Information Technologies and Teacher Education.

Information:
Information is a term with many meanings depending on context, but is as a rule closely related to such concepts as meaning, knowledge, instruction, communication, representation, and mental stimulus. Simply stated, information is a message received and understood. In terms of data, it can be defined as a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn. There are many other aspects of information since it is the knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction. But overall, information is the result of processing, manipulating and organizing data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the person receiving it.

Definition:
Information as a concept has a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation.(www.wikianswer.com)

Technology:
Technology is a human innovation in action that involves the generation of knowledge and processes to develop systems that solve problems and extend human capabilities. (www.insme.org/page.asp) The word "technology" can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques. In this context, it is the current state of humanity's knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products, to solve problems, fulfill needs, or satisfies wants; it includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw materials. When combined with another term, such as "medical technology" or "space technology", it refers to the state of the respective field's knowledge and tools.

Information Technology:
The branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information. Information technology (IT) comprises the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to employ information and communications technologies appropriately, securely and fruitfully in learning, employment and everyday life. IT is to ICT as literacy is to books, journals or screen displays. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

Definition
According to Entrepreneur magazine A term that encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange and utilize information in its various forms including business data, conversations, still images, motion pictures and multimedia presentations The term information technology is sometimes said to have been coined by Jim Domsic of Michigan in November 1981.Domsic, who worked as a computer manager for an automotive related industry, is supposed to have created the term to modernize the outdated phrase "data processing". The Oxford English Dictionary, however, in defining information technology as "the branch of technology concerned with the dissemination, processing, and storage of information, esp. by means of computers" provides an illustrative quote from the year 1958 (Leavitt & Whisler in Harvard Business Rev. XXXVI. 41/1 "The new technology does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information technology.") that predates the so-far unsubstantiated Domsic coinage. Information technology is the technology that uses computing with high-speed communication links to spread information from one place to another. The interconnection of the computers enables people to send and receive information. The communication links also used to interact with different people in the world.

Computer is an important component of information technology. It makes possible to use information technology for solving problems. The world has become a global village due to advancement in information technology. It means that people living in the world know one another as if they are living in a village. It has become possible due to fast communication links. Information can be transferred from one place to another place easily and quickly. Information technology has enabled different types of institutions and organizations to be a part of digital convergence. The digital convergence means that various industries have merged electronically to exchange information. These industries include computers, electronics, telecommunications and mass media etc. this merging has a deep effect on the modern world. The information can be communicated in any shape such a photographs, movies, audio, graphical shapes, text and digital diagrams etc.

Components of Information Technology:

Three components of information technology are as follows: 1. Computers 2. Communications network 3. Know-how

1 Computer:
Electric system that can be instructed to accept, process, store and present data and information 2 Communications Network: It is an interconnection of different locations through a medium that enable people to send and receive information. Communication network allows people and businesses to interact. It includes hardware, programmes and information. Information technology has become revolutionary through the use of communication networks. Information can be transferred from one place to another easily and quickly.

Know-how

Know-how is the capability to do something properly. Information technology knowhow consist of the following: Familiarity with the tools of information technology including the internet. Possession of the skills needed to use these tools. Understanding of using information technology for problem-solving and creating opportunities.

Information Technology in Education:

Information Technology in Education, effects of the continuing developments in information technology (IT) on education. The pace of change brought about by new technologies has had a significant effect on the way people live, work, and play worldwide. New and emerging technologies challenge the traditional process of teaching and learning, and the way education is managed. Information technology, while an important area of study in its own right, is having a major impact across all curriculum areas. Easy worldwide communication provides instant access to a vast array of data, challenging assimilation and assessment skills. Rapid communication, plus increased access to IT in the home, at work, and in educational establishments, could mean that learning becomes a truly lifelong activityan activity in which the pace of technological change forces constant evaluation of the learning process itself. The integration of information technology in teaching is a central matter in ensuring quality in the educational system. There are two equally important reasons for integrating information technology in teaching. Pupils must become familiar with the use of information technology, since all jobs in the society of the future will be dependent on it, and information technology must be used in teaching in order to improve its quality and make it more effective. The information society challenges the education system. In recent years, the speedy, effective and global communication of knowledge has created a new

