团长：蔡志礼博士
副团长： 李前南
领队老师：陈楚湘老师和陈筱杰老师
学生： 黄立菲、林映萱、高楠和谢顶绅
左起黄立菲、林映萱、高楠和谢顶绅
为了普及教育科技和培养年轻一代中国人的“自主”和“ 创新”精神，中国教育部关心下一代工作委员会和中国发明协会于五年前联手在北京人民大会堂启动“全国中小学信息技术创新与实践活动”，活动包括教师与学生组别应用电脑、多媒体和互联网教学竞赛和教育科技应用国际论坛，为当今中国教育科技创新优秀成果最具代表性的平台。这项中国国家重量级教育科技创新交流盛会自2002年至今，已成功在北京、广州、西安和深圳举办了四届大赛。过去的活动共吸引来自两岸四地 8百余万中小学师生参与活动，关注活动的人数超过3千多万人，可说是当今世上最具规模和影响力的华文教育科技创新项目。
今年迈入第五届的总决赛已于2007年7月19日在重庆市隆重举行，共有来自全中国各省、自治区、直辖市、香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区、台北和新加坡的36支代表队，约3500名师生齐聚重庆现场竞技与交流。
经过激烈的大决赛后，新加坡代表队（南侨小学和实勤中学）成为大中华地区两岸四地（大陆、香港、澳门、台湾）以外，第一支赢得“一等奖”荣誉的队伍。四名参赛的学生中，来自南侨小学的黄立菲同学、林映萱同学和来自实勤中学的谢顶绅同学，都是土生土长，在本地接受中小学教育并以英语为主要用语的典型新加坡孩子。另一名实勤中学的学生高楠来自福建，在数年前来新加坡上学。他们都是华文学习研究院开办的“校园网络广播”课程的学员。参赛的项目为自制的“校园网络广播”节目。
The inaugural of China’s National IT and Creativity Competition for Primary and Secondary schools (www.noc.net.cn/s/index.htm) was held at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂Renmin Dahuitang) five years ago. This national event was co-organised by the Concern for Younger Generation Committee (Ministry of Education, China) and China’s Invention Association. The objectives of holding this annual event are: to promote and popularise the effective use of information and communications technology (ICT) in education; and to nurture the spirit of independence and creativity amongst the younger Chinese generation. The competition had various categories that focused on multimedia and web-based teaching and learning for teachers and students. International forums on the usage of ICT in education were also held. Over the last five years, this competition has become a prestigious showcase of China’s highly innovative and creative uses of ICT in education.
Since its inception in 2002, this competition has been held successfully in Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an and Shenzhen. The different competitive categories and forums had attracted 8000000 teachers and students to participate. The number of people watching the activities exceeded 30 million. The competition is now the largest and the most prestigious event in the field of ICT for Chinese education.
This year, the 5th China’s National IT and Creativity Competition for Primary and Secondary schools was held on 19th July, in Chongqing. The preliminary rounds started last November and were conducted all over China. The final rounds saw the best 36 teams from various Chinese provinces, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore. An estimated 3500 teachers and students gathered at Chongqing and took part in this competition. This activity is valuable to the progress of ICT in Chinese education. The participating teams were very competitive and each gave their best in vying for the respective honours and awards.
Singapore is the first foreign country to be invited to participate in this competition. In the highly competitive finals, the Singapore team (formed by Nan Chiau Primary School and Serangoon Garden Secondary School) also became the first foreign team to compete against teams from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. In spite of the stiff competition, the Singapore team won the First Class Award.
Out of the four Singapore representatives, three of them are typical native Singaporean students, born and educated in mainstream Singapore schools, and their first language is English. These three students are: Huang Lifei, Lin Yingxuan (both from Nan Chiau Primary School), Xie Dingshen (from Serangoon Garden Secondary School). The fourth student is Gao Nan (from Serangoon Garden Secondary School). She is from Fujian Province in China and came to Singapore a few years ago to study. All four students attended the Internet Radio Broadcasting Programme organized by CL Lab, a local research lab set up by former NTU teaching staff and researchers. The project that they submitted during the competition was Internet Radio Broadcasting specially designed by CL Lab.
Ng Lip Fei and Lim Ying Xuan said, “After attending the Student Internet Radio course, we both have a greater interest in learning Chinese now!”
