The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Children Education - Research Paper Example

ICT for Children Education Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 3 ICT: An overview 3 The impact of ICT on children learning 5 ICTs for children in schools 6 ICT for enhancing Children learning 7 Advantages of ICTs for children education 8 Problems with ICT 9 1.It is very costly to implement ICT in education 9 Conclusion 9 References 10 Abstract The techniques of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have turned out to be common entities in almost every aspect of our daily life. All through the past 20 years the utilization of Information and communication technologies has primarily transformed the procedures and practices within governance and business. ICT also plays an important role in the field of education, but here its influence has not been as wide-ranging as in other areas of life. The educational sector is an extremely social oriented activity as well as quality education has conventionally been linked with strong teachers possessing high degrees of personal contact with learners. The utilization of Information and communication technologies in education provides itself to more student-centered learning settings as well as frequently this produces enhanced opportunity regarding the novel learning opportunity. This research is aimed at offering a detailed overview of the Information and communication technologies (ICT) technology implementation to children education. This research will spotlight the new paradigm of ICT technology and its enhanced implementation for offering a new and better facility of learning. ICT: An overview ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is a combination of two terms, one is information and other is communication technology. ICT consists of any communication device or application, such as: television, cellular phones, radio, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and many more, in addition to the diverse services and applications connected with these devices, for instance videoconferencing and distance learning. ICTs are normally spoken of in a specific perspective, for example ICTs in education, health care, or libraries (TechTarget, 2004). Oliver (2003), has outlined the emergence of ICT technology in our life. (Oliver, 2003), stated that Information and communication technology is a force that has transformed a lot of aspects of lives. ICT has a dominating effect on all the areas of life such as, tourism, medicine, business, travel, banking, law, architecture, and engineering. All these fields of life are now operating in a new way as compared to past. Now we are observing that world is moving speedily in the direction of information and digital media. In this technology based age the role of ICT in education is turning out to be more and more significant and this significance will continue to raise and develop in coming years (Oliver, 2003). Kozma (2005) has stated that, in past the ICT experties are principal driver for the social change and economic development throughout the globe. In a lot of nations the progress in economic as well as social development is linked with the ICT experties. Accordingt to (Kozma, 2005), the present age is more concentrating on the educational sector regarding the effective managemnt of the students learning and teachers deliverence of knowledge. Now we are seeing the ICT technology implimentataion and its implimentataion to the education sector regarding the potential enhancemnt in the national development and establsihment of progress goals (Kozma, 2005). In education sector ICT can be defined as “the computing and communications services and tools that variously support teaching, learning, and various activities in education”. The use of ICT tools depend on the nature of subject (KentICT, 2004). In education the ICT-related services comprise, for instance, the use of: (KentICT, 2004) Distribute material or CD-ROM like sources of information in history. Micro-computers having proper keyboards and additional devices to teach writing and literacy. Keyboards, sound effects, and sequencers during music teaching. Tools to improve interaction with students with special needs. Electronic toys to build up spatial attentiveness and knowledge and psycho-motor control. Use of Email to develop mutual working and information sharing. Use of Video-conferencing to help the teaching of new foreign languages. Carrying Internet-based research to facilitate geographical enquiry. Integrated learning systems (ILS) to educate fundamental numeracy. Use of communications technology to send and receive administrative and assessment data. The impact of ICT on children learning For several years courses have been shaped and written around textbooks. Educators have taught in the course of presentations and lectures interspersed through learning and tutorials jobs intended to combine as well as rehearse the content. Contemporary settings are at the present favoring curricula that support proficiency as well as performance. Children courses are opening to highlight potentials as well as to be concerned more with how data and information will be utilized than with what the information is. Modern and up-to-date techniques of ICTs are capable to offer strong support for the entire children learning requirements as well as there are currently a lot of outstanding instances of world class settings intended for capability and performance-based curricula that creates sound utilization of the affordances of these technologies (Oliver, 2003). ICTs for children in schools The research of (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003) presents the detailed analysis of the ICT technology implimentataion in educational sector. It is analyzed that information and communication technologies are emerging and spreading speedily in schools and at children level not merely in wealthy nations, but progressively more in poor nations as well. Despite the fact that, the global schools have had computers in classrooms for just about two decades, methods to utilize them successfully and effectively have developed slowly and patchily. The ICT and computer technology in the classroom can have two major instructional objectives: (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003) For teaching ICT skills Or using ICT as a tool intended for teaching other subjects Undoubtedly the most incontrovertible advantage of using computers in schools and for the children education has been in lessening managerial everyday jobs. For instance, teachers no longer require passing round collections of end of term reports in paper envelopes; on the other hand, they can fill them in on screen. It is now easy to collect and analyze information and data on students’ performance and attendance. The utilization of ICTs for administration as well as routine jobs of children education and classroom management appears to have developed immediately as rapidly, as their utilization in instruction (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003) and (Kozma, 2005) and. (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003) outlined