Article on "Internet Access by Remote Communities in Sarawak: The Smart School as a Demonstrator Application"

Right: Dr Roger Harris, a lecturer at the Malaysian University of Sarawak, teaching a tribal Kelabit man how to use Microsoft Excel on a computer in the town of Bario in Borneo.

A research team from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Faculty of Information Technology is exploring potential uses of the Internet in remote communities. Under the Pan Asia R&D Grants supported project 'Internet Access by Remote Communities in Sarawak: The Smart School as a Demonstrator Application', Internet access is being provided to a school in the remote community of Bario in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The research team is examining the information needs that exist in this primarily agricultural region, with the aim of determining how the Internet can be used to improve access to and dissemination of information resources.

Bario is an isolated community with no road access and poor telecommunications infrastructure, and is facing an outflow of residents to more urbanized areas. The main objective of the 'Smart School' project is to determine what opportunities may exist for social development in this rural area through the use of the Internet and other ICTs.

The 'Smart School' project is divided into two Phases - Phase I involves conducting a number of base-line surveys to assess the level of ICT awareness in the community and to gain an understanding of the information needs of the local Kelabit people. Phase II includes the establishment of a telecentre in a secondary school in Bario, drawing on the Malaysian Government's 'Smart School' initiative.

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The UNIMAS project is seen as a means of decreasing the impact of the Digital Divide between urbanized and rural areas in Malaysia. Additional financial support for the project has been received from the Malaysian government's National Information Technology Council (NTIC) under its Demonstrator Application Grants Scheme (DAGS).

A number of research studies have been completed to date under Phase I of the 'Smart School' project. Results from the studies will be used as baseline data for implementation of the telecentre. The studies include: data on ICT-literacy of secondary school teachers; awareness and usage of ICTs in the community of Bario; methodologies for identifying information needs for the development of local ICT-based information systems; and, an information and communications needs-assessment of the Bario community.

Phase II of the project is currently being implemented. It is expected that the 'Smart School' telecentre will be used to deliver such ICT-based services as electronic government, electronic commerce, social services, cultural exchange, tele-medicine and private communications. Furthermore, the 'Smart School' pilot project will establish, test, and refine various technical means of providing Internet access using wireless applications appropriate to remote rural conditions, including radio, satellite and other computing technologies.

The telecentre is currently connected to the Internet via a VSAT satellite link.

For more information on the Smart School initiative in Sarawak, please contact the project team leader Faculty of Information Technology, University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).

to see more photos of the 'Smart School' Project in Bario, Sarawak

Smart Intermediate Newsletter

Souper Bowl Success

Posted Wednesday February 3, 2010

Thank you for your support!

A huge thanks to all of the 6th graders and their families who attended the first annual 6th Grade Souper Bowl. We had a great time eating pizza, winning prizes and making chicken noodle soup jars!! Out of the 60 jars made, we were able to donate 44 to our local Community Food Pantry. Your contribution was greatly appreciated!!!

Calendar Changes

Posted Tuesday February 2, 2010

Due to the number of snow days we have had the end of third quarter has been adjusted as follows:

Two hour early dismissal scheduled for Wed. March 10th will now be Wed. March 17th

The end of 3rd quarter will move from March 11th to March 19th. That will make 1st quarter 43 days; 2nd quarter 40 days; 3rd quarter 49 days and 4th quarter 46 days.

Barring any additional snow days the last student day will now be June 3rd; the last teacher day is June 4th.

Yearbook Purchasing

Posted Wednesday November 11, 2009

Order Your Yearbook Now!

Student's can order yearbooks for the 2009 - 2010 school year. See

Ms. Speidel or Ms. Hoffman for order forms.

Why EnergySmart Schools?

• Schools spend more on energy than any other expense except personnel.
• A high-performance school doesn't have to cost more to construct than a conventionally built school.
• High-performance schools can lower a school district's operating costs by up to 30%.
• Energy is one of the few expenses a school can reduce without sacrificing educational quality.
• Schools are central to the communities they serve and should reflect community values – like energy and resource conservation.
• Schools are a great place to teach the nation's children about energy and resource conservation.

Students and Teachers - Get Smart About Energy

Students and Teachers - Get Smart About Energy

The Energy Smart Schools program provides lesson plans and activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy for grades K-12. Each includes a short summary that identifies curriculum integration, time, and materials. The lessons are aligned to National Science Education Standards.