南侨小学的黄立菲同学和黄映萱同学说：“自从参加了“校园网络广播”课程之后，我们现在对学习华文的兴趣大大地提高了！”
Stessen Chia said, “I lacked of confidence and thus lost my interest in Chinese Language . I used to do badly in Chinese until my teacher Mdm Tan Choo Siang encouraged me to participate in the Student Internet Radio programme. I found the programme very interesting and I can learn lots of useful knowledge and skills. Now my Chinese has improved and Chinese has become one of my favourite subjects.
实勤中学的谢顶绅同学说：“我因为缺乏信心所以没有兴趣学华文，所以华文成绩一路来都不理想，甚至于不及格。直到陈楚湘老师鼓励我参加校园网络广播课程，因为上课时非常有趣，又可以学到许多有用的知识和技巧，我的华文才有进步，现在我的华文进步了，我也越来越喜欢华文了。”
李光耀资政是中国以外，第一位受邀致贺词的国家领袖。会后，组委会秘书长李维福先生特致函感谢李资政的支持并馈赠予“和谐宝鼎”。信中除了热烈恭贺新加坡代表队在这一项以华语为媒介语的全中国大赛中，勇夺“一等奖”的荣衔之外，还对李资政多年前定下的双语教育政策的成功，表达了最高的赞扬和敬意。李秘书长也借着“和谐宝鼎”的寓意，祝贺李资政为新加坡成功地营造了一个各族和谐共处的美好社会，并祝贺新加坡：国运昌隆，社会和谐。李资政为了激励新加坡学生努力学好华文华语，特地请华文学习研究院安排把“和谐宝鼎”送到得奖的院校巡回展出。校方众师生知悉李资政这番心意后，都表示非常惊喜与感激。
The Singapore team participated at the 5th China’s National IT and Creativity Competition with the support of Singapore’s Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Minister Mentor sent a congratulatory message (in Chinese) to the Chinese organizers, with the phrases: there are power tools for education; there are no boundaries for creativity. This message was written by famous Singapore calligrapher, Professor Leong Weng Kee, and presented by Dr Chua and Mr Lee to Mr Li Weifu, Chairman of the Chinese Organising Committee at the ceremony in China.
China’s Gift of Hexie Bao Ding to be Exhibited in Winning Schools to Promote Chinese Learning
MM Lee is the first foreign national leader invited by the organisers to give a message. At the end of the 5th China’s National IT and Creativity Competition, the chairman of the Chinese organising committee, Mr Li Weifu wrote a letter of appreciation to MM Lee for his support and presented him with the Hexie Bao Ding 和谐宝鼎 (Harmony Tripod Cauldron). Besides congratulating the Singapore team’s victory in the competition, the letter also expressed utmost respect and compliments to the success of the bilingual policy that was implemented by MM Lee years ago. The Hexie Bao Ding symbolises harmony and prosperity. With the gift, Mr Li also wished Singapore prosperity and harmony. To congratulate the winning schools and to encourage Singapore students to master the Chinese Language, MM Lee had specially asked CL Lab to arrange for the Hexie Bao Ding to be exhibited at the winning schools.
获奖后在接受中国媒体访问时，新加坡团团长蔡志礼博士说：“从小就以英语为主要用语的新加坡土生土长的学生，经过我们适度的调教和启发之后，能在以华语为母语的全中国竞技大赛中，取得如此傲人的成绩，的确振奋人心！
除了两位带队教师实勤中学母语部陈楚湘主任和南侨小学陈筱杰老师的教导有方、华文学习研究院创设构思的项目“校园网络广播站”别具创意之外，能成功启发孩子的潜能，让他们信心满满地站在中国的舞台上，脸无惧色地面对大场面，以最纯朴姿态演示自己最真实的作品，也是此番获奖的关键。”
此番获得一等奖，蔡团长表示感恩多于欣喜。他说：“新加坡代表团要特别感谢内阁资政李光耀先生的支持，以及中国主办当局给与新加坡孩子参加全中国大赛的难得机会。也要感谢实勤中学校长朱美珍和福建会馆属校南侨小学谢树庆校长和纪美莲副校长的关怀与鼎力支持。
副团长李前南受访时说：
“坦白说，由于这是第一次我们带队出征，而且还是第一支国外队伍参赛，我们在毫无胜算的情况下，带着战战兢兢的心赴赛。虽然我们对自己的‘校园网络广播站’项目深具信心，但是无论这个项目多有创意和教育效果有多好，要在群雄逐鹿、竞争异常激烈的中国国家级华文竞技大赛中得奖谈何容易。
到了重庆竞赛现场，仔细观察和研究了“战情”之后，我们当机立断，制订了“返璞归真”和“出奇制胜”两大战略原则。
首先，我们努力说服学生代表，克服语言不如他人的心理障碍，接着摒弃矫揉造作的歪风，勇敢地用华语掏出最真实的心里话，表现出孩子最纯真的一面。事实证明我们的策略奏效，评审对新加坡孩子有条理的演说留下深刻印象，被新加坡孩子的真诚所感动，结果新加坡孩子凭着自信与自然，脱颖而出。”
After the award presentation, the Singapore team leader, Dr Chua Chee Lay, was interviewed by the local press. During the interview, he said, “We are really very excited with the team’s results. We are thrilled they are able to achieve such brilliant results after having gone through our training. Their performance is highly commendable, especially in consideration of the fact that they are educated in the mainstream Singapore schools where English is the main instructional language. Besides the dedicated guidance given by the teachers, Mdm Tan Choo Siang (HOD, Serangoon Garden Secondary School) and Ms Chen Xiaojie (Nan Chiau Primary School), the project that the team presented, Internet Radio Broadcasting, was also very innovative. It developed and brought out the full potential in the students. This gave them the confidence to compete in the international arena and to maintain a calm and steady composure throughout the competition. Another key to their success was their simple presentation of their project. The simplicity of their presentation highlighted their sincerity and authenticity in delivering their story.”
