Digital skills in curriculum: case study of an international school

Teachease

for Westlake International School

Kampar, Malaysia

Fulfilling the long-term ambition to incorporate digital skill into the school's curriculum

BACKGROUND

Westlake International School is a K-12 school located in Kampar, Malaysia. The school pivots strongly towards the skills of the future and actively implements coding, programming, and robotics modules in its primary curriculum.

Facts about Westlake International School:

  • a fully-private school
  • around 600 students
  • uses the Cambridge Primary Curriculum

PROBLEM

The school wanted to incorporate full-on digital skills modules into their curriculum but did not have the means. Two of the participating teachers had zero experience in programming before starting their training (they later implemented two amazing projects).

“To implement a change like this, you need a lot of resources which we did not have. It would have been very difficult to create this all by ourselves.” 

“The solution we were using at the time was The Applied Digital Skills Programme by Google. Our students were not engaged, it was too passive for them.”

Bry Ern Low

Teacher

“To implement a change like this, you need a lot of resources which we did not have. It would have been very difficult to create this all by ourselves.” 

“The solution we were using at the time was The Applied Digital Skills Programme by Google. Our students were not engaged, it was too passive for them.”

FRICTION AND DOUBTS

As in any business situation, the management had different considerations. Given that Code School Finland applies Finnish educational philosophy, Bry Ern had reservations over the ability of Teachease to deliver results that fit the learning approach at Westlake.

“We did have a number of concerns. Why would we use a solution by a relatively small business on the other side of the world? How would courses built on Finnish school philosophy fit our objectives? What if the final solution does not align with the needs of our teachers and students?”

Bry Ern Low

Teacher

“We had a number of concerns. Why would we use a solution by a relatively small business on the other side of the world? How would courses built on Finnish school philosophy fit our objectives? What if the final solution does not align with the needs of our teachers and students?”

RESULTS

The implementation of Teachease has been smoothed than anticipated, especially when it comes to teacher qualification. It was a hands-off experience for management.

“Trust Code School Finland.

They are professionals, they know what they are doing.”

Bry Ern Low

Teacher

Want to try Teachease for your school?
Start with filling in a free Gap Analysis

A Gap Analysis is a set of questions about your school: where your instruction in digital skills is at the moment, and what your vision is.

Our pedagogical team will analyse your answers and send you a Development Plan – a summary of your current situation and how Teachease can help you achieve your vision.

Read more about Teachease and Gap Analysis: About Teachease

Key topics: coding, coding for children, digital skills, digital skills in schools, teaching digital skills, teacher education, school programmes, coding classes in schools, programming classes in schools, robotics classes in schools, AI in schools, computer science.

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