Information and Communications Technology (ICT) refers to the connection between audiovisual and telephonic networks with computer networks through link system or single cabling.
It enables the users to collect, store, access, edit, transmit and manipulate the information. ICT is slowly transforming processes like teaching, research and learning, and it is also empowering teachers and students in order to make attentive contributions to the education fraternity.
It is considered that ICT promotes changes, empower teachers and learners, and encourage the development of skills in this decade. Information & Communications Technology is transforming teaching and learning processes from being highly teacher-dominated to student-centered. This transformation is taking the learning gains of students to the next level. ICT also helps learners to develop their creativity, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, informational reasoning skills, and other high-order thinking skills. The appropriate use of ICT to complement a teacher’s existing pedagogical philosophies has a positive effect on students’ achievements.
Functions of the use of ICT
In the education sector, Information & Communications Technology is been used with various functions:
ICT as an object: This is all about the learning regarding ICT. It has been included in different courses as per its area of applicability, purpose, and goal. Its study also depends on the type of education and approach of the students. Study about ICT lets the students gain knowledge related to the usage of ICT in different sectors, future occupation, and social life. With this knowledge, they become ready to serve and let the sector grow to facilitate the world in a better way.
As an area of study, ICT have an impact on schools and colleges curriculum. Information & Communications Technology has been accepted by many of the universities and tertiary colleges as a field of study in different professional disciplines. The list includes Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mobile Computing, Data Communications, Management Information Systems, and many others. Even this has introduced a new platform for entrepreneurs to make ICT as a profession.
ICT as a tool: While collecting data, making assignments, documentation, conducting research, or communicating, Information & Communications Technology is being used as a tool. Today, in learning institutions, all the work is been done and submitted electronically instead of the traditional way of paperwork. ICT became a medium of teaching and learning process including web-learning, computer classes, computer-assisted learning, online training, eLearning, distance education, virtual learning, digital training, and so on.
As a tool, ICT is in use for administration and management work of recording data like School fee, attendance, timetable, result compilation, examination preparation, and printing, etc. Even, ICT is facilitating teachers as well as students to consult their teaching and learning more frequently with each other.
Scope of ICT in Education
ICT has a broad scope in the education sector. With the help of ICT, a person who relates from rural area can also refer to the latest information easily; students, farmers, and other such individuals can update their knowledge in their relevant field through television broadcast medium; training sessions can be organized with LCD projectors; with the help of online examination, people can prevent as well as eradicate their possible issues comes across the tasks they are handling.
ICT has also advanced the knowledge of people by providing access to the study material with an improvement in the quality of the content. It has reduced the cost also with the availability of Virtual, eLearning, online and distance learning methods. With these methods, people who are living in remote areas, non-mobile students and even foreign students can easily participate in education. Many among them have completed their education with complete knowledge in their interested field and get certified for their education.
Role in Learning Extra Curricular Activities
ICT also made it possible to take those lessons which are not included in the standard education system such as music lessons, dance lessons, sports lessons, saloon arts, fitness classes, operational process of machines like ATM machine or others, and so on. With the learning gained from this medium, many individuals invented their needed accessories whether it’s vehicle, weapon, tool to complete their task, any unique software or such technology to ease things to do, made their artistic work better and many other things which help them to increase their uniqueness.
ICT is providing business opportunities to the relevant people who are connected directly or indirectly to the education sector such as network providers, digital classes’ set-up providers, computer accessories manufacturers and dealers, and many other facility providers who are serving schools and colleges with their unique solutions.
Future Insights
If we have an eye to our present, 50 years of Information & Communications Technology use in K-12 education and 25 years of microcomputer availability have been passed, and we have just started to get off the ground in terms of improving education with the effective use of Information & Communications Technology.
But as per the statistics, in the coming future, Information & Communications Technology will revolutionize the globe with its unmatched quality features. It will make the task processes easy and faster of an individual’s life, and the way of learning and sharing knowledge with others. Information & Communications Technology has already developed its space in everyone’s daily activities and its rapidly growing involvement making it a necessary requirement of an individual’s life.
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