CHAPTER 4:

The ICT AND THE COMPUTER: ITS ROLES AND HISTORY

Chapter 4 deals with the role and functions of ICT and computer and the impact brought to education over time.

Intended Learning Outcome

At the end of this chapter, you are expected to:
 Analyse the impact of ICT and computer to education.

ROLES OF ICT IN EDUCATION

Most of the things we use and do nowadays involve the use of technology. Students
and teachers make use of these when they try to communicate, to learn, to access
information, to entertain, and even to help them in daily tasks. All these
technologies that surrounds us are known today as Information and
Communications Technologies (ICT). Based from the definition given by United
Nations Development programme (UNDP): “ICTs are basically information-
handling tools- a varied set of goods, application and services that are used to
produce, store, process, distribute and exchange information”. Computers are
considered part of ICT. Even old technologies are considered part of ICT.
ICT has transformed every aspect in the teaching and learning process. Below,
let’s find out the roles of ICT in education.
1. It can serve multiple teaching functions. ICT can be used as drill and practice, to help solve problems, to access information in
different fields.
2. It can be used different teaching and learning modes. These learning modes (spring, 2004) include: classroom interactive
learning, independent learning, networked learning, organizational learning and managed learning.
3. Information can be delivered in an instant. Because of the internet, you can deliver information in a wide coverage at low cost.
EVOLUTION OF ICT IN EDUCATION

ICT created an enormous growth over the past years in the field of education. It has changed many aspect in the teaching and
learning process as it affects the educational system, educational learning environment, teaching methods and strategies and
the way the students learn.

Let’s find out how the development of ICT had made a great impact in education.

1650 – The Horn Book. This is a wooden paddle
with printed lessons that was used during the
colonial era. You can find on the paper
alphabets and a religious verse which children
would copy to help them how to write.
1830 – Analytical Engine. Charles baggage
designed this second computing machine which
was used in calculating complicated problems by
following a set of instructions.

1870 – Magic Lantern. This is a primitive

1820 – Difference Engine. Charles
version of slide projector that projected
Babbage was the one who designed this
images printed on glass plates.
computing machine which was used in
calculating and printing of simple math
tables.
1890 – The school slate was invented.
1930 – Overhead Projector.
1890 – Chalkboard. The chalkboard is one of the OHP was initially used by the
biggest inventions in terms of educational technology U.S. military for training
which is still being used up to this age. purpose in World War II, but
later on quickly spread to
schools and other
organizations.

1936 – The First Computer.

This was the first freely
1900 – Pencil. The pencil is usually found in the programmable computer.
classroom, in the office and even at home.

1905 – Stereoscope. This is a

three dimensional viewing
tool used as a source of
entertainment at home and
in school that were meant to 1940 – Ballpoint Pen. This is a
be used to illustrate points useful tool in the classroom.
made during lectures.

1920 – Radio. Radio was used

for on-air classes which began
popping up for any student Mimeograph.
within listening range. Mimeograph machines
made copies that can
be distributed.

1947 - Transistor. The

transistor was invented by
Bell Telephone Company
which is one of the vital
Skinner Teaching Machine.
components of the
B.F. Skinner , a behavioural
computer.
scientist, developed a series
of devices such as the
teaching machine that
1950 – Headphones. allowed a student to
Headphones are used in proceed at his or her own
schools for some listening pace through a regimented
skills and to do individual program of instruction.
listening for audio files and
the like. Slide Rule. Slide Rule which was
developed by William Oughtred and
others. Before and advent of pocket
1925 – Film calculator, it was the most commonly
Projector. It is also used calculation tool in science and
called movie engineering.
projector which is
Mouse. This pointing device which is still being used
used for projecting
today was invented by Douglas Engelbart.
moving images from
film.

TI-81 Calculator. This calculator graphs up to four math

functions at once developed by Texas instruments.
1953 – IBM. International Business Machines (IBM) came out
with their first computer machine.
1958 – Educational Television. Using this, there were more
than channels of TV which included educational
programming that aired across the country.
1959 – Photocopier. Xerographic office photocopying was
introduced by Xerox
1963 – Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). Stanford
University introduced computer-assisted instruction in
mathematics and reading and allowing students to take self-
paced, active roles in drill-and-practice.
1965 – Filmstrip Viewer. Filmstrip viewer allows individual
student to watch filmstrip at their own pace.
1969 – Internet. The first internet was called ARPANET,
which is an interconnected network of computer network.
1972 – Handheld Calculator. Handheld calculator entered
the classroom for quick mathematical calculations.
1972 – The Scantron System of Testing. This was introduced
by Michael Sokolski which allowed teachers to check and
grade tests more quickly and efficiently.
1973. The first mobile phone was released.
1974 – Birth of Microsoft.
1977 – The Apple II Computer
1980 – Plato Computer. The Plato was one of the most-used
early computers.
1985 – CD ROM drive. CD-ROM is a storage medium that
could store text, video and audio.
1985 – 87 – Era of Educational Computer Games. Examples
of this are: Mavis Beacon that can teach how to type fast,
Carmen Sandiego that involves learning in geography, and
Number Munchers that aimed about enhancing the
mathematical skills.
1990 – The World Wide Web. Tim Berners Lee gave life to
WWW, which is an interconnection of hyperlinked
documents.
1991 – Laptop. The first laptop is the PowerBook.
1996 – Mini Computers. Nokia introduced a phone that had
internet capabilities. This started a revolution of devices that
were small portable computers.
1998 – First e-book reader was released.
1993 – Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). These were
released by Apple Computer Inc. and were used for
computing storing information and even keeping schedules.
1999 – Interactive Whiteboard. Interactive whiteboard is an
instructional tool that allows computer images to be
displayed on the whiteboard which can later on be
manipulated by teachers and students.
2010 – Apple IPad was released.
2015 – Interactive Mobile Apps have become the
center of effective classroom learning.
ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF COMPUTERTS
Computers are part of ICT and play
a significant role in life. There is not a single day
that passes without us opening our computers. In
several cases, we spend time at work and at home
on a computer. Computers have changed many
aspects in our lives especially in the field of
education. Teachers and students would agree that
computers make their live easier and at the same
time complicated. Easier because it aids us in
working with documents and other things; and
complicated because we need to keep on learning
and adapting to the new trends that computers
offer us. Complicated may it seems, it is a fact that
computers facilitate education, making it easier for
students to learn and for teachers to teach. The
way the students learn and the teachers teach goes
far beyond already since the introduction of
computers in the early years.
Many researches have
enumerated the roles and functions of computers.
Among them are the following:
1. Computers can increase productivity.
Through computers, students and
teachers can perform their task well. For
students, they can create their homework
and do research quickly. For teachers,
preparing lessons, checking and grading
them are most easy. The time that they
can save be used for others tasks.
2. Computers facilitate communication
between students, teachers, and
administrators.
There are many communication tools
that are used today to be able to
communicate to students, fellow
teachers, administrators as well as
parents. Some of these tools can also be
used submit assignments, share lessons
digitally, which can be considered as a
form of communication.
3. Computers are used to access large
amounts of information.
Learning today is not confined to using
prescribed textbooks. Many of the
information that our students need can
easily be found from the internet where
there is a vast amount of information.
4. Computers are brilliant aids in teaching.
Computers are used as an aid in learning
through different academic software, soft
support tools, and productivity tools.
Teachers can use presentation software
for a more interactive and interesting
delivery of lessons. Teachers can also use
the different software support tools to
allow them to generate materials and
gather data.
5. Computers facilitate an electronic format
for storage of information.
One good thing about the computer is