Educational Technology Kulwinder Pal, Lovely Professional University

Notes
Unit–21: ICT in Eductaion

CONTENTS

Objectives

Introduction

21.1 Need and Importance of ICT

21.2 Use of ICT in Teaching and Learning

21.3 Summary

21.4 Keywords

21.5 Review Questions

21.6 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, students will be able to:
• Learn the Concept of ICT.
• Understand the need and importance of ICT.
• Describe the use of ICT in Teaching and Learning.

Introduction
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are often associated with the most sophisticated
and expensive computer-based technologies. But ICTs also encompass the more conventional
technologies such as radio, television and telephone technology.
While definitions of ICTs are varied, it might be useful to accept the definition provided by United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP): ICTs are basically information-handling tools- a
varied set of goods, applications and services that are used to produce, store, process, distribute
and exchange information. They include the ‘old’ ICTs of radio, television and telephone, and the
‘new’ ICTs of computers, satellite and wireless technology and the Internet. These different tools are
now able to work together, and combine to form our ‘networked world’ – a massive infrastructure
of interconnected telephone services, standardized computing hardware, the internet, radio and
television, which reaches into every corner of the globe’.
When we talk of ICTs, we refer not only to the latest computer and Internet based technologies, but
also to simple audio visual aids such as the transparency and slides, tape and cassette recorders and
radio; video cassettes and television; and film.
These older and more familiar technologies are referred to under the collective heading of “analogue
media” while the newer computer and Internet based technologies are called the “digital media”.

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 Unit–21: ICT in Eductaion

21.1 Need and Importance of ICT Notes

Teachers have been conscious about the quality of their teaching. To enhance the quality, some teachers
use teaching aids, like, charts, models – static & working, specimen, slides, etc. because teachers are
given training both in preparation and use of Audio-visual Aids. It is a known fact that majority of
schools do not have appropriate teaching aids related to the school content. So teachers have no facility
to use A – V Aids during teaching. The use of A – V Aids get further restricted due to unmotivated
persons becoming teachers. It is realized that the need of improving quality of education through the
use of Television wherein most competent teacher teaches the topic with the help of most appropriate
teaching aids. This helped in improving the quality of teaching in schools having no teacher to teach
the subject, less competent teacher, schools having poor or no facility of teaching aids, etc. Programmes
offered through television were produced by different State Institute of Educational Technology (SIET)
in different languages. Even the Video Instructional Materials were produced and made available to
teachers; still majority of schools did not make use of them. Some of the reasons were no facility of TV
and VCR, no electricity, TV and VCR not in working condition, not incorporated in the time table, lack
of initiation on the part of teacher and Principal, etc. Along with A – V Aids, the print media has to go a
long way in improving the quality of teaching and learning. At present, the Print Instructional Materials
used in different Programmes offered by Open Universities are in Module format. All above mention
efforts could not improve the quality of teaching to the level of satisfaction of teachers, students, parents
and other stakeholders. Search is on for most effective tools to be used by teachers for quality education.

ICT is an important tool for teaching as it helps in facilitating teaching and increases better
understanding of the subjects for the students. However, it is not a substitute for teaching.

21.2 Use of ICT in Teaching and Learning

IT was limited only to the textual mode of transmission of information with ease and fast. But the
information not only in textual form but in audio, video or any other media is also to be transmitted
to the users. ICT has opened new avenues, like, Online learning, e-learning, Virtual University,
e-coaching, e-education, e-journal, etc. Third Generation Mobiles are also part of ICT. Mobile is being
used in imparting information fast and cost effective. It provides e-mail facility also. One can access it
anywhere. It will be cost effective. The ICT brings more rich material in the classrooms and libraries for
the teachers and students. It has provided opportunity for the learner to use maximum senses to get the
information. It has broken the monotony and provided variety in the teaching – learning situation. The
ICT being latest, it can be used both at school and higher education levels in the following areas:
• Teaching
• Diagnostic Testing
• Remedial Teaching
• Evaluation
• Psychological Testing
• Development of Virtual Laboratory
• Online Tutoring
• Development of Reasoning & Thinking
• Instructional Material Development

