INTEGRATION OF ICT IN THE

PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

       Over the past 30 years, many governments had been emphasizing in integration of ICT in schools, few of the prominent and successful ones are countries like Ireland and United Kingdom. In the local context, Malaysian government had also started to emphasize on it through various initiatives such as the smart school system, technology classes and most recently in terengganu, the state government provided E-book for it's students.

       So looking at the informations above, we can say that integration of ICT had started decades ago. The major ambition behind this moves are that to enhance the quality of teaching and learning and to better prepare the students for participation in the emerging knowledge economy and information based society. Where a famous quote says that in the 20th century the difference between illiterate and literate is the ability to recognize and read words but in the 21st century the difference between illiterate and literate is the ability to use ICT.

     So, what are the key ideas behind integration of ICT in primary school curriculum?

• The integration of ICT in the Primary School Curriculum  should be directed toward enhancing teaching and learning
• The development of ICT skills should be embedded in learning objectives in the Primary School Curriculum
• Planning for ICT use should be at school level and should address key issues including the use of ICT for children with special needs, equality of ICT access for all children, and health and safety when using ICT
• The role of the teacher in planning, supporting, and assessing children’s learning with ICT is central to the effective integration of ICT across the Primary School Curriculum
• Co-operation between home and school can facilitate the development of a common understanding about the use of ICT as a tool for lifelong learning.

   The success or failure of the integrating ICT process depends on the teacher and the school, where if proper planning is made by the teacher and is supported by the school, ICT will eventually be the most powerful learning tool that will transform the teaching and learning session.