foundation for co-operation and teamwork, both nationally and internationally. The increasing role played by information technology in the development of society calls for an active reaction to the challenges of the information society. Already, new and greater demands are being made as to the core qualifications of individuals, as well as to their understanding and knowledge of the consequences of the introduction of information technology for the work and organization of a company. Companies are no longer forced to gather all their functions in one place. The knowledge-intensive functions such as development and marketing can be sited in countries where the labour market can supply highly educated employees, whilst production itself can be moved to low wage countries. The result is the efficient handling, processing, co-ordination and administration of company resources, which is decisive for the competitiveness of the company. In a society which is becoming increasingly dependent on information and the processing of knowledge, great demands are therefore made that the individual should have a solid and broad educational foundation on which to build. Educational policy in the information society must ensure that: 1. IT qualifications are developed by means of their integration in all activities in the education sector. 2. The individual citizen must have an active and critical attitude to developments and not passively allow technological development to set the pace.

IT Educational Policy must Ensure:

Up-to-date qualifications in the information society Up-to-date qualifications gained against the background of a high general level of education in the population will be decisive if Denmark is to maintain competitiveness and its share of the global labour market in the information society. IT skills and IT understanding are thus central prerequisites for the individual, both now and especially in the future.

The advantage of using information technology is that time-consuming work routines can increasingly be performed by means of this technology and time can thus be devoted

instead to communicating and informing, to the processing of information and the production of knowledge.( ref: the concepts of information technology by Tasleem Mustafa 3rd edition)

What are ICTs and what types of ICTs are commonly used 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. These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony. In recent years there has been a groundswell of interest in how computers and the Internet can best be harnessed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education at all levels and in both formal and non-formal settings. But ICTs are more than just these technologies; older technologies such as the telephone, radio and television, although now given less attention, have a longer and richer history as instructional tools. For instance, radio and television have for over forty years been used for open and distance learning, although print remains the cheapest, most accessible and therefore most dominant delivery mechanism in both developed and developing countries. The use of computers and the Internet is still in its infancy in developing countries, if these are used at all, due to limited infrastructure and the attendant high costs of access. Moreover, different technologies are typically used in combination rather than as the sole delivery mechanism. For instance, the Kothmale Community Radio Internet uses both radio broadcasts and computer and Internet technologies to facilitate the sharing of information and provide educational opportunities in a rural community in Sri Lanka. The Open University of the United Kingdom (UKOU), established in 1969 as the first educational institution in the world wholly dedicated to open and distance learning, still relies heavily on print-based materials supplemented by radio, television and, in recent years, online programming. Similarly, the Indira Gandhi National Open University in India combines the use of print, recorded audio and video, broadcast radio and television,

and audio conferencing technologies.

What is e-Learning?
Although most commonly associated with higher education and corporate training, elearning encompasses learning at all levels, both formal and non-formal, that uses an information networkthe Internet, an intranet (LAN) or extranet (WAN)whether wholly or in part, for course delivery, interaction, evaluation and/or facilitation. Others prefer the term online learning. Web-based learning is a subset of e-learning and refers to learning using an Internet browser (such as Netscape or Internet Explorer).

Advantages of e-Learning:
There are a number of benefits to tertiary learning online that are unique to the medium. These are described in the article, e-Learning Growth and Promise for the Developing World, some of which are extracted here Any time Any place Asynchronous interaction. Group collaboration. New educational approaches. Integration of computers.

Need of Information Technology in Education:

Education is a life long process therefore anytime anywhere access to it is the need Information explosion is an ever increasing phenomena therefore there is need to get access to this information

Education should meet the needs of variety of learners and therefore IT is important in meeting this need It is a requirement of the society that the individuals should posses technological literacy We need to increase access and bring down the cost of education to meet the challenges of illiteracy and poverty-IT is the answer

Teacher Education:
Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the school and classroom. Teacher education is often divided into:

Initial teacher training / education (a pre-service course before entering the classroom as a fully responsible teacher);

Induction (the process of providing training and support during the first few years of teaching or the first year in a particular school);

Teacher development or continuing professional development (CPD) (an in-service process for practicing teachers).

