1 Invited Paper, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina Information And Communication Technology (ICT) and Teaching Sahalu Junaidu [email protected] Department

1Invited Paper, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina

Information And Communication Technology (ICT) and Teaching

Sahalu [email protected]

Department of MathematicsAhmadu Bello University, Zaria

March 9, 2010, UMYU


Outline

Introduction

Why Use ICT for Teaching?

How Effective is ICT-Mediated Instruction?

Requirements for ICT Use for Teaching

Tips for Successful ICT Use for Teaching

SummaryMarch 9, 2010, UMYU


Introduction

What is ICT? a diverse set of tools and resources used to communicate, create,

disseminate, store, and manage information electronically in a digital form. These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (e.g., digital television), and telephony.

What is Teaching?Act of deliberately transmitting accumulated knowledge, skill and values from the teacher to the learner.

ICT and Teaching Can computers, the Internet, the Web and digital communications

equipments assist the teacher in creating and delivering instructional material?

Can ICT help enhance learning?

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Introduction Traditional teaching and learning process

Teacher-centered and lecture-based Teacher as the expert and dispenser of knowledge to students Students are passive, knowledge receivers and reproducers

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… Introduction The traditional view of the learning process characterized by the fact that1. Learning is hard

if students are having fun or enjoying what they are doing in a learning activity, they probably are not learning

2. Learning is a process of information transfer and reception Emphasizing students reproducing knowledge rather than producing their own

knowledge Students have little opportunity for developing their thinking skills Students as passive receivers, storers and repeaters of the transmitted information

3. Learning is an individual/solitary process Void of collaboration

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… Introduction Changes in views of the learning process:1. Learning is a natural process

The natural state of the brain is to learn, however, not everyone learns in the same way

ICTs provide opportunities to support different learning styles

2. Learning is a social process Students learn best in collaboration with peers, teachers, parents, and others when

they are actively engaged in meaningful, interesting tasks ICTs aid collaboration, as discussed earlier

3. Learning is an active and not a passive process Students must be actively engaged in the learning process, in activities such as solving

real problems

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… Introduction Student-centered learning environment:

learner interacts with other students, the teacher, information resources, and technology

learner engages in authentic tasks in authentic contexts using authentic tools and is assessed through authentic performance.

ICTs can provide powerful tools to help learners access vast knowledge resources, collaborate with others, consult with experts, share knowledge, and solve complex problems using cognitive tools.

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… Introduction Student-centered learning environment:

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Why Use ICT for Teaching? Some reasons for using ICT in teaching and learning:

1. supports new pedagogical methods

2. facilitates access to remote resources

3. enables collaboration

4. helps extend educational programs

5. helps develop skills for the workplaceMarch 9, 2010, UMYU


Why Use ICT for Teaching?

1. ICT supports new pedagogical methods Modern constructivist educational theory emphasizes critical

thinking, problem solving, “authentic” learning experiences, social negotiation of knowledge, and collaboration

These are pedagogical methods that change the role of the teacher from disseminator of information to learning facilitator

ICT has the potential to be used in support of these new educational methods, using tools that enable students’ learning by doing. E.g., Multimedia-rich courseware with appropriately placed

self-check exercises

March 9, 2010, UMYU


… Why Use ICT for Teaching?

2. ICT facilitates access to remote resources (human and material) Historically, information resources at libraries, schools, and universities have

only been available within the walls of these institutions, in a wide variety of physical media, at certain times of the day, and in limited quantities

The Internet represents the greatest collection of human knowledge ever assembled, and it is available to every student and teacher equipped with ICT

Thousands of websites now exist that contain collections of high quality curriculum guides, lesson plans, and instructional activities. E.g., through schoolnets like http://www.schoolnet.ca/home/e/

Remote access to expensive scientific instrumentation and virtual laboratories is also possible E.g., CISCO remote labs

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3. ICT enables collaboration ICT enables location-neutral educational collaborations

between individuals and groups of people. Student-student, student-teacher, teacher-teacher,

student-business mentors, etc ICT tools that enable this include

Videoconferencing Email Online chats Wikis Blogs Etc.

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4. ICT helps extend educational programs ICT makes it possible to deliver educational programs

anywhere in the world. Thanks to ICT, many “virtual universities” and “virtual high

schools” that require no physical campuses have been established The Western Governors University, www.wgu.edu Virtual high school, vhs.concord.org African virtual university www.avu.org

Supports learning anywhere, anytime and at any age

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5. ICT helps develop skills for the workplace Having advanced ICT skills and knowing how to use discipline-specific

applications may help students secure suitable employment and enhance their productivity once employed.

ICT competency now considered an integral part to literacy in the job place

ICDL, ECDL are widely adopted by Ministries of Education in many countries

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ICT-Mediated Instruction Vs F2F Instruction Early studies of ICT-mediated instruction’s effect on student learning

have been characterized as the “no significant difference” phenomena (cf. http://www2.ncsu.edu/oit/nsdsplit.htm )

No significant difference on performance measures was found between students receiving ICT-mediated instruction and those receiving traditional face-to-face instruction in a classroom. Regardless of the medium of instructional delivery – film, radio, television,

telephone, or computer – was used, Both groups perform equally well

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… ICT-Mediated Instruction Vs F2F Instruction In a meta-analysis of over 500 individual studies, James Kulik (1994)

found:1. Students usually learn more in classes in which they receive computer-

based instruction …

2. Students learn their lessons in less time with computer-based instruction …

3. Students also like their classes more when they receive computer help in them …

4. Students develop more positive attitudes toward computers when they receive help from them in school …

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… ICT-Mediated Instruction Vs F2F Instruction A study by ETS (1998) of student achievement in mathematics and

the use of ICT concluded that

“technology does matter to academic achievement, with the important caveat that whether it matters depends upon how it is used”

