IT use up in nation’s classes
HCM CITY — Information technology is gradually replacing conventional teaching tools at many secondary schools in HCM City.
Teachers are finding it easier to use more convenient and livelier methods, like illustrative film strips, which employ computer technology.
"It does not require much," said Tran Thi Thu Thuy, a chemistry teacher at a secondary school. "All we need are a computer, a projector, and a wide screen television."
Nevertheless, preparing syllabi is regarded as the most important part of teaching. Thuy, who has taught with the help of a computer before, said she prepares lessons like slide shows, letting each part of the lesson appear on the screen one after another.
The job consumes a lot of her time.
"A teaching period lasts 45 minutes but it takes me half the month to prepare a syllabus," Thuy said.
More importantly, lessons on computer usually make students excited because they are attracted by illustrative images and lively sound.
"It’s a good teaching tool because it saves a great deal of time and makes both the teachers and students more confident and active," said one literature teacher.
According to Huynh Kim Sen, deputy director of the HCM City Education and Training Department’s Secondary Education Section, almost all the teachers at secondary schools in HCM City use computers for teaching lessons.
They claim the new teaching method is only one among various ways of improving classroom instruction. For this reason, they said, the method only proves effective for certain lessons.
In order to modify their lessons, many teachers have made full use of their extra time to learn about IT, typing, scanning pictures and documentary film making.
Maths website
Pham Thanh Luan, a maths teacher at Le Hong Phong Secondary School came up with the novel idea to build a website on maths by designing software to illustrate mathematical concepts.
In collaboration with four other teachers, students, and IT engineers, Luan and his team have researched software since last year, using their own money to fund their studies.
As planned, the trial run of the website www.vietmaths.saigonnews.vn will begin in June of this year and will officially come into operation in October.
Luan said the more difficult maths will be presented in cartoon films to make them more lively and attractive for students.
In addition, the website will provide maths lessons at different grade levels, from 10th to 12th grade, and ways to solve maths problems using different methods. It will also offer examination questions, quizzes and maths problems. Students who are fond of maths will also have the chance to learn about the history of maths, images and biographies of famous mathematicians, etc.
"Informatics can solve teaching lessons that are impossible to convey through chalk and blackboard," said Luan.
Viet Nam News, May 17, 2005