Dr Chua expressed that he is more thankful than overjoyed with the team’s achievement. He added, “The Singapore team would like to express our greatest appreciation to the Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew for his support and the Chinese organisers for providing the opportunity for the Singapore students to participate in this competition. We would also like to hank Ms Chee Mei Chun, Principal of Serangoon Gardens Secondary School, Mr Chia Soo Keng, Principal of Nan Chiau Primary School and Mrs Lau, Vice Principal of Nan Chiau Primary School for their utmost support and concern. Without their moral and financial support, we wouldn’t be able to showcase our students’ potential at the Chinese arena.”
When interviewed by the local press, Assistant team leader, Mr Lee Choin Lan said, “This is our first campaign in China’s national competition. Initially, we did not have high hopes of winning any awards. In fact, we were rather anxious and nervous. We had great confidence in the Internet Radio Broadcasting Programme that we had developed and we knew that this programme has many merits and is highly educational. However, we were also fully aware that we would be competing at China’s national level with their finest cream of the crop. Upon our arrival in Chongqing, we gained a better understanding of our ‘battle grounds', and then decided on the strategies of expressing the students’ sincerity through simple presentation and creating winning opportunities through surprises. First of all, we convinced our Singapore students to put aside their fears of language inadequacies (in comparision to their Chinese counterparts), and use their own words to express themselves boldly. The result proved that our strategies worked as the judges were very impressed with our students’ performance and were touched by their sincerity. In the end, the Singapore students outshone the other teams with their brilliant performance.”
评审团代表在讲评时，特别提到新加坡队得奖的主因是，所提呈的竞赛项目“校园网络广播站“，深具教育寓意，很有启发性。孩子们在以华语演示作品时，不但从容不迫、平稳自然，而且脉络清晰、有板有眼。在英语海洋中长大和学习的新加坡孩子，能熟练地应用华文华语已经很不容易，要在以华语为母语的全中国竞赛中，与来自大中华地区的精英角逐竞标，更是难如登天！新加坡孩子的表现令人刮目相看，他们以清晰流利的华语演说，并从容地应对评审的提问。他们表现出来的，不仅是掌握语言的能力，还有临阵不乱的自信。最重要的是新加坡的孩子不拼命背稿，不卖力表演。而是以最纯朴和自然言语，娓娓地道出孩子最真实的心里语，深深地感动评审们的心，因此获得了评审团一致好评。
领队老师：陈楚湘老师（左）和陈筱杰老师
When the judging panel gave the final comments and critique of the various teams’ performance, a special mention of the Singapore team was made. The panel commended that the team’s project, Internet Radio Broadcasting, was highly educational and inspiring. When the team made their presentation in Chinese, they were calm and natural. Their delivery was clear and well-structured. They handled the judges’ questions with ease and confidence. For Singaporean students who live in an English speaking environment, it is not easy for them to speak Chinese fluently and proficiently, and for them to compete in China with China’s best in the Chinese medium. It would take more than brains and skills. They won over the judges’ hearts with more than their language abilities and self-confidence. More importantly, they were not showy and did not win through sheer memorising. They used their own simple language to vividly tell their very own story. The judges were very impressed with them and were unanimous in their decision to award them the First Class Award.