I.C.T in Education
for Wansolwara Student Newspaper
By Matai Naisa Tagicaki
Teacher Secondary
Ministry of Education
Fiji
ntroduction
The Evolution of global education is evident through the continuous influence of IT in education. I use the term evolution because of the permanent effect that IT has imprinted and continue to do so in the global advancement with education. Global trend dictates that we conform to a learning culture that intricately demands dependency on technology; communication, social interaction, travel, learning, work etc., the aspects of everyday living.
The influx of information and the tools used to move information is heavily content driven that we in the Pacific have very little choice but to conform to the changes and adapt to the new practices. One can say that it is unfortunate while the same, fortunate that the third world countries do not set the pace or dictate change, but we align ourselves to the global trend in development.
Education in the Pacific is overwhelmed with these changes and information technological advancement. Mobile technology, Learning management systems, web based learning, e-Learning, m-Learning, Open Educational Resources, Interactive classroom technology, smart boards, smart classrooms, these are the many introduced technological approaches to education, introduced as the alternative forms of learning today and beyond. The changes have come about to make learning affordable, accessible, available to everyone without barriers, and is so because the technology exists.
1 “In the world of technology, students are natives and teachers are aliens” - Annonymous. Educators are disseminators of knowledge. The purpose of a teacher is to deliver the curriculum content in the classroom effectively to students. The teacher has a moral and professional obligation to use relevant resources and learned skills to teach students so they may, not only understand but, be competent in their field of learning. Tools and learning devices which are available today to support an educator in the classroom are available and encouraged for use. It is very important for a teacher to understand and know how to effectively use these devices for classroom teaching. The availability and demand of IT in Education, requires teacher training institutions to adopt ICT in Education in its curriculum, to guarantee that teachers are formally trained in IT skills in education before they graduate. ICT has now become a relevant and compulsory skill for teachers, therefore training for proficiency is relevant.
2 It was with passion and curiosity that led me to discover the many benefits and support ICT education. A principal that I served under, continuously stressed that for teachers to do great things, we must always think outside the box and be innovative (Mr. Marika Uluinaceva, former Principal). During a posting to an urban school, Laucala Bay Secondary School, the Principal asked me to create a free online website where students may interact with teachers after hours, parents could be kept informed and subject notes may be made available free for parents and teachers, including examiners reports. Basically all the information teachers and student may need to access with just a click anywhere anytime. I was given 1 week to come up with something or the alternative was for the school to pay for a domain and a web site designer to create a site for the school. This would cost the school a lot of money. I started searching on a friday afternoon, and I then I discovered Google sites. The next morning, on a Saturday, at approximately 8am, the website was live and accessible. I carried out Professional development for the teachers, training them on how to load their notes and secure each department site. This idea was presented to the former Director for Secondary Education who endorsed that I present the concept to the Minister for education. In a months time, I was commissioned by the Minister for education network all Secondary Schools in Fiji through a common website. I moved throughout Fiji creating websites and training teachers on how to create and develop their own educational websites. After a year I was introduced Open Educational Resources (OER) by the Director for Higher Education. I am developing this Unit today, working with the Fiji Higher Education. Teachers need to have passion for the calling, the passion will be the drive in their pursuant to being effective teachers.
3 The alternative use of technology to enhance classroom delivery is not about lessening the load of a teacher but providing a powerful platform that will empower a teacher to bring the curriculum content almost to life in the classroom. To bring about realism to the lesson. An example would be teaching Geography, faulting vaulting and volcanism, in a rural remote school. What is more powerful than pictures and illustrations in a textbook are moving pictures, videos about processes of moving tectonic plates and erupting volcanoes, which can be accessed on youtube. In a way ICT in education does not lessen the teaching load but makes lesson preparation much more enjoyable and exciting. Value is also added to the content because of the detailed research the teacher will participate in and will refresh the teachers content knowledge. ICT in Education must not be perceived as an alternative method of preparing lesson content but a supplement.
4 Like all introduced all introduced culture, teachers initial reaction is ‘culture shock’. Because teachers have conformed to a traditional teaching culture, it will take quite some time to to adjust and adapt. Most will feel the need to upgrade and this is an area the High Education Institution can facilitate the transition. I personally have made my presentations and writing on the subject freely available online to help inform teachers on the developments in ICT and education. I have written a teacher’s handbook on how to create educational websites using google sites as a platform and licensed under creative commons, published online and made freely available for all to view and download but not for commercial purposes. This is to provide support for teachers. There are many available websites that offer online free courses and awareness for teachers who are new to this learning culture.
5 The human element in the teaching and learning process can never be replaced, because within the four domains of learning, the Aesthetic Domain can only be satisfied by human interaction; feel, smell, forming opinion, expression and emotion. It can not be emphasised enough that focus must remain on the curriculum and not the technology; the technology is available only to support teaching/the teacher, nothing more. Technology is just an empowering tool for learning, the knowledge on how to use that technology in empowering and enriching knowledge of the teacher. Machines and technology can never compensate for the human being because of elements I have mentioned above.
6 Fiji’s ICT program already is part of the curriculum taught formally as Computing classes for year 7 to year 13 and externally examined. To support the child in learning through this platform, teachers and other stakeholders can embrace the change on provide the necessary tools, create awareness in households, personal development and professional upgrade. Understand and accept the changes in society that has chosen this direction.
7 Teachers are implementers of the curriculum, they initiate learning and guide students through knowledge creation and management. Teachers are the wheels and mechanics in this new learning culture, they prepare the environment and set the pace, they utilise the tools and guide students to do so effectively. In as the paradigm shifts so to it is demanded for educators to shift from lesson planning to lesson designing, new teaching models like the Flipped Classroom approach and so pedagogy evolves as well.
Conclusion-
As we continue to embrace and discover the evolution of global education we must remain focused on the curriculum and not the technology. Technological development is only to better support the teaching of the curriculum. At the end of learning, we are measured on how well our students have performed, and technology cannot support the expected outcomes, than we are at a loss. With the opportunity made available, teachers must take the initiative to empower their teaching content with what technology has to offer.
Quality education is what we pursue, and if ICT tools provide the Pacific community the opportunity to achieve our goals, then why not, since the resources are free, available, affordable and accessible.
