Scope & Importance of ICT in Education

SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF ICT IN EDUCATION

                            Submitted by,

                                                 Anjali M S

                                                 Roll No : 1

                                                 Physical Science

                           INTRODUCTION

Electronic revolution has brought in an age of Information Communication Technology (ICT). ICTs can be defined as tools and applications support through which or by means of which information is transferred, recorded, edited, stored, manipulated and disseminated in enormous quantities in the minimum possible time. ICT is a major factor in shaping the new global economy and producing rapid changes in society. Within the past decade the new information technology tools have fundamentally changed the way people communicate and do business. The have produced significant changes in industry, agriculture, business, engineering, administration and other fields. It also has the potential to change the nature of education. Thus computer has a unique role to play in the life of modern man. Modern man has to be educated in ICT, if he wants to reap its benefits. So computer education becomes indispensable for the men of our age. The internet revolution has given authentic materials on all subjects. It provides a limitless resource for every kind of class room need. The dictionary and the encyclopedia are at hand. The Internet revolution has enabled greater access to self learning. The Web based instruction has brought about a great change in education.

             SCOPE OF ICT IN EDUCATION

The scope of ICT capability is not fixed, but is responsive to ongoing technological developments. This is evident in the emergence of advanced internet technology over the past few years and the resulting changes in the ways that students construct knowledge and interact with others. Students develop capability in using ICT for task associated with information access and management, information creation and presentation, problem solving, decision making, communication, creative expression, and empirical reasoning. This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analyzing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others. Students develop knowledge, skills and dispositions around ICT and its use, and the ability to transfer these across environments and applications. They learn to use ICT with confidence, care and consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities. The scope of ICT can be put in a nut shell under the following heads; Teaching and learning process, publication, evaluation, research and administration.

1. Using Computers, learners can collect data, manipulate and analyse them. Thus children are able to develop analytical skill. Since routine task can be completed quickly and easily, learners are able to concentrate their attention more on higher order thinking and tasks.

2. Capacity and range of the computer are of great use in teaching. The following are some of these uses.

i. It is easier and quicker to collect information from CD-ROM based encyclopedia than from library encyclopedia.

ii. Computers are of great use in language teaching, especially in the teaching of a foreign language. The second language learners can be given the actual language experience using a computer.

iii. Life-Like simulations can be given to the learners with a computer. Eg: It is possible to simulate the take off, the flying and landing of an aeroplane.

iv. Ideas and concepts which are difficult to explain and understand can be made easy making use of animation on a computer screen.

v. Computers which provide multimedia facilities are important modern teaching tool. They give the possibility of a multimedia approach.

vi. Internet, World Wide Web, CD-ROM etc. Are infinite sources of information for students and research scholars.

vii.Computers are highly educative since it will be possible to link up with “Experts”, using e-mail communication and teleconferences.

3. The provisional nature of Word ICT is one of its strengths. The word would allow the learners to change, change and change again the first draft they have made so that the final draft will be free of mistakes. Thus computers can be used to provide a safe and non threatening environment for learning.

4. The interactive nature of the computer is stimulating and motivating. The learners will be active, interactive and participative. So learning is easy, effective and meaningful.

It may be concluded that the scope of computer is wide and varied.

   USES OF COMPUTERS IN THE CLASS ROOM

There can be three main uses of computers in a class room. They are:-

1. Computer as a tutor

        The learner sits before the machine to be taught by it. In this days of individualized instruction and self learning, there is a tendency to over emphasise this use. It must be clearly understood that computers are machines and without soul or emotion. Failure to understand this fact may lead to dehumanization of the learners. Education is the result of interaction between individuals. Intellectual development alone will not make a good social being. A man who sits before the computer and considers it as his tutor may have developed his head, but not his heart. In other words he will be dehumanized. This dehumanizing effect of computers is a great threat. So care must be taken to make the learners understand that computers are not a substitute for teachers. This leads us to the second use of computers in the class room.

2. Computers can be neutral tools

            Learners use computers not to supplant their teachers but to supplement what they do in the usual class. Learners use computers to complete a task that would have originally been done with a pen or pencil. The computer is not given undue importance.

3. Computer as a cognitive tool

             This is the proper use of the computer in modern age. Teachers should guide the learners to use computers to enhance their learning. They must be taught to use them to develop their capacity to think critically. Materials collected from the world wide web should not be taken for granted. They need to think very carefully about their accuracy, validity, reliability, plausibility and bias should not be overlooked. It must be made clear to the learners that they must collect the same information from a number of sources to compare each with the other to find out its accuracy. They should learn to accept only what is acceptable. If they find that the information collected from one source, using the computer, does not tally with the information collected from another source, they should seek and explore alternatives with critical mind. Thus computers can be used to develop critical thinking in children. The dehumanizing effect of computer can be avoided and computer will become an effective cognitive tool. The computer works as a good teacher in this situation. But the role of the teacher is crucial. He has to present problems and guide the students to use the computer wisely to collect data, analyse and use them to solve the problem.

                          CONCLUSION

           ICT improves teaching and learning and its importance for teachers in performing their role of creators of pedagogical environments. ICT helps of a teacher to present his teaching attractively and able to learn for the learners at any level of educational programmes. Today in India teaching training programmes making useful and attractive by the term of ICT. Information and Communication Technologies(ICTs) exemplified by the internet and interactive multimedia are obviously an important focus for future education and need to be effectively integrated into formal teaching and learning- especially in a teacher education institution.