Computer Tablets Helping Language Skills, Says Thailand's Obec

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Computer tablets helping language skills, says Obec
SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- With computer tablets as their learning tools, Pathom 1 students have acquired language skills faster, according to a research by the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec).

"Their listening, speaking and reading skills have developed at a faster pace," Obec secretary-general Chinnapat Bhumirat said yesterday.

The research covered 7,078 students, 533 teachers, and 503 executives at 503 schools.

"It has also shown that tablets are helping to prepare students for the Asean Economic Community [AEC]," Chinnapat said. The AEC will materialise in 2015 and students will need language skills, information-searching skills, and skills to apply information they have garnered.

"We have asked the Pathom 1 students to search out information on the nature of animals within half an hour. From this research, we found that about 65 per cent of students were able to conduct an information search," Chinnapat disclosed.

He said findings from the research into tablet use would be collated to improve the integration of tablets in classrooms.

The One Tablet per Child Project is a brainchild of the current government. Under the project, Pathom 1 students have received free tablets for their studies. This year, the project will be expanded to cover more students.

Chinnapat said the research had found some problems in the use of tablets, concerning mostly the devices' battery and electrical systems.

"We will use this information to improve the tablets and their use as learning tools," he said.


-- The Nation 2013-04-11

[eeeya]

Alot of apps in the android market for Thai school kids.

a bonus for anyone studying thai

....sent from my new fangdangled walkie talkie

[SOTIRIOS]

........typing in a word written on the board........and pressing 'enter'...........

[tetleythedog]

They need all the help they can get! I must have said "house" at least10,000 times teaching here, and they still tell me " I live in a how" DOH !

...........

[Somtamnication]

Bull! My son got issued one of these pos. We could not make heads or tails out of it. But he has an ipad, tons of great science and math apps and does wonders with analytical games. Runs miles around the school issued tab.

[lostinisaan]

"It has also shown that tablets are helping to prepare students for the Asean Economic Community [AEC]," Chinnapat said. The AEC will materialise in 2015 and students will need language skills, information-searching skills, and skills to apply information they have garnered.

That\s like telling everybody our planet would be flat. Flat as my wife.

We had an ASEAN camp a year ago, only some kids remember bits and pieces of it now. Majority of Thais I'm talking to don't even know what\s coming soon. And it will hit this country more than the Tsunami in 2004 did.

Even the Thai prostitutes will have problems to keep their jobs then....guess other nationalities will make short time not just longer, but also cheaper. Wait and see!!

Again: Why don\t they just equip each class with a projector and a PC? That works, I'm doing that now for years and you can see best results. Oh sorry, forgot that the majority of Thai teachers are too old to use such high tech stuff.

Love the high speed train idea for high people. ( Sober people wouldn't use it, I guess..) Now it's time to splash some water on foreigners.....

Edited April 12, 2013 by lostinisaan

[thunder30101]

No secret in this report, what else can they say after spending a ridiculous amount of money on this program. Too bad they didnt buy some books and fix some schools up.

[lostinisaan]

No secret in this report, what else can they say after spending a ridiculous amount of money on this program. Too bad they didnt buy some books and fix some schools up.

While 500 school here are still without electricity....

[Ijustwannateach]

It's the *software* that helps the language skills- though I really wonder if there was anything like a 'control group' in this study. But you don't get kickback money at an institution that buys software- you get it for the hardware.

[Somtamnication]

The other issue here is that they were given to P1 students, ahem........1 week before P1 term ended. Effectively giving students a tablet loaded with P1 lessons. Pretty worthless for P2 students.

Venerable son plays with it, as he has to familiarize himself with the damn thing. Does some reading and some math games, some science stuff on there. No idea what the school will do with the tablets for the new term.