It is relevant to question the paradigms of new ideas to gain an understanding of the flux between the processes of the past as compared with the present.The present age is characterized by the widespread use of technology.It is the age of ICTs when linked to effective teaching.Therefore there is a urgent need to adapt ICTs for teaching. It is so because this is the age of the Digital Natives.As Prensky suggests, these Digital Natives are seeped up in technology.They respond with eagerness to tools which are familiar. Thus, ICTs based instruction is interesting for the learners and of relevance to their mindset.
On the other hand, processing of education is multi-dimensional and involves the dynamics of development.To begin with there is the person to person contact for teaching and teachers have not changed their essential nature of being guides or facilitators.Secondly, curriculum is largely text based; so are the methods of assessment. Thirdly, we have not yet seen the outcome of being completely dependent on Technology so are cautious in exploring.However,using ICTs as a valid tool for teaching can help us, the Digital immigrants, to cater to the real needs of the learners.It can be first used as just another tool,with diligent professionalism and care as THE teaching tool.It can thus be tested in the real classroom climate.This application can not only test the veracity of the claims and counter claims of the supporters and critics of ICTs, but also give teachers another teaching tool in their repertoire of methodology . It is only by serious consideration and diligent application that we can debate with conclusive evidence the applicability of ICTs in this Digital age.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I thought this blog was great because it reinforced my own view that while ICt is very important, teaching cannot move into this new approaching age where computers and robots seem to be the focus helping us in our lives, while at the same time slowly degrading the basic human skills which we use in our day to day lives.
Yes Computers are the future and an effective tool but teaching is indeed multi dimensional and incorporates students different learning styles. With this in mind I think the "old school" (excuse the pun) teaching methods should still be incorporated combined with an effective and balanced ICT centered aproach
Post a Comment