Importance of Information Technology in Teacher Education:

Access to variety of learning resources Immediacy to information Anytime learning Anywhere learning Collaborative learning Multimedia approach to education Authentic and up to date information

Access to online libraries Teaching of different subjects made interesting Educational data storage Distance education Access to the source of information Multiple communication channels-e-mail, chat, forum, blogs, etc. Access to open courseware Better accesses to children with disabilities Reduces time on many routine tasks

Access to variety of Learning Resources

In the era of technology, IT aids plenty of resources to enhance the teaching skills and learning ability. With the help of IT now it is easy to provide audio visual education. The learning resources are being widens and widen. Now with this vivid and vast technique as part of the IT curriculum, learners are encouraged to regard computers as tools to be used in all aspects of their studies. In particular, they need to make use of the new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and order information in their work.

Immediacy to Information
IT has provided immediacy to education. Now in the year of computers and web networks the pace of imparting knowledge is very fast and one can be educated anywhere at any time. New IT has often been introduced into well-established patterns of working and living without radically altering them. For example, the traditional office, with secretaries working at keyboards and notes being written on paper and manually exchanged, has remained remarkably stable, even if personal computers have replaced typewriters.

Any time Learning

Now in the year of computers and web networks the pace of imparting knowledge is very fast and one can be educated .One can study whenever he wills irrespective of whether it is day or night and irrespective of being in India or in US because of the boom in IT.

Collaborative Learning
Now IT has made it easy to study as well as teach in groups or in clusters. With online we can be unite together to do the desired task. Efficient postal systems, the telephone (fixed and mobile), and various recording and playback systems based on computer technology all have a part to play in educational broadcasting in the new millennium. The Internet and its Web sites are now familiar to many children in developed countries and among educational elites elsewhere, but it remains of little significance to very many more, who lack the most basic means for subsistence.

Multimedia approach to Education

Audio-Visual Education, planning, preparation, and use of devices and materials that involve sight, sound, or both, for educational purposes. Among the devices used are still and motion pictures, filmstrips, television, transparencies, audiotapes, records, teaching machines, computers, and videodiscs. The growth of audio-visual education has reflected developments in both technology and learning theory. Studies in the psychology of learning suggest that the use of audio-visuals in education has several advantages. All learning is based on perception, the process by which the senses gain information from the environment. The higher processes of memory and concept formation cannot occur without prior perception. People can attend to only a limited amount of information at a time; their selection and perception of information is influenced by past experiences. Researchers have found that, other conditions being equal, more information is taken in if it is received simultaneously in two modalities (vision and hearing, for example) rather than in a single modality. Furthermore, learning is enhanced when material is organized and that organization is evident to the student.

These findings suggest the value of audio-visuals in the educational process. They can facilitate perception of the most important features, can be carefully organized, and can require the student to use more than one modality.

Authentic and up to Date Information

The information and data which are available on the net is purely correct and up to date. Internet, a collection of computer networks that operate to common standards and enable the computers and the programs they run to communicate directly provides true and correct information.

Online Library
Internets support thousands of different kinds of operational and experimental services one of which is online library. We can get plenty of data on this online library. As part of the IT curriculum, learners are encouraged to regard computers as tools to be used in all aspects of their studies. In particular, they need to make use of the new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and order information in their work. This requires them to select the medium best suited to conveying their message, to structure information in a hierarchical manner, and to link together information to produce a multidimensional document.