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Notes Teaching at School as well as Higher Education, mostly, concentrates on giving information which is not
the sole objective of Teaching. Along with giving information, the other objectives are:
• Developing understanding and application of the concepts
• Developing expression power
• Developing reasoning and thinking power
• Development of judgment and decision making ability
• Improving comprehension, speed and vocabulary
• Developing self-concept and value clarification
• Developing proper study habits
• Developing tolerance and ambiguity, risk taking capacity, scientific temper, etc.
With the present infrastructure, class size, availability of teachers, quality of teachers, training of
teachers, etc., it is difficult to achieve all the objectives. Further, most of the teachers use Lecture Method
which does not have potentiality of achieving majority of above mentioned objectives. The objectives
are multi-dimensional in nature, so for their achievement multiple methods should be used in an
integrated fashion. At present ICT may be of some use. It is a well known fact that not a single teacher
is capable of giving up to date and complete information in his own subject. The ICT can fill this gap
because it can provide access to different sources of information. It will provide correct information as
comprehensive as possible in different formats with different examples. ICT provides Online interaction
facility. Students and teachers can exchange their ideas and views, and get clarification on any topic
from different experts, practitioners, etc. It helps learners to broaden the information base. ICT provides
variety in the presentation of content which helps learners in concentration, better understanding,
and long retention of information which is not possible otherwise. The learners can get opportunity to
work on any live project with learners and experts from other countries. The super highway and cyber
space also help in qualitative improvement of Teaching – Learning Process. ICT provides flexibility to a
learner which is denied by the traditional process and method. Flexibility is a must for mastery learning
and quality learning.

On Internet many websites are available freely which may be utilized by teachers and
students for understanding different concepts, improving vocabulary, developing
Reasoning & Thinking, etc. ICT can help in preparing students for SAT, GRE, TOEFL, etc.

(a) Use of ICT in Diagnostic Testing

The common observation is that the quality of teaching in the classroom is on the decline. More and more
students are depending on the private tutorial classes. The private tuition also has become a business. It
means tuitions are also being outsourced. This is being done through the use of ICT. There are students
who fail to understand certain concepts or retain certain information. This can be assessed by introducing
the diagnosis in the process of teaching – learning. Computer Based Diagnostic Tests work well and
helped the teachers as well as students in identifying the gray area of each and every student. This can
be put on the website of the school and the student can access it from home also. The student can prepare
the topic/chapter and can take the test to find exactly what he has not understood? The teacher cannot
do this manually. The student progress can be monitored and his performance can be improved. This will
develop confidence in students and may change their attitude towards the subject. Students may start
enjoying learning. Further, the following are the main advantages of Computer Based Diagnostic Test.

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• They do not require any special setting or arrangement. The only requirement is computer systems Notes
and software.
• The student can use it even from home if made available on school website.
• They do not need any special assistance from teacher. Unlike the paper-pencil test, it does not require
paper setting and paper correction on the part of the teacher.
• It saves time on the part of the teacher and students.
• The feedback is given immediately after the test is over, which gives an intrinsic reinforcement to
the student.
• The student finds it more interesting and motivating as compared to the paper-pencil diagnostic
test.
• It can be updated from time to time.
• It is economical in terms of money as it requires only one time investment.

(b) Use of ICT in Evaluation

The ICT can be made use in the evaluation. One such attempt has been made by Sansanwal and Dahiya
(2006) who developed Computer Based Test in Research Methodology and Statistics. It has been titled
as Test your Understanding: Research Methods and Statistics. This test can be used by individual
student to evaluate his learning. The student can instantaneously get the feedback about the status of
his understanding. If the answer is wrong, he even can get the correct answer. It goes a long way in
improving the learning and teacher has no role to play in it. It is left up to students to use it. Such tests
can be uploaded on the website for wider use. The students from other institutes can also make use of it.
Not only the students even the teachers can also use it to assess their own understanding of the subject.
If used by teachers before teaching the topic, they can prepare the topic properly. Such software can be
used for internal assessment. Thus, ICT can be used to improve the quality of pre as well as in-service
teacher’s training.

(c) Use of ICT in Psychological Testing

There are individual differences. Through research some correlates of academic achievement have
been studied. Rarely this information is used by school/college teachers. Many of them even do not
know about such researches. Even if they know, they do not make use of it at the time of forming
the groups for different academic activities. One of the major reasons is that the school/college does
not have a trained psychologists who can assess the students on some of the correlates of academic
achievement. Further, the psychological testing is laborious and involves money and time. Even the
appropriate psychological tests are not available. This is the age of digital technology. It can be used to
digitalize all the psychological tests including the scoring and evaluation. The same may be available
on the website and students and teachers can use them whenever required. Even student can use
it individually and can share the result with the teacher who can help the student to improve his
academic performance.

