leader speak
ICT for Education Latest tools from ICT must be used to enhance the scope of education
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nfrastructure is most crucial element that separates developed nations from underdeveloped ones. The biggest crunch that India faces is the lack of quality infrastructure for education. 47 percent of this country is under the age of 20, these youngsters need access to quality education set up. HRD has committed substantial amount of resources for content creation. But are we ready for a revolution in the education market. Students these days are enamoured by latest gadgets and technologies. Latest tools from ICT must be used to enhance the scope of education. Students these days are enamoured
by technology. They don’t only want to study about new technological products; they also want to study about it. Students don’t want to attend schools where there they don’t get access to computers and other technological products. The education establishment has taken notice. The curriculum of CBSC and some state boards has HTML coding in IX and X class. But the question that we really need to ask ourselves is. Do we even have the electricity to run the computer systems in our schools? We are talking about enabling our children with tablets in all parts of our country, but tablets will not help much as long as we are
B V S Prakash Director, 24x7 Green Lab
lacking in the most fundamental infrastructure, which is electricity, clean water, etc.
The Scope of Technology Take strong concepts, take strong products and try to come up with the solutions that really matter
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he students nowadays are quite comfortable with the products of cutting edge technology – iPad, smartphones, notebooks, etc. So the question is not if children are going to accept technology, they already have. It is the community of teachers who seem distant from modern technological tools and systems. All kinds of technological systems are available in the market, but we ought to go for systems that our teachers are comfortable with. Teachers have to develop an understanding of how to use media correctly. It is possible for a teacher to disseminate the same amount of teaching in a fraction of time that they would take with printed books. In science labs, the use of computer saves a lot of money and time.
The other issue is how technology can be implemented in the best possible way. There are certain informal ways to implement the same. The technology in educational space has to be incorporated with such audio-video systems that enable students to learn faster than they would through conventional printed books. It is very important to be creative while using the technology. Facebook can also be used to disseminate knowledge directly to the students. Perhaps some students will find it easier to learn from Facebook than they are from other means. There is no end to the ways by which teaching can be used for coming up with better teaching practices. The interactive whiteboards are of a great help in developing bonding between
David Zeldin Director-APAC, Luidia
teachers and students. There is a lot of technology available, but it should not be forced on anyone.
february / 2012 www.digitallearning.in
digitalLEARNING
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