Why
should schools and teachers work towards increasing the use of ICT in
education? There are two main reasons. Firstly, consider the potential of ICT
to change the nature of work and leisure over the next twenty years. Today’s
children need to develop the skills which will enable them (and society as a
whole) to benefit from new opportunities offered by ICT. Secondly, there is a
growing body of academic research, such as the Interactive Education project at
Bristol University in the UK (www.interactiveeducation.ac.uk),
which demonstrates how ICT enhances the quality of teaching and learning in
schools, and thus contributes to the raising of standards of achievement in
education.
Benefits of ICT in Education
In
the UK,
all research into ICT in Education is monitored by BECTA (British Educational
Communications and Technology Agency). Here are some of the benefits which ICT
brings to education according to recent research findings.
General benefits
●
Greater efficiency throughout the school (Greene et al, 2002)
●
Communication channels are increased through email, discussion groups and chat
rooms
●
Regular use of ICT across different curriculum subjects can have a beneficial
motivational influence on students’ learning (Cox 1997)
Benefits for teachers
●
ICT facilitates sharing of resources, expertise and advice
●
Greater flexibility in when and where tasks are carried out
●
Gains in ICT literacy skills, confidence and enthusiasm (Harrison et al, 1998)
●
Easier planning and preparation of lessons and designing materials
●
Access to up-to-date pupil and school data, any time and anywhere (Perry, 2003)
●
Enhancement of professional image projected to colleagues
●
Students are generally more ‘on task’ and express more positive feelings when
they use computers than when they are given other tasks to do (Becker 2000)
●
Computer use during lessons motivated students to continue using learning
outside school hours (Becker 2000; Chen and Looi 1999; Harris and Kington 2002)
Benefits for students
●
Higher quality lessons through greater collaboration between teachers in planning
and preparing resources (Ofsted, 2002)
●
More focused teaching, tailored to students’ strengths and weaknesses, through
better analysis of attainment data
●
Improved pastoral care and behaviour management through better tracking of
students
●
Gains in understanding and analytical skills, including improvements in reading
comprehension
(Lewin et al, 2000)
●
Development of writing skills (including spelling, grammar, punctuation,
editing and re-drafting), also fluency, originality and elaboration (Lewin et
al, 2000)
●
Encouragement of independent and active learning, and self-responsibility for
learning (Passey, 1999)
●
Flexibility of ‘anytime, anywhere’ access (Jacobsen and Kremer, 2000)
●
Development of higher level learning styles (Gibbs, 1999)
●
Students who used educational technology in school felt more successful in
school, were more motivated to learn and have increased self-confidence and
self-esteem (Software and Information Industry Association 2000)
●
Students found learning in a technology-enhanced setting more stimulating and
student-centred than in a traditional classroom (Pedretti and Mayer-Smith 1998)
●
Broadband technology supports the reliable and uninterrupted downloading of
web-hosted educational multimedia resources
●
Opportunities to address their work to an external audience (Allen 1995)
●
Opportunities to collaborate on assignments with people outside or inside
school (Chiu 2002; Lipponen 2000; Willinsky 2000)
Benefits for parents
●
Easier communication with teachers (Becta, 2001)
●
Higher quality student reports – more legible, more detailed, better presented (Accounts
Commission for Scotland, 1999)
●
Greater access to more accurate attendance and attainment information
●
Increased involvement in education for parents and, in some cases, improved self-esteem
(Hennessy, 1998; National Literacy Association, 1996)
●
Increased knowledge of children’s learning and capabilities, owing to increase
in learning activity being situated in the home
●
Parents are more likely to be engaged in the school community
Thanks for more information about ICT, dear. But, what do you think if some school didn't use ICT?
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