Distance Learning
Distance Learning, method of learning at a distance rather than in a classroom. Late 20thcentury communications technologies, in their most recent phases multimedia and interactive, open up new possibilities, both individual and institutional, for an unprecedented expansion of home-based learning, much of it part-time. The term distance learning was coined within the context of a continuing communications revolution, largely replacing a hitherto confusing mixed nomenclaturehome study, independent study, external study, and, most common, though restricted in pedagogic means, correspondence study. The convergence of increased demand for access to

educational facilities and innovative communications technology has been increasingly exploited in face of criticisms that distance learning is an inadequate substitute for learning alongside others in formal institutions. A powerful incentive has been reduced costs per student. At the same time, students studying at home themselves save on travel time and other costs. Whatever the reasoning, distance learning widens access for students unable for whatever reason (course availability, geographical remoteness, and family circumstances, individual disability) to study alongside others. At the same time, it appeals to students who prefer learning at home. In addition, it appeals to organizers of professional and business education, providing an incentive to rethink the most effective way of communicating vital information.

Better accesses to Children with Disabilities

Information technology has brought drastic changes in the life of disabled children. IT provides various software and technique to educate these poor peoples. Unless provided early with special training, people profoundly deaf from birth are incapable of learning to speak. Deafness from birth causes severe sensory deprivation, which can seriously affect a person's intellectual capacity or ability to learn. A child who sustains a hearing loss early in life may lack the language stimulation experienced by children who can hear. The critical period for neurological plasticity is up to age seven. Failure of acoustic sensory input during this period results in failure of formation of synaptic connections and, possibly, an irremediable situation for the child. A delay in learning language may cause a deaf child's academic progress to be slower than that of hearing children. The academic lag tends to be cumulative, so that a deaf adolescent may be four or more academic years behind his or her hearing peers. Deaf children who receive early language stimulation through sign language, however, generally achieve academically alongside their hearing peers.

How computers can be used in classrooms?

School computers are being used in many different ways and to very different extents. Educational leapfrogging, however, is only possible if the potential of hardware and software is fully exploited. Computers can use as:

Gaming tool - Computers are used for games, especially in primary education where a playful approach to computers helps students prepare for future computer use and stimulates their creativity and imagination.

Teacher tool - Teachers themselves may use computers for administration tasks, production of documents, and the creation of lessons. This includes keeping of records, manipulating information, producing individual letters to parents or a class newsletter, creating customized follow-up work for lessons, making personalized certificates of achievement, creating student lists or name tags, etc

Research tool - Computers are used to provide students with access to information on the Internet. The Internet facilitates gathering data for class projects, taking online excursions to travel reports and photos from various news and issues, reading fiction, taking virtual field trips to institutions such as museums on the Internet, etc

Communication tool - The use of computers in the classroom helps students get used to email and it facilitates communication among students, teachers, etc both within class and outside of class They learn to communicate via Internet be it by emailing with another class working on similar subjects/projects, especially if a school network exists, or be it by consulting an expert or another "significant person" on issues that arise during coursework

Training tool for repetitive tasks - This includes the use of drill and practice programmes in the fields of reading, grammar, or simple arithmetic. This also includes solving equations, studying irregular verbs, learning vocabulary in a foreign language, spelling, recalling historical dates, etc

Teaching tool for the development of intellectual and thinking skills - Computers may be used for interactive games and real world simulations ie. Interdisciplinary comprehensive explorations that cannot be provided by any medium other than the computer

Teaching tool for computer use in itself - Students have to be prepared for computer used in their future lives, ie develop easiness in dealing with both software and hardware tools. The former includes word processing, and dealing with

spreadsheets, databases as well as graphics applications that they are likely to encounter at their future work place. As outlined in the article Empowering teachers to use computers effectively across the curriculum, Hawkridge et al. identified four principal rationales for introducing computers in schools:

The social rationale is concerned with the overwhelming importance of the computer in modern society that seems to make it imperative for all students to become familiar with it and accept it in everyday use.

The vocational relates the need for computer education to the possibility of better access to the job market. This sees the teaching of computer applications or programming as providing skills vital for employment.

The pedagogic rationale asserts that computers assist the teaching-learning process and enhance the instruction of traditional subjects in the curriculum. The catalytic rationale sees the introduction of computers as improving the overall performance of schools thus having a positive impact on the education system in general.