that, more and more teachers are making use of ICTs and computers to download data, information, and material developed by other teachers and made accessible to others in the course of teachers’ several discussion boards; to discover and analyze material in diverse languages for language classes; to place drills as well as tests; and to set classroom research assignment. At the present, schools utilize classroom management software. That software facilitates the teacher in managing the computers on which students work: educators are able to offer students’ assignments to work on, and at the similar time monitor what they are performing, that is significant when class sizes grow. Many computer tools are now available which facilitate teachers to communicate with larger classes, as well as so ultimately be particularly functional in developing countries (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003). ICT for enhancing Children learning Teachers need to assess if the implementation of the ICT technology enhances the children capability of learning and provides them a superior and trouble-free way of learning. The answer of this question is addressed by Cairncross (2003). He sates that aassessing technology projects is notoriously inflexible. The technology implementation in education sector and its enhanced evaluation is a difficult job. A lot of early experiments by ICTs in classrooms were foundational on nothing more than concentration, interest or feeling. Despite the fact that, the growing importance requires demonstration on tangible benefits that has led to more attempts to evaluate the impact of computers in classrooms. On the other hand, evaluating ICTs in education is hard, for a number of causes (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003). According to (Oliver, 2003), The technologies of ICTs have presented a great deal of modern and up-to-date modes and sources of learning and offered better and uncomplicated ways for retrieving knowledge. Students get both audio and visual help regarding learning tasks. In this set-up the on the whole process of learning becomes speedy and child/student has more easy ways to catch the main idea. For that reason we can say that the ICTs for children/students enhance the learning process (Oliver, 2003). Still in schools that offer extensive utilization of ICTs, the amount of time spent by means of them in class is still normally small in relation to the time spent employing more customary teaching tools, because it takes much time and effort to copy the handouts on the blackboard using chalk. Successful and beneficial implementation of ICTs in education takes time. Though, the schools surveyed by Cairncross (2003) had previously been making use of computers for a full year. The use of computers in teaching is at the least not enhanced than other techniques and can be of poorer quality. This transfer of emphasis from efficiency to cost-effectiveness is not surprising, but it can slow down the application of ICTs in children education. Computers and ICTs are a more expensive strategy involvement than the other learning tools. National administrations are more and more emphasizing, to “do ICTs to have a better impact on educational accomplishment and success (Cairncross & Pöysti, 2003). Advantages of ICTs for children education Sanyal (2001), has outlined some advatges ICT implementation in the education sector and for the children education. These advantages encompass, enhancemnt of the student’s learning power, better interaction to idea, modern way of learning and enhanced information assessment (Sanyal, 2001). As in the case of children education there are several ways that ICTs would be able to support fundamental children education: (i) Supporting children education in schools (ii) Supporting pre-service distance education of children (iii) Audio and visual based learning environment (iv) Professional development of teacher for enhancing teachers educating capabilities (v) Offering non-formal education for out-of-school children (vi) Enhancing the administration of schools Tan (2009) has also outlined some advatges regarding the ICT implimentataion in educational sector. These advatages can be (Tan, 2009); 1. Developing educational opportunities by making education available anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. 2. Enhancing learning outcomes by making learning more interactive as well as getting more involved students in the subject matter. 3. Allowing teaching to be modified to individual learning requirements and capabilities 4. Allowing locally applicable teaching materials, in local languages, to be shaped as well as disseminated rapidly and affordably. 5. Establishing technology-skill arrangement, team job abilities and other skills along with learners. 6. Offering conditions that allow and encourage lifelong learning. 7. Augment the effectiveness and usefulness of education planning as well as delivery. Problems with ICT 1. It is very costly to implement ICT in education 2. Teacher must be qualified or tainted to use ICT tools. 3. Every student can’t afford these costly devices. 4. Minor error in system can produce big damage. 5. A qualified person should be hired to deal with ICT devices that will be costly. 6. Use of ICT especially Internet reduces the effectiveness and use of books. Conclusion This research has presented a detailed analysis of the impact that ICT has established on children education. This research has offered a detailed overview of Information and communication technologies (ICT) and its potential implementation to children education. In this paper, I have outlined the main areas that are transformed by this technology and offered better working and operational structure. Here I have explored the role of ICT in children education. We need new way of learning that can deal with the emerging knowledge fields and diversities. In such environment ICT offers a better opportunity to the children in learning and enhancing their capacity to perceive the main knowledge areas. References Cairncross, F., & Pöysti, K. (2003). ICTs for education and building human capital. Retrieved October 13, 2009, from ITU.int: http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/visions/papers/educationpaper.pdf KentICT. (2004). What is ICT ? Retrieved October 14, 2009, from kented.org.uk: http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/ict/definition.htm Kozma, R. B. (2005). NATIONAL POLICIES THAT CONNECT ICT-BASED EDUCATION REFORM TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. An Interdisciplinary Journal on Humans in ICT Environments: Volume 1 (2) , 117-156. Oliver, R. (2003). The role of ICT in higher education for the 21st century: ICT as a change agent for education. Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia . Sanyal, B. C. (2001). New functions of higher education and ICT to achieve education for all. International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO. Tan, L.-C. (2009). A Journey of Hope: ICT in Education for Teaching and Learning. UNESCO Bangkok, Thailand . TechTarget. (2004, January 14). What is ICT? 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