History education in Malaysia: strengthening the mastery of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) among students towards realising the nation’s aspirations through history subject / Jasmin Ilyani Ahmad and Sopiah Said

The writing of this working paper aim to study the level of mastery of ICT among students in SMK Seri Nibong, Nibong Tebal,Pulau Pinang, Malaysia through the History subject. This is in line with the government’s decision to make History a compulsory subject to pass in the SPM exam from the year 2013 and to introduce History subject for the year 2014 in primary schools which is in line and parallel to the aspiration of The National Education Philosophy that is to produce human resource who are knowledgable, responsible, capable and can achive individual-well-being and also able to contribute towards the harmony and prosperity of the society as well as the country. The change in the education policy with regards to History subject indirectly touches the teaching and learning of history in school. Interesting teaching and learning should be stressed to attract students to pay attention, understand and internalize he subject so that the will not be bored and the effectiveness and aim of the subject is achieved. Teaching and learning using ICT is one of the alternative medium of the teaching and learning process which is said to be able to attract students interest. The methodology of this survey is to distribute questionnaire to 100 students comprising students from Form 1 untill form 5 to investigate their views regarding History subject. This includes student’s knowledge in History subject, level of use of technology and awareness in the importance of subject and its relation to their daily life, their readiness to learn History using ICT as well as the level of their mastery in the field of ICT.