Challenges of Integrating ICT into Education: Letter to the Editor - Research Paper Example

Therefore, in response to that article, I am hereby writing some of the challenges of ICT-based education. The use of ICT in education is being increasingly supported and a lot of evidence is conventionally put forth in an attempt to justify the change. “By the second half of the 1990s, the “C” was added (by educationalists) to “IT” acronym to be inclusive of the growing importance of the communication aspect of this technology” (Kabouridis, 2010, p. 37). Although, there is little to counter the benefits of ICT, we should be equally considerate about and sensitive towards the potential challenges associated with bringing about this change.

In a vast majority of cases, the analysis is made without paying due consideration towards the risks and challenges of ICT implementation in the educational setup, thus rendering the analysis weak. In order to employ ICTs in the educational reforms, it is imperative that the objectives are clear and concise and the necessary resources are mobilized along with attainment of commitment at all levels. The current condition of the educational system along with existing practices should be thoroughly analyzed in the planning for ICT (Tinio, n.d., p. 21). In any country, the infrastructure of educational technology forms the top of information infrastructure and telecommunications.

There are certain factors of prime importance that need to be considered before the launch of an ICT-based course. First of all, there must be sufficient room for technology in the building. The buildings may require retrofitting in order to allow room for the required wiring, ventilation and security of ICT. Adequate supply of electricity is a must for ICT-based education, which some developing countries do not manage to ensure. ICT also imposes many challenges for the policy makers. In order to make the education ICT-based, there has to be adequate supply of computers in both schools and houses with a good speed internet connection at an affordable price.

Teachers have not been able to escape the challenges of ICT either. They need to develop certain competencies to make the ICT-based educational setup successful. In an ICT-based educational system, there have to be several foci of professional development for the teachers which include, skills with specific applications and their integration into the current curriculum, modification of the mentor’s role, and IT specific changes in curriculum. In perfect conditions, all of these areas should be sufficiently catered for in the pre-service training of the teachers so that they may enhance them when doing the real job.

ICTs evolve swiftly which arises the need for even the most fluent mentors to upgrade their competencies on a regular basis so as to remain abreast of the latest practices. One of the barriers most commonly determined in the research work pertaining to ICT is the incompetence of teachers in handling ICT and understanding its significance. In order to make them accept ICT-based education and approve of the learning process as increasingly learner-centered, teachers need to be counseled and their changing role should be appreciated.

In addition to the teachers, there is also an equal need of educating the administrators on the use of technology, particularly in schools in emote areas. “