NDLP

At MOE’s Committee of Supply Debate in March 2020, MOE launched the National Digital Literacy Programme (NDLP) for our schools to help students strengthen their digital literacy. One of the components of the NDLP is the introduction of the Personalised Digital Learning Programme (PDLP) for all secondary school students, whereby every secondary school student will own a school-prescribed Personal Learning Device (PLD) by end-2021.

Clementi Town Secondary School embraces the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a key enabler in designing and implementing meaningful learning experiences for our students, aligned with our school’s ICT mission of Developing Every Clementeen into Future-ready, Digital Learners.

NDLP PRESENTATION FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

The school will engage Secondary One parents/guardians on the National Digital Learning Programme (NDLP) and the Device Management Application (DMA) in twice.

  • During Sec 1 Meet-The-Parents Session on 12th Jan 2024.

  • Over zoom on 9th March 2024.

Details of the two engagements will be communicated to parents/guardians over Parents Gateway (PG).

FINDINGS FROM NDLP PILOT

From 1 February to 26 February 2021, two Secondary 3 classes were selected to participate in the NDLP Pilot Programme. The objectives of this pilot were to:

  1. assess suitability of a tablet device and a traditional clam-shell computing device for NDLP;

  2. allow a group of our teachers to experience how their T&L might shift with NDLP, involve them and get their input; and

  3. discover possible implementation challenges which we might not have anticipated, and to then adjust our plans.

Students from one of the of the classes were issued with a tablet device (iPad), while students from the other class were issued a traditional clam-shell computing device.

Findings from Students

Students involved in the pilot had an overall positive experience. The devices issued to them gave them an opportunity to be more participative during lessons, and gave them control of their learning pace and path. Most students preferred the use of the PLD, especially the iPads, over their own mobile phones as the larger screen, keyboard and stylus afforded clearer presentation of information, ease of access to learning materials, collaboration with peers in class and note-taking during lessons.

Findings from Teachers

The Subject Teachers involved in the pilot had shared that the PLDs, when coupled with effective pedagogies and lesson facilitation, made learning more accessible for students, as it gave students control over their own pace of learning and enabled teachers to give instant, multi-modal, personalised feedback. Teachers also shared that the PLDs gave them greater flexibility on lesson flow and students were observed to be more engaged and participative during lessons.

PERSONAL LEARNING DEVICE (PLD) FOR CLEMENTI TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Overview. The PLD will be used in tandem with the national e-learning platform – the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) – as well as other educational technology to personalise and enhance students’ learning. This will also enable students to acquire digital skills and apply these skills as they navigate an increasingly digitalised world.

Purchase of PLD bundle. The school has made arrangements for you to purchase the PLD from AsiaPac Distribution Ptd Ltd for your child’s/ward’s use in school. The vendor has been identified based on the choice of device determined by the school from a panel of awarded suppliers established by MOE. The PLD bundle which includes warranty and insurance for purchase by your child/ward will be the Apple iPad with the following specifications and add-ons:

Use of Edusave. MOE has provided Edusave top-ups of $200 in 2020, and in May 2021 to all eligible Singaporean students in primary and secondary schools. This is on top of the annual Edusave contribution of $290 for secondary students and $230 for primary students. Students who are Singapore citizens can use their Edusave to pay fully or partly for the PLD, after setting aside provision for payment of 2nd tier miscellaneous fees. Parents/Guardians can also choose to pay cash for the PLD.

Financial Assistance. Subsidies are available for students who require funding support to purchase a PLD. Details of the funding can be found in the hardcopy form which will be issued to new Sec 1 students in Term 1 Week 2.

Why did the school choose the iPad as the PLD?

Using ICT in teaching and learning is not new to CTSS and our Clementeens. We have been tapping on the Google Classroom and the various Google Collaboration Tools (Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Forms etc) for many years as part of our efforts to prepare our students to be collaborative and self-directed learners. As such, it is natural to continue on this platform for the familiarity of both teachers and students. The Google apps and Google Classroom can be used on the iPad to facilitate learning. In addition, tablets as compared to laptops and Chromebooks are lighter, and have longer battery life.

CYBER-WELLNESS AND NDLP RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

In rolling out the PLD, MOE is acutely aware of concerns regarding students’ cyber-wellness. The DMA allows the school to manage this, by

(a) collecting data on usage by the student, such as the amount of time spent on each application,
(b) monitoring, filtering and limiting the type of websites accessible to the student, and
(c) placing restrictions on students’ screen time in order to prevent cyber addiction.

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions document for more information on the DMA as well as MOE’s collection of data.

In addition, various toolkits and resources on cyber-wellness and blended learning have been crafted for parents:
1. NDLP Google Site for Parents
2. Click Clique: Bringing up children in the digital age
3. Parent Handbook (I) on Learning with a PLD
4. Resource Kit: Experiencing Blended Learning (BL) with Our Children
5. Safe and Smart Online Parent Guide

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) AND FURTHER QUERIES

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on the rollout of the NDLP at Clementi Town Secondary School.

Should there be any further queries or clarification, please email the school at askndlp@ctss.edu.sg.