Skills (Technology, Thinking and Life).

The SEAMEO LeSMaT in a borderless world [LeSMaT (Borderless)] initiative specifically support SEAMEO member countries to fulfil priority areas No. 3, 5 and 7 in the following ways:

 

a)    promotion of student networking with the strengthening of SEAMEO collaboration  through teaching, learning and assessment across educational systems;

b)    enhancement of thinking, technology, life (work/entrepreneurial/survival) skills;

 

c)    development of enriched cross-cultural/interdisciplinary curricula with emphasis on values education, global citizenship as well as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Education for Sustainable Living (ESL); and

 

d)    gathering of critical mass or pool of educators who are trained through structured LeSMaT curriculum that will be prepared in the form of d-book or blended-mode ODL module to be the expert and/or advocate for the promotion of ESD and ESL.

 

1.  Various students-centred teaching learning approaches were introduced, such as Project-based Activities (PBA), Problem-based Learning (PBL), Inquiry-based Learning supported by interactive digital tools including mainly ‘Learning Activities Management Systems’ (LAMS) and other digital and/or video conferencing tools that are suggested for networking such as Edmodo, FB, Skype and webinar.

 

2.    Using the LeSMaT ODL modules as main guide as well as adapting the curriculum identified in the common core regional standards as the output of SEAMEO Basic Education (SEA-BES) initiative, selected teachers/educators may subsequently undergo ‘Training of Trainers’ (TOT) or in-service training courses to be organized by RECSAM in collaboration with collaborative partners. They may also be involved in ‘Learning Science and Mathematics Teaching integrating Technology’ (LeSMaTIT) to explore Science teaching integrating Transdisciplinary or cross curricular approaches supported by Technology-enhanced Learning (TEL).

 

From the valuable inputs by consultants and discussions output generated from the active participation of workshop members, the following key recommendations are also explored:

 

a)    More effort should be made to promote LeSMaT through in-service education or Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops to reach out to wider audience and obtain critical mass of teachers who could be advocate/experts to promote ESD or ESL.

 

b)    More curricular areas  should be incorporated as identified under SEABES initiative incorporating more digital tools for student blended learning networking activities;

 

c)    Teachers/educators and/or key trainer/trainee should be informed about the opportunities to further their studies through EnTeaCH programme.

 

d)    Programme mapping and action plan should be prepared to promote online learning courses through existing digital tools and platforms e.g. LAMS, Edmodo, Webinar, in collaboration with international networking partners, e.g. UNESCO, GEAERD at India [http://geaerd.org/], STOU at Thailand (Smart ASEAN)[http://www.smartasean.org/ ], Media8 (Entrepreneurship through writing platform)[e.g. http://goo.gl/f8fSQP] at Taiwan/US to promote thinking, technology and life (work/entrepreneurial) skills.