References
Adel man, C. (2000). A Parallel Postsecondary Universe: The Certification System in Information Technology. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Allen, T., and M.S. Morton, eds. 1994. Information Technology and the Corporation of the 1990s. New York: Oxford University Press.

The concepts of information technology by Tasleem Mustafa (3rd edition)

Shelly, Gary, Cashman, Thomas, Vermaat, Misty, and Walker, Tim. (1999). Discovering Computers 2000: Concepts for a Connected World. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Course Technology.

Webster, Frank, and Robins, Kevin. (1986). Information TechnologyA Luddite Analysis. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Alic, John A. (1997). Knowledge, skill, and education in the new global economy, Futures, 29(1): 5-16.

Barnard, John (1997). The World Wide Web and higher education: The promise of virtual

universities and online libraries. Educational Technology, Vol. 37, No. 3 (May-June): 30-35. Special issue: Web-Based Learning.

Bergeron, Bryan P. (1996). Competency as a paradigm for technology-enabled instruction and evaluation. Journal of Instruction Delivery Systems, 10(2): 22-24.

ICT for teacher training

There are two complementary activities under this area - the first is the development of modules for use in training teachers in the use of ICT and the second is a support web-based portal on ICT for teacher training.

New technology for teacher training ICT for teacher training portal: guiding teachers through the ICT challenge

New technology for teacher training This project is implemented by Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID).

The Project on New Technology in Teacher Training comes under the UNESCO Programme called, "Reform of education in the perspective of education for all throughout life" This project places an emphasis, on the one hand, on imparting competencies in the use of new technologies (e.g. computers, the Internet) to teachers and other educational personnel and, on the other hand, on the more effective use of new technologies (e.g. television, radio, computers and the Internet) in the training and retraining of teachers and teacher educators on a large scale.

The reform of teacher education through the use of new technology becomes an urgent task in view of the current reality that new learning environments taking place in the emerging knowledge-based society are impinging on the roles of teachers. These are characterized by the paradigm shift in education from the old concept of 'education' to learning, from the shifts in the teaching-learning process as well as the emergence of new spaces of learning from schools to work places, communities and mass media, from childhood to adulthood and from real to digital and virtual learning environments. These changes have generated new types of learners, new process of learning and new approaches to evaluation of learning, which in turn have contributed to the changed roles of teachers from the conventional ones to a series of new roles. The teachers are no longer the sole source of information. They are only one of the multiple sources of knowledge and thus work better as facilitator of knowledge. They are also now a proactive agent of change and active participant in transformation, a specialist in teaching with new technologies, and a teacher continuously learning throughout life. These worldwide changes in the roles of teachers and therefore their corresponding competencies have to be either developed or upgraded, if the teachers are to deal with the demands of the new learning environments and to ensure that the learners are being prepared

to face the challenges of the new knowledge-based economy as well. This implies the use of ICT in Education, training and retraining of teachers in the new tools and technologies of education especially through the pre- and in-service teacher education and other professional development courses aimed at not only equipping the teachers with knowledge and skills to use ICT in classrooms but also in renovating all aspects of teacher education. There are many issues that are related to the task of building knowledge and skills of teachers in the use of ICT in classrooms which need to be examined. To address these issues ACEID of UNESCO-Regional Bureau of Education for Asia and the Pacific embarked on a project to implement the development of a package of modules and CD ROM to equip teachers with knowledge and skills in the use of ICT for teaching/learning.

Objectives

1. To develop teachers' understanding of the roles of technology in teaching-learning processes in an information society, and upgrade teachers' knowledge/skills in using new ICTs in the changing environment;

2. To develop exemplary/pilot training modules for effective use by teachers, in the form of a Resource Kit on ICTs for teachers;

3. To produce and disseminate the Resource Kit or training modules/materials through both print and CD-ROM; and

4. To build national/institutional capacity in using new ICTs in teacher education through "training of trainers" workshops at local, national and regional levels.

Thus this project will hopefully result in new visions and positive attitudes toward new technology; a set of training modules incorporated into a Resource Kit on ICTs for Teachers, produced in print and CD-ROMs; and national/institutional capacity strengthened through series of training workshops.

