User:Leonard Kua

Brainbits———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Brainbits is an online education portal specially created for all learners and educators. It delivers free content to the public and was set up in January 2007 by a Singaporean trainee teacher Leonard Kua.

Pic: Leonard kua (Creator of Brainbits)

History

In July 2004, Leonard Kua was an undergraduate student at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Then, he realized the immense potential of tapping on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in learning and teaching. Indeed, he is convinced that the use of ICT not only provides an innovative learning and teaching platform, it is also relevant in today’s technology-savvy society. It was then that he started to conceptualize the Brainbits website.

However, Leonard had always been a technophobic and did not possess the necessary IT skills to set up his dream online education portal. Therefore, he engaged the help of his IT-competent friends but was rejected time and again. This was because his friends were not willing to work for free and Leonard, being a poor student then, could not afford to pay them a cent. Those around Leonard also dissuaded him to give up as they wanted him to focus on his undergraduate studies. As Leonard believed in the potential benefits that Brainbits could offer to the education fraternity, he decided to build the Brainbits website single-handedly. Before long, Leonard was spending more time on building his Brainbits website than on his undergraduate studies.

In December 2006, Leonard decided to host the Brainbits website on Bravehost because it offered free web space. Its URL was brainbits.bravehost.com. However, the free service means the Brainbits website has to display advertisement. Soon, he de-registered with the web host and continued his search for an appropriate web host.

In late January 2007, Leonard bought the website’s current domain name with a Singapore-based web host and began sharing the Brainbits website with his friends.

Pic: Screenshot of the Brainbits Homepage in January 2007

A month later, in February, Brainbits participated in a local IT competition on the most innovative use of ICT for teaching but did not make it into the final round.

In September 2007, Brainbits was recognized by the National Library Board of Singapore to be an important part of Singapore’s documentary heritage, and was subsequently web-archived and catalogued. This is done so that Brainbits can remain available to researchers and generations of Singaporeans in the future.

By the end of October 2007, Leonard wanted to give the Brainbits website a new look and provide more free services to the public. Despite his hectic work in his final undergraduate year, he managed to set aside time to work on the Brainbits website. What started out as a seemingly impossible task eventually came to fruition because of Leonard’s firm belief in sharing of information through ICT. It has been his wish to see Brainbits become a popular online education portal that promises free delivery of content to the public. Pic: Screenshot of the Brainbits Homepage in January 2008

Purpose

Leonard believes in sharing, because by sharing people can learn more from one another. Indeed, in his own words, ‘education is all about learning, and learning is all about sharing’. With this belief, Leonard went against all odds to build Brainbits into a free online education portal that delivers and shares free content with the public. Through Brainbits, Leonard hopes to achieve the following: •	tap on Information Communications Technology (ICT) to facilitate fun & creative learning •	present a common interactive platform for students, parents, trainee teachers, and full-fledged teachers •	introduce basic concepts to all learners •	supplement classroom teaching & learning

Focus Areas

As of 2008, Brainbits comprises eight main focus areas:

1) Back to Basics This section features four sub-sections: English, Science, Creative Wall, Useful Links

Brainbits incorporates Flash animation to illustrate the use of different forms and functions of grammar in the English Language and to explain many of the science phenomena that happen in this world. Creative Wall serves as a gallery to display the immense creative talents of people. Useful Links caters to many levels of learners and provides excellent resources for leisure-reading or project works. This will help the learners in their learning and perhaps cut short their learning curves. As more good educational websites are uncovered, learners will stand to benefit more. Content contributions by the public are also welcome to increase the depth and scope of Brainbits.

English: Flash animation on the use of adjectives

Science: Flash animation on the use of adjectives

2)	Our Class This section features nine sub-sections: Our Work, Primary Times, Student of the Month, Talking Point, Homework, Worksheets, Quizzes, Online Practice, My e-SPACE.

Our Work – It archives selected pieces of class work. Primary Times - It is an online publication of my class’ English work pieces. This enables all students to read their classmates’ work. By doing so, I hope my class will learn from one another and improve collectively.

Student of the Month – It is a form of positive reinforcement.

Talking Point - It will allow my learners to develop their critical thinking and writing skills on selected issues happening around us. Those issues could also be tied in with the class lessons when appropriate. Through this, I hope to integrate what we have learnt/ are learning in the school with the outside world.

Homework – Pupils and parents can check the assigned homework.

Worksheets -

Quizzes - My students will also be able to check the answers with explanations to all the class quizzes at Brainbits.

Online Practice -

Pic: Screenshot of ‘Our Class’ section in April 2007

Pic: Screenshot of ‘Our Class’ section in January 2008

My e-SPACE – Students who are absent from class do not have to worry about not being able to get and do the assigned worksheets. All worksheets will be uploaded and they will be notified of it at the ‘Bulletin Board’. They will then have an idea of what their classmates are doing in class. Teachers are also welcome to download the worksheets and upload theirs to enrich everyone’s teaching and learning experiences. Users are required to log in to enjoy the mentioned privileges.

3)	Special Feature –

4)	Our World – It features the diversity that makes up our world.

5)	From Our Student Reporters – It features news story involving the schools.

6)	Blogosphere – It features blogs of many artistes and prominent people.

7)	Parents’ Corner – It provides useful educational information and/or links for parents. If you happen to come across any useful information or links, do drop me an email.

8)	For Teachers - It provides useful educational information and/or links for teachers. If you happen to come across any useful information or links, do drop me an email.

Special Feature section: Global Warming

Bulletin Board: All the latest happenings on the Brainbits website can be found here.

In February 2008, Brainbits added the Answer Tips-enabled feature. With this new feature, users can now double-click any word to access definitions and fast facts on virtually any words.

In 2009, the year Leonard will formally take a form class, users can expect more on the Brainbits website.

Potential

Being an online education portal for the public, Leonard sees Brainbits as always a work-in-progress and believes Brainbits has massive potential. He also believes Brainbits will be more enriching in the future as more people get to know about the education portal.

Presently, he is working on the following areas: •	Platform for exchange of teaching ideas and resources across all levels •	Growth in content scope and depth with interactive online quizzes, educational games, FAQs on topics •	Uploading of videocam-recorded lessons (e.g. Science demonstration) - for home revision, class absentees, trainee teachers, new teachers; experienced teachers can provide constructive comments

External Links

•	Brainbits website •	Our World website