ICTs Benefits

Many studies have shown that access and mastering of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at school can have a beneficial effect on learning, the teacher’s willingness to experiment with new and innovative approaches.Several evaluations have shown that ICTs help to increase the amount of independent and collaborative learning. ICTs have shown to be more learner-centered.

Multimedia contents

Africa is increasingly aware of the need to master information and communication technologies (ICTs) not only to improve the quality of education, but also to promote the socio-economic development of the continent.The integration of ICTs in educational practice gives more liveliness to interactions between students and their teachers. The question is if ICTs enable our learners to explore, find new knowledge and develop multimedia contents, why is the process of ICTs integration into curriculum being dragged?

Multimedia resources

The use of ICTs have demonstrated improved inventive thinking skills such as creativity, problem solving, higher-order thinking skills and sound reasoning along with improved effective communication. Improvements in interpersonal skills such as writing, public speaking, team-work and collaboration, and improved productivity skills including creating high-quality products. The mastery of ICT could contribute to the improvement of quality of education. It has been proven that the ICTs have the potential to transform the rich learning environment for learners. ICT s offers educators opportunities to create multimedia resources to support learning.

How to teach modern learners?

The uses of ICTs in learning have shown great challenge in learning and teaching. The modern learner requires a range of variety of teaching methods as they are always surrounded by cell phones, computers, computer games, videos, television, etc. The modern learner can be taught by using a chalkboard and other audio and visual resources in order to motivate and arouse their interest in learning. ICTs help educators to elevate this situation. ICT offers learners the opportunity of application and production of knowledge for the real world through the use of various software e.g. Open Source Access.

ICT in learning

Major challenge of ICT implementation is lack of computer skills among educators. This challenge leads educators to not using computers for teaching and learning. Educators use computers for monitoring and administration purposes. Educators lack training regarding the integration of ICTs into the different learning areas. Professional development and network connectivity is essential for educators.

ICT implementation

The implementation of the e-education is hampered by various factors due to the nature of the education system that we have. Educators are faced with many challenges in schools. Findings have shown that some Provinces (Western Cape, Gauteng and the Northern Cape) have introduced province-wide ICT programmes integration in their schools and are currently underway with implementing the goals of the policy.ICTs are the main priority at National Government Educational Policy. The South African National E-education Policy is well designed for schools; the challenge is the implementation process of ICT in education and the use of ICTs in support of learning and teaching.

Research findings on ICT use.

The findings show that ICT in schools mean distributing computers, learning software and audio visual aids (ICT tool/technological resources) to schools (Strudler & Wetcel, 1999). The ICT is merely attached to the existing teaching and learning activities without any change in the traditional curriculum or learning objectives. The teaching strategies and learning activities in the classroom have not changed. Educators are using worksheets and textbooks for learning. Educators are not integrating ICT in the curriculum to enhance the learning experience of the learners. ICT enables lifelong learning. What are we (educators) waiting for?

ICT in 2012

The goal of the National Policy (E-education White Paper 2004) is that every learner in the primary and secondary school sectors should be ICT capable by 2013. To achieve this, schools are expected to be developed into e-schools consisting of a community of both teachers and learners. E-education is defined as much more than just developing computer literacy skills and the skills necessary to operate various types of ICTs, access, analyse, evaluate, integrate, present and communicate information. Create knowledge and information by adapting, applying, designing, inventing and authorizing information. Function in a knowledge society by using appropriate technology and mastering communication and collaboration skills.

ICT intergration

ICT may be used to support learners to design and produce their own knowledge representations thereby engage with powerful learning experience. The New Curriculum Statement (NCS) Learning Outcomes are measured by the Assessment Standards i.e. the learner must achieve certain Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards for example, in Mathematics, LO5: Data Handling AS6;the learner must be able to collect, analyse, organize, and represent data effectively and appropriately. This lessons can be interesting when using the ICT, Micro-soft Excel, as it gives learners the opportunity to draw different graphs, bar graphs,line graghs, pie charts, etc.

Unlike in the Mathematics textbooks, in the book learners must read the information and represent it on the graph. It does not motivate and challenge learners. While when working on computers using Micro-soft excel, the learner can work on this information having a lot to choose from and challenging activities. Educators can make use of Micro-soft Excel to create activities and design graphs.

The use of Multimedia Tools

In future, I want to see educators in my schools being able to use technological tools (ICT) throughout the curriculum in a unique and creative way so as to improve learning and teaching practice. Educators must be abreast of new technologies related to the relevant learning areas. Educators must be able to use a variety of multimedia tools and network applications – researching online information.

ICT challenges in schools

The implementation of ICT to enhance education, learning and teaching is hampered by educators’ lack of ICT knowledge and the student: computer ratio. Our school have 45 computers in the computer lab and the total number of learners is 1 800. This is a huge challenge to educators as they cannot reach each and every learner and give them the attention that they deserve regarding their computer needs.

My school (Phumula Gardens Primary) is well resourced in terms of computers and other technological resources. Educators have access to computers including the internet. The challenge is that educators are not utilizing these ICT tools for teaching and learning. Educators use computers for monitoring learners’ performance and for administrative purposes. Educators do not have enough time to work on computers hence the lack of computer literacy among educators and the lack of training regarding the integration of ICT into different learning areas.

ICT status in schools.

The Department of Education (DoE) and the Department of Communication (DoC) 2001 published the joint document, Strategy for information and communication in education. The document clearly gives notice of the intention of the Education and Communication Ministries to intervene in education through stating the following outcomes:
Schools will have access to the Internet-linked computing facilities for learner and educator use.
At the end of the Foundation Phase, all learners will have used computers in the acquisition and enhancement of their numeracy and language skills.
Learners and educators will have basic competence in the use of word-processing, spreadsheet, flat data base, e-mail, and web-browser application.
Are the school doing justice to achieve this aim?