Strategies/activities

To implement this project, the following chronological activities were undertaken:

1) The first activity was a planning exercise through an Expert Consultative Workshop held in March at UNESCO Bangkok for developing a Master Plan to implement this activity. It was participated in by experts from Australia, Belgium, China, Japan, Philippines, Republic of Korea and Thailand. The workshop identified the topics of the modules and each of the experts was assigned to prepare the topic assigned to them.

2) The next six months saw the development of the modules by the experts. The six modules were:

ICT ICT ICT ICT ICT ICT

for Teachers in Changed Roles in a Knowledge Society Application in Education Integrated into Teaching-Learning process for Teaching Sciences for Teaching Humanistic Values and Civics for Teachers Technological Fundamentals

3) In order to review and critique the first draft of modules developed, an Experts Meeting for Review/Revision of developed training modules was held in November in Macao hosted by UNESCO Centre for Macao. The following draft modules were presented for critique:

ICT in the Context of the Emerging Knowledge Society by Group T of the Leuven Institute of Technology, Leuven Institute of Education. Workshop on ICT for Teacher Training by Dr. Hitendra K. Pillay, Director, Centre for Cognitive Processes in Learning, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology. Technological Dimensions Application in ICT Teaching presented by Mr. Leo Querubin, Manager, Business Development, Sun Microsystems. Using ICT in education and its application in research by Prof. Fumihiko Shinohara, Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University ICT in Science Teaching and Learning by Dr. Miao Fengchun, Director, ICT in Schools, Basic Education Curriculum Centre, Beijing Normal University. Teaching Humanistic Values (Social Studies) Using ICT by Ms. Debbie Lacuesta of SEAMEO Regional Center for Educational Innovations and Technology (Innotech)

The meeting provided comments and suggestions for further improvement of the modules in terms of presentation, inclusion of more examples from Asia and making them lessons more interactive, among others.

4) Based on the discussions, the modules underwent second revisions and were presented during the Special Interest Group (SIG) Session of the 7th ACEID Conference held in December 2001 in Bangkok. Some of the modules had been revised and submitted in CD ROMs and can be accessed by clicking on above-cited titles with hyperlinks.

5) Once the complete set of modules are finalized and submitted in CD ROMs, they will be pretested in selected countries and schools during their teacher training programmes. The results of the pilot testing will be incorporated in the finalization of the modules

6) The final phase of the project will involve the printing of the reproduction in both print form and CD ROM where they will be distributed to countries for use in the training of teachers. ICT for teacher training portal: guiding teachers through the ICT challenge In order to support the project cited above, Information Programmes and Services (IPS) created a Portal on ICT for teacher training for teachers who need to develop the know-how and skills in the use of ICT to be able to perform their new roles. Currently the site is undergoing a radical overhaul to make it more user-friendly and rich in current resources. Until the relaunch of the site in November 2003, the portal provides information, materials, and links organised in the following sections: 1. The ICT in Education section offers links to articles, research studies, and papers that explain how education has changed to adapt to the new knowledge society and how information technology has contributed to educational reform and improvements in teaching and learning.

2. Teachers' Roles in the ICT Environment provides links to websites that discuss the new knowledge, skills and competencies required of teachers and the changes brought about in teaching and learning. Included are articles that explain how ICT can motivate teachers, assist them when confronted with teaching problems, and help them to become more effective educators.

3. ICT Strategies and Online Courses is a section the first part of which describes experiences and programmes dealing with professional development and training of teachers, specifically describing implementing objectives, modalities and strategies, and lessons learned. The second part provides links to online courses that teachers can join in order to upgrade their knowledge and skills in using ICT for teaching.

4. Integrating ICT into Teaching Lessons site contains links that explain the use of IT in classroom teaching and learning, curriculum development, and collaborative projects. Some sites provide examples of how teachers are incorporating ICT into their teaching.

5. Teaching Ideas, Lessons and Curriculum Materials provides ready-made lesson plans, activities, and curriculum materials for teaching of various subjects: arts, health, physical education, mathematics, science, social studies, information technology, geography and more. It also offers lessons and teaching-learning materials which employ multi-media techniques and bring real events into the classroom.

