Two teachers win award for innovative lessons in computing
Ms Shashariza Bte Jupri and Mr Scott Ng Tze Feng with their Outstanding Computing Teachers Awards. Photo: IDA
SINGAPORE — Two secondary school teachers have won the inaugural Outstanding Computing Teacher Award, for demonstrating outstanding contributions and maintaining excellence in computing.
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Ministry of Education today (Sept 10) presented the award to the teachers at the IDA’s first Young Tech Fest — Ms Shashariza Jupri, computer applications coordinator at Chua Chu Kang Secondary School; and Mr Scott Ng Tze Feng, computer applications and maths teacher at Bedok North Secondary School. They were selected out of 14 nominations received, and will receive a sponsorship to attend an overseas computing conference.
The IDA said in a press statement today that both teachers have demonstrated the use of innovative and engaging approaches when they teach, and have contributed in promoting computational thinking among students. After returning from the computing conference, they will be given the chance to share their learning with other computing teachers.
Ms Shashariza will be teaching O-level Computing when Chua Chu Kang Secondary School offers it in 2017. “Receiving this award has motivated me further to explore many innovative ways to make my Computer Applications lessons more enjoyable and meaningful for my students,” said Ms Shashariza, who is 30.
For 38-year-old Mr Ng, who has been teaching for 13 years, receiving the award has “reaffirmed” his commitment to do his best to teach his students in the classroom. “It is also a great source of motivation for me as an educator,” he added.
The two-day Young Tech Fest concluded today and saw more than 2,000 youths participate. Youths could take part in Code for Charity, which raises funds to help the less fortunate by solving coding challenges. S$160,000 was raised for SG Enable, of which S$150,000 was donated by Singtel and S$10,000 by the Singapore Computer Society.
IDA’s executive deputy chairman Steve Leonard said: “As we build Singapore into a Smart Nation, we need people of all ages to imagine and build new, creative ways to solve real-world challenges. Young people are especially critical to these goals as they are the ‘digital natives’, with tech having always been a part of their lives.”