The digitalized psychological tests will be easy to use and economical also. Thus ICT can
be used in psychological testing also.

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Notes (d) Use of ICT in Developing Virtual Laboratory

The Virtual Laboratory can be developed using ICT and provide lots of freedom to students. The
students can manipulate any attribute or variable related to the experiment and can see how it affects
the outcome. Suppose a student wants to study the factors that can affect the focal length of a mirror.
At present in the real laboratory, the student cannot manipulate many variables that he thinks might be
related. Student can take different types and shapes of objects, change the distance between mirror and
object to any extent, change the thickness of the mirror, etc. and can see how such attributes affect the
focal length of the mirror. Virtual Laboratory may be made available at the door step of each and every
student by uploading it on the Website. Further each country can think of developing science Website
which should give access to Virtual Laboratory and it must be free of cost. Such a Website will not only
help Indian students but can go a long way in helping students of Underdeveloped and developing
countries.

(e) Use of ICT in Online Tutoring

Many students from USA & other countries are enrolled in private tuition classes in India. That is they
are being taught Online. This has become possible only due to ICT. In Online tutoring the student stays
at his home. He logs in to his tutor through the use of Internet and software. He can see the teacher
who is in India and the teacher can see the student who is in USA. The student asks the question
and teacher replies it by writing on soft board or using power point presentation. This interaction is
normally one to one. It has made the academic life of many students easy. This is how the manpower
available in India can be made use of other countries. Not only Online Tutoring but some of the students
do outsource their assignments. These assignments are completed by the teachers of other country. Of
course, academically it is not correct because the purpose of giving assignment is not achieved. The
student does not develop academically and he may become weak in the subject. All this is happening
just because of ICT.

(f) Use of ICT in Developing Instructional Material

There are many teachers who are well known for the specific subject. Their lectures should be digitalized
and made available to all the users. It will enhance the quality of instruction in the classrooms. The
teacher can use them in the classrooms and can organize discussion after it wherein the new points can
be added both by the teacher as well as students. It will make the teaching effective, participatory and
enjoyable.

Sansanwal (2006) has done this. Sansanwal has developed digitalized lectures on
Research Methodology and Statistics and has used it for teaching this subject at
master’s level.

Of course, digitalized lectures will have their limitations of revision and inbuilt interaction. These
lectures can be uploaded on any website and students & teachers can access any lecture they like.
Another form of digitalized lectures is e–content. The CEC is making efforts to develop e-content
material in different subjects for the benefit of diverse users. The competent teachers can develop
e–content in their own areas of specialization. This has lots of potentiality to bring quality in teacher
education. The ICT can be used in developing Instructional Material and e-Content.

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Self Assessment Notes

Fill in the blanks:

(i) Simple audio visual aids such as the transparency and slides, tape and cassette recorders and
radio; video cassettes and television are referred to under the collective heading of .........................
(ii) Computer and Internet based technologies are called the .........................
(iii) In Online tutoring the student stays at his home and logs in to this tutor through the use
of ......................... and .........................
(iv) In 2006 ......................... and ......................... developed computer based test in research methodology
and statistics.

21.3 Summary
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are often associated with the most sophisticated
and expensive computer-based technologies.
• ICTs are basically information-handling tools— a varied set of goods, applications and services that
are used to produce, store, process, distribute and exchange information.
• IT was limited only to the textual mode of transmission of information with ease and fast. But the
information not only in textual form but in audio, video or any other media is also to be transmitted
to the users.
• There are many teachers who are well known for the specific subject. Their lectures should be
digitalized and made available to all the users. It will enhance the quality of instruction in the
classrooms.
• In Online tutoring the student stays at his home. He logs in to his tutor through the use of Internet
and software.

21.4 Keywords
• Conventional: Traditional and Ordinary
• Ambiguity: Something has more than one possible meaning
• Transparency: The characteristics of being easy to see through
• Infrastructure: The basic systems and services

21.5 Review Questions

1. What do you mean by ICT?
2. Explain the need and Importance of ICT.
3. Discuss the use of ICT in teaching and learning.
4. Explain the use of ICT in Evaluation.
5. How ICT can be used in Online Tutoring?

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