6. Educational Software/Courseware, here computer applications for teaching specific subject areas, arts and graphics, computer learning and tools, games, simulations, teacher tools, music, health and fitness, hobbies and databases are made available. Some links critically review and rate existing software and offer guidelines for conducting evaluation.

7. Using Internet Resources provides many links offering criteria for critically evaluating Web pages in terms of authenticity, applicability, latest update, authorship, bias and usability. It also gives a checklist for rating cyber contents and discusses privacy, copyright and legal issues.

8. The Electronic Collaboration section presents experiences and success stories in communicating with classrooms or professionals around the world. It focuses on undertaking electronic collaborative learning activities and using electronic networks to facilitate collaborative projects dealing with curriculum/lesson planning and development, classroom instruction, chats and discussion forums, and group research.

9. Bringing Your Classroom Online includes a variety of sites that offer guidelines for going online, setting up Web-based curriculum materials and courseware, and using network software and applications to upload assignments or class papers.

10. Evaluation and Assessment Tools and Indicators includes many sites which examine the availability of ICT in schools and how they are being used. Some sites present discussions of the relationship between using computers and gains in learning. The site also provides specific tools and instruments for evaluating the effectiveness of ICT in schools.

Teaching and Learning

ICT pervades modern society to the extent that many countries now regard the mastery of information and communication technology as a core element of basic education alongside literacy and numeracy. But ICT is more than just another subject for students to study; ICT has the potential to be a valuable tool in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. For example, the use of radio programmes in classrooms can provide interesting and relevant content in subjects such as social studies and English language; while computer simulations and visualization technologies can help students to learn complex concepts in more concrete ways.

An examination of countries in the Asia-Pacific region has shown that in this region ICT is not being used to its full potential in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. There are both technical and capacity-related barriers that have to be overcome. Many countries of the region do not make use of ICT at all in their education systems due to technical barriers (such as lack of infrastructure, equipment and connectivity) but even in countries where the technical barriers have been overcome and ICT is present in classrooms, other kinds of barriers remain. In these countries, ICT is often used simply as a supplement for existing pedagogical practices. However in order to fulfil the potential of ICT as a tool for enhancing teaching and learning, ICT must be fully integrated into pedagogical processes, which requires a cognitive shift on the part of educators, curriculum developers, administrators and policymakers.

Projects which focus on ICT use in teaching and learning that have been implemented as part of the UNESCO ICT in Education programme include:

UNESCO SchoolNet - Strengthening ICT in Schools and SchoolNet Project in ASEAN Setting Improving Management and Delivery of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) through the Application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

ICT pervades modern society to the extent that many countries now regard the mastery of information and communication technology as a core element of basic education alongside literacy and numeracy. But ICT is more than just another subject for students to study; ICT has the potential to be a valuable tool in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. For example, the use of radio programmes in classrooms can provide interesting and relevant content in subjects such as social studies and English language; while computer simulations

and visualization technologies can help students to learn complex concepts in more concrete ways.

An examination of countries in the Asia-Pacific region has shown that in this region ICT is not being used to its full potential in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. There are both technical and capacity-related barriers that have to be overcome. Many countries of the region do not make use of ICT at all in their education systems due to technical barriers (such as lack of infrastructure, equipment and connectivity) but even in countries where the technical barriers have been overcome and ICT is present in classrooms, other kinds of barriers remain. In these countries, ICT is often used simply as a supplement for existing pedagogical practices. However in order to fulfil the potential of ICT as a tool for enhancing teaching and learning, ICT must be fully integrated into pedagogical processes, which requires a cognitive shift on the part of educators, curriculum developers, administrators and policymakers.

Projects which focus on ICT use in teaching and learning that have been implemented as part of the UNESCO ICT in Education programme include:

UNESCO SchoolNet - Strengthening ICT in Schools and SchoolNet Project in ASEAN Setting Improving Management and Delivery of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) through the Application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)