Staff
9. Ignorance of school administration in relation to the importance of ICT
10. Lack of proper national ICT Network for schools whereby resources are shared and cost are minimized.

Conclusion
The Papua New Guinea Government and the National Department of Education need to take heed of some of the obstacles listed above and look for solutions to address them in order for the syllabus to be implemented in all secondary schools nation-wide. The two most imporatant areas that need to be addressed immediately is the establishment of ICT facilities and training of ICT teachers to implement this syllabus. The issues can be used as a guide or sign post to ensure that schools do not encounter problems in the future.
The development of the first ICT syllabus is a significant development for this country and if implemented properly should bring the country forward in line with the other developing countries.

Note:

To view or download the electronic copy of this syllabus please visit this website: http://www.pngecbp.com/default.htm

Fig.3. Presenting gifts to our overseas friends.