ICT Usage in School

Inclusivity & Daily Usage

All students in the school can make use of the laptops and Chromebooks in the computer labs and library respectively for their online learning projects, learning and assignments.

The school ensures that students on financial assistance scheme (FAS) are able to have access to a computer device for online learning. FAS students can apply at our school General Office for NEU PC Plus Programme to be provided with a new personal computer and internet subscription for online learning.

Every day, students are allowed to use their mobile devices to access the school’s designed Current Affairs’ micro-site, CNA online, Straits Times and Zaobao Online for morning reading during the reading periods. Students who do not have mobile phone can bring along their books or newspaper to read.

During some lessons, teachers may require students to use their mobile phones to conduct fun quizzes, collaborative work or other online learning. Students who do not have any mobile phone may be given a Chromebook or a personal learning device to use. Alternatively, the teacher may request the students to share their inputs verbally or via writing on the whiteboard.

Cyber-Discipline

Our school discipline strives to inculcate the sense of self-regulation in using mobile devices in school. While we do not prohibit the students’ use of mobile devices in school, we emphasise on the “3Rs” of cyber-discipline:

a. Respecting our School as a Place of Learning – We teach our students the purposeful use of the mobile devices at the right time and right place. At all times, our students should respect that the school is not the place for mobile gaming. Our student should also respect that the classroom is the place where they should be focused on learning and should put away their mobile devices if they are not used for classroom learning.

b. Respecting Others in School – We teach our students that they should respect privacy of their school mates and staff. No picture or video should be taken of someone in school without permission given. Making memes or playing any cyber-prank at someone’s expense constitute as cyber-bullying which will lead to disciplinary consequences.

c. Respecting and Regulating Yourself – We teach students to be disciplined and positive users of internet, using online resources to be creative and helpful to others. In VLE lessons and in Level Mentors’ briefings, students are often reminded not to leave regrettable cyber-footprints that will be difficult to erase. We also constantly educate our students that the inability to regulate themselves not only in school, but also at home will lead to gaming addiction, social media abuses, cyberbullying or even worse consequences.

Communications & Safety

For most online teaching information, our teachers have been using CCHM Google Classrooms which can be accessed on mobile app and personal computer browsers. Our Google Classrooms are interconnected to CCHM Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs, all of which provides a streamlined learning experience online.

As our teachers are also using MOE’s SLS (Student Learning Space) resources, our Google Classrooms often include SLS links to ensure our students enjoy the best of both worlds.

For CCAs and Student Leaders, many teachers and students are using Google Classrooms to communicate and share resources.

All of the CCHM Google resources can only be accessed with cchm.edu.sg accounts which our ICT Team had ensure student users protect with strong passwords.

To enable real-time communication between students and teachers on school matters, the school started adopting the use of Google Chat logged in under the CCHM domain in Aug 2020. The use of Google Chat will prevent students and teachers revealing their mobile phone numbers and they can communicate using their CCHM Gmail IDs.

Every class now has a Google Chat group supervised by form teachers and Level Mentors. Rules and expectations are established to ensure safe and purposeful use of this online chat app. With Google Chat, there is no need for Chung Cheng students to use Whatsapp, Telegram or other social media chat app for school purposes.

In addition, unlike Whatsapp and other chat app, Google Chat can be accessed via personal computer web browsers for students who do not own any smartphone.

Below is also a Questions and Answers section to address the queries and concerns of parents on the use of mobile devices in the school.

Q1: Is it compulsory for the students to own a mobile device?

Answer: It is not compulsory for students to own a mobile device. Students without mobile devices can read their hard copies books and 《早报逗号》Chinese newspaper (alternate week issued) during their English and Chinese respective reading periods. Students can also access the computer labs laptops and Chromebooks in the library for their online learning. Learning will not be compromised for students without mobile devices.

Q2: Are students allowed to use the mobile devices at all times?

Answer: The school allow the students to use their mobile devices during reading periods as well as during lessons which involve online learning under the teachers’ supervision. They are strongly discouraged to use the mobile devices during their recess and lunch time. This is to foster interaction and class-bonding between them and their classmates.

Q3: Is Google Chat safe to use?

Answer: Google Chat is a communication application that is under the school’s subscribed Google Suite in Education. This chat application is under the school domain and expectation and rules are also reiterated to the students to support and guide them in the secure, safe, ethical and effective use of the applications. More importantly, this application will not disclose your child’s mobile phone number and they can communicate with their teachers in a safe and secured mode in the Conversation Room created by their Form teachers or respective subject teachers on school matters.

Q4: My child’s old phone model cannot support the installation of the Google Chat or my child does not have a mobile phone, what can I do?

Answer: For students without a mobile device or having an old model that can’t support the installation, the school library had provided Chromebooks for students to access the messages and announcements shared on the Google Chat. Library opening hours had also been extended to allow students to access the information at their appropriate timing after lessons or after-school activities. They can also make use of the Chromebooks for information retrieval during their recess or lunch time.

Q5: I had set parental filter control on my child’s mobile devices to prevent the misuse of the devices and addiction to mobile devices. How can I support my child in the safe and effective use of the mobile device?

Answer: The school will not override your decision in setting parental filter control on your child’s mobile device. However, we will request your child to inform you on the installation of certain mobile applications for learning and communication purposes (eg Google Chat) and seek your permission. We had also provided you some useful resources on Cyber-wellness issues through termly Parents’ Newsletter and Parents’ Gateway. We strongly encourage that you access and make use of those resources and work together with the school to create a safe and positive experience for your child on the use of mobile device for learning and effective communication.

*Useful Cyber-Wellness Resources:

Ø https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/cyber-wellness---useful-resources

Ø https://beta.moe.gov.sg/programmes/cyber-wellness/

Page updated

Report abuse