In another study of students in a German school and a school in the United States concluded

“that the use of media and technology improves learning outcomes, instills key qualifications for the information age, and increases motivation” (Bertelsmann Foundation, 1998).» (http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de )

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… ICT-Mediated Instruction Vs F2F Instruction Comparative study conducted by Junaidu (2004) of students

performance in a media-rich online course and in F2F instruction

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Five F2F vs. Five Online Semesters

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

A+ A B+ B C+ C D+ D FDro

p

Cours

e GPA

Per

cen

tag

e

Five F2F Semesters

Five Online Semesters


Requirements for ICT Use for Teaching ICT is not free

No good thing is!

Creating an ICT-Enabled learning environment requires the following ICT infrastructure

Hardware, software, etc Appropriate courseware

Teacher preparation

Student preparation

Change management

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… Requirements for ICT Use for Teaching: Infrastructure

In order to make use of digital ICTs schools must be equipped with computers Educational venues must be equipped with Internet connection

There should be multimedia-rich courseware

There must be enough and competent technical support personnel for the the infrastructure

ICT deployment must be guided by a deliberate plan

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Methods of ICT Infrastructure Provision

Industry-Education collaboration E.g., collaboration between BT, ICL, Local schools and University of Exeter school of

education To examine the impact of ICT on education ICL to supply multimedia computers and BT the networking and

access to remote services and the Internet to a number of schools in the area

Government-to-Education Technology transfer equipping schools with computers inexpensively is to transfer the technology from

government organizations and businesses to schools The Government’s Computers for Learning program (http://www.computers.fed.gov)

donates surplus federal computer equipment to schools and non-profit educational organizations

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Provision of Multimedia-rich Courseware

Beyond equipment and software, appropriate content is necessary to make use of ICT for educational purposes

Luckily, educational courseware is increasingly available through growing Open Courseware initiatives worldwide http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm , www.finalslcub.com , etc

Appropriate educational content can also be accessed through “Schoolnets”: Also known as “national education grids,” may contain curriculum guides; collaborative

online projects; email directories; links to other teachers, etc Examples

UK’s National Grid for Learning (NGfL) European Schoolnet (http://www.eun.org/index.html) Canada (http://www.schoolnet.ca/home/e/) Japan (http://www.schoolnet.or.jp/schoolnet/index-e.html) South Africa (http://www.gp.school.za/gsnsite.htm)

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Teacher Preparation: Buy-in & Training

To create ICT-enabled teaching and learning environments, it is also necessary to provide ICT training for teachers

Training in ICT-use now a requirement in GB to earn a teaching credential

Elements of ICT Teacher Training1. Skills with particular applications2. Integration into existing curricula3. IT related changes in curricula4. Changes in teacher role5. Underpinning theories in education

Training for ICT-use only is not enough!

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Teacher Training Approaches

There are promising approaches developed for teacher training1. “Expert partners”

Many universities use in-house staff who are both qualified academics, and who have expertise using ICT for instruction

Can be cost-effective when managed well

2. Training of trainers model May be more cost-effective than on-site, small group individual ICT training Teacher-leaders are selected based on prior experience with ICT in education, staff

development experience, etc Once trained, the teacher-leaders can provide ICT training for their peers

3. Use of students as Technology Advisers Enlist students to provide ICT support and training for teachers

E.g., Wake Forest University’s Student Technology advisoRS (STARS) program(http://www.wfu.edu/Computer-information/STARS/index1.html)

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Tips for Successful ICT Use for Teaching Have a clear vision and plan for technology-based education

Launch an awareness & buy-in campaign for technology-based education Bring all stakeholders (administrators, teachers, students, etc) on board for greater

success Promote the demands of and changes necessary for ICT-mediated education

Deploy requisite infrastructure & qualified support army for it

Provide quality and accessible courseware

Provide adequate preparation for staff and students

Audit and evaluate your technology-based education project regularly

March 9, 2010, UMYU


Conclusions

Teaching in today's digital world requires a paradigm shift Roles of both teacher and student change

Outlined ways that ICT can be employed to enhance teaching and learning

Presented some research evidences on how ICT improves teaching and learning

Pointed out some pre-requisites for enjoying the fruits of ICT in teaching and learning

Identified essential elements for successful ICT-mediated education

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The End

Questions / Comments

March 9, 2010, UMYU


References1. “Information and Communication Technologies in Teacher Education: A Planning Guide”,

UNESCO, 2002, www.unesco.org

2. Kulik, J. A. (1994). Meta-analytic studies of findings on computer-based instruction. In E.L. Baker & H. F. O'Neil, Jr. (Eds.), Technology assessment in education and training. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum

3. Bertelsmann Foundation, (1998). “The potential of media across the curriculum: The finding from the 1996-1997 evaluation at Athens Academy”. Gutersloh, Germany: Author. Available: http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/english/publika/neuersch/index.htm

4. B. Means et al., “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies,” 2009; www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

5. S. Junaidu and J. Al-Ghamdi, “Comparative Analysis of F2F and Online Course Offerings: KFUPM Experience”. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning (IJITDL), April 2004.

March 9, 2010, UMYU

Documents

1 Invited Paper, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina Information And Communication Technology (ICT) and Teaching Sahalu Junaidu [email protected] Department