ICT in EDUCATION

ICTs stand for information and communication technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a “diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.”4 These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony (Antonio, 2002). The term ICTs involves multimedia, the Internet or the Web, as a medium to enhance instruction or as a replacement for other media

According to (Forcier, 2003) in the early 1980s, the term ‘computers’ was replaced by ‘IT’ (Information Technology) which mean a shift from computing technology to the capacity to store and retrieve information. Hence, the term ‘ICT’ (information and communication technology) was brought forward around 1992 (Forcier, 2003). Using information and communication technology in foreign language teaching and learning has been very common. Technology provides various usages which are really helpful in creating a new era of classroom. The use of new and modern tools of technology in the class is optimized to create and maintain a more effective classroom. According to (Moursund, 2005) by optimizing the functional technology using, there are chances to build stimulating learning environments which is much needed to get an optimal teaching and learning process. We already know that the functions of ICT are really useful to help the teacher to create a better atmosphere for language class in simpler ways.

Technology (internet) can be the most effective way to increase the student’s knowledge. Being aware of the significant role of ICT (internet) in our life, especially in the educational activities, education authorities should be wise enough in implementing the strategies to empower ICT in supporting the teaching and learning process in the classroom.

ICT is not just the bloom of the educational activities, but also it will be the secondary option to improve the effective and meaningful educational process. (Cunningham). The influence of ICT, especially internet (open source tool) cannot be ignored in our student’s lives. So, the learning activities should be reoriented and reformulated, from the manual source centred to the open source ones. In this case the widely use of internet access has been an unavoidable policy that should be anticipated by schools authorities.  The presence of multimedia games and online games by internet has been another serious problem that should be wisely handled by the educational institutions.

Conventional classroom, where the teacher explaining in front of the class and students sit on their chair to listen their teacher explaining the lesson, is no longer becoming the only place to hold the teaching-learning process. Now, class is not only possible to be held in a room. Through internet, teachers and students can meet in virtual room for the class. In the virtual classroom students can be stimulated to discuss and express their opinion or question in written text, so they do not intent to feel ashamed to each other. (Kearsley) study of five primary schools found that children's sustained engagement with using computers in education was significantly affected by other factors in the classroom.

I absolutely agree that ICT is really helpful to teachers as well as the students. ICT, in many ways, facilitates students to learn: providing source, stimulating student’s skills, supporting independent learning, and many more. That is how ICT works in our everyday living!

References

Antonio, V. L. (2002). ICT in Education. New York.

Cunningham, C. (n.d.). Instructional Technology for Teachers. Couewise Publishing Inc.

Forcier, R. C. (2003). Historical and Social Contexts for Computer use. In R. C. Forcier, The Computer as an Educational Tool (p. 19). Prentice Hall.

Kearsley, G. (n.d.). Online Education: Learning and Teaching in Cyberspace. Wadsworth.

Moursund, D. (2005). Introduction to Information and Communication Technology in Education. Oregon: The Free Press.