Teach My Grandson Teacher - Gently, If You Can

My grandson starts school today. It's going to be strange and new to him for a while, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently.

You see, up to now, he's been king of the roost -- he's been boss of the backyard. His mom, dad, and Grandma have always been around to repair his wounds, and soothe his feelings.

But now things are going to be different! This morning he's going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand, and start out on a great adventure... it's an adventure that might take him across the continent... it's an adventure that might incllude wars and strategy and sorrow.

To live his live in this world, will require faith and love and courage. So teacher, I pray you will take him by his young hand and teach him the things he will have to know.

Teach my grandson teacher -- but gently, if you can. He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, that all men are not true.

But teach him also, that for every scounderel, there is a hero.. that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend.

It will take time teacher, I know, but teach my grandson, if you can, that a nickel earned is far more value than a dollar found... teach him to learn to lose... and to enjoy winning.

Steer him away from envy, if you can, and teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

Let my grandson learn early that the bullies are the easiest people to lick.. teach him, if you can, the wonder of books... but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hill.

In school, teacher, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat... teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him that he is wrong... teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people.

Try to give my grandson strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon... teach him to listen to all men... but, teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach my grandson teacher.. but gently if you can, how to laugh when he is sad... teach him there is no shame in tears... teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success.

Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob... and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right.

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness.. teach him to sell his brawn and brains to the highest bidders but, never, never, put a price tag on his heart and soul.

Treat my grandson gently, teacher, but don't coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.. let him have the courage to be impatient... let him have the patience to be brave.

Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself. Because then he will have sublime faith in God and Mankind.

This is a tall order, teacher, but please help him if you can do. You see, he's such a nice little fellow... my grandson.

Teach my grandson, teacher.. but gently if you can.

Your Smart IQ have improved to LinKo

These are among the FAQs about Sekolah Bestari. I will try to give brief explanation to the above FAQs.

The Sekolah Bestari won't be the same as any existing Smart Schools anywhere around the world. These are due to two main factors involving current education system in Malaysia and will continue in Sekolah Bestari. Firstly: The National Phylosophy of Malaysian Education will be the main component of Sekolah Bestari curriculum and secondly: moral values that have been stressed in present curriculum will go on into Bestari schooling. These two foundations of Malaysian Education will not be nagiotable in the Bestari Curriculum. This will make the Sekolah Bestari different than the rest of Smart Schools. How the curriculum is being carried out in Sekolah Bestari may resemble to the existing Smart Schools.

When ideas about Sekolah Bestari being projected to the Malaysian public, people started imagining classrooms packed with computers, internet, video conferencing equipments and all the latest communication technology can offer. These misconceptions were due to the association of Sekolah Bestari and MSC. Sekolah Bestari is NOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. If the technology is there then it is wise to use it. The most important idea about Sekolah Bestari involves the teaching and learning process. The Bestari curriculum will cater for all levels of learners. This is where virtual express class concept comes in. A fast learners will be able to proceed to the higher and more complex contents of the syllabus while the slow learners will continue with activities until they are ready to move on. The previuos sentence was easy to state but how well can a teacher carry out in the Bestari classroom. The first step towards the preparation of Sekolah Bestari is for the Bestari Teachers undergoing retraining in FIVE skills in context with Sekolah Bestari. The skills are: 1) Learning Skills, 2) Creative and Critical Thinking, 3) Fasilitating, 4) Assessement and Evaluation, and 5) Techologically competent. All these skills must be acquired wholly for teachers to be able to FACILITATE Bestari classrooms. The teaching continuum will move from teaching to facilitating as students in one Bestari classroom will be doing different activities according to their abilities. The present Sage by the Stage approach will move to Guide by the Side. The technology will no doubt facilitate these process but again is only considered as tools in the teaching and learning process. The Bestari concept can be carried out even for a school without a phone line or even electricity supply.

All the five elements stated in the above paragraph have been practised in Malaysian schools for years and nothing is new about it. The only thing lacking with the present system is that there is not much democratization in education. Students have no choice on what to learn and when to sit for the examination. The present assessement system does not allow learners to sit for the exam when they are ready. Exams are sheduled to the most only twice a year. With the new concept more School based or portfolio based assessement will be carried out allowing students more freedom to learn. This flexibility will allow more room for teachers to plan their lessons which will not be too exam orientated. The Malaysian Examination Syndicate will come up with Smart Assessement whereby students will be able to take exams whenever they are ready. Registration will be on-line and students can checks their cummulative performance and even got the chance to improvize on it.