Information and communication technology can make teaching effective

26 September, 2012

Today, classroom instruction is being seen either in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) mode or the non-ICTs mode. ICT consists of convergence of information technology (IT), audio-visuals instructional materials with telecommunication networks.

WHILE EMPHASISING the optimal use of ITCs in classroom instruction, it is often said that that relevant computer-mediated interactive video material can be and should be created by the individual institutions. This can provide the accessibility of a very large amount textual, visual and audio data to make instructional process efficient and effective besides individualizing it. There should be the least tendency to purchase the ready-made material from the market.

Since ICTs mode of education is based on the convergence of audio-visual and telecommunication networks with computer networks through a single link system, it has the potential to revolutionize education and classroom instruction by reaching out to the students both for institutionalized learning and open learning.

I think, one may like it or not, technologies in educations are going to be universalized sooner are later, even in the remotest places. But the problem is that the teacher educators and pre-service courses are not preparing the prospective teachers for the classroom instruction by using the new technologies. There is a gap between the emergence of ICTs and teacher preparation for their effective use.

A UNESCO document says that technology should be infused into the entire teacher education programme and throughout their teacher education experience, students should learn about technology and also how to incorporate it into their teaching methods.

A casual interaction with a Jaipur-based teacher, educators revealed that ITCs are not being used in teacher preparation by the educators themselves. Despite the topic of educational technology being a part of the teacher training course, it is being taught through lecture method. Isn’t that contradictory? It seems that that the educators themselves are the biggest hurdles in the education reforms since they do not wish to affect a paradigm shift in their classroom instructional mode.