educational tasks of ict (exclude unnecessary)

Educational Technology Debate

What is ETD?

ETD promotes discussion on low-cost ICT initiatives for educational systems in developing countries. Read More

Become a part of the conversation. Contribute your ideas, strategies and expertise to our discussions. Join Now

« Previous Topics January 2011 Future Topics »

ICT in Schools

There Are No Technology Shortcuts to Good Education

How We Use Technology in Education is More Important than Which Technology We Use

3 Reasons Why Sloppy Thinking Leads to Careless Educational ICT

High Tech Society Requires a High Touch Childhood

Technologies for Learning vs. Learning about Technology

The question is not whether, but how ICT can be useful in education

Rob van Son

The opening statement of this Education Technology Debate was titled “ Is ICT in education a revolution or a fool’s errand? “. This is a puzzling question. Over the last decades, there have been many studies on the introduction of ICT in education. So why is it that we can still have a debate about the usefulness of ICT in education? Why has the matter not been settled after three decades of debate?

I think the continuation of the debate is for a large part due to the fact that the question is stated wrong. ICT is not one simple “application” that can easily be evaluated once and for all. ICT is a huge and complex cluster of ever changing technologies that have extensions in almost every aspect of industry, commerce, and private life in the developed world. The question should not be “ Whether ICT is useful in education?”, but “ How can ICT be made useful in education?”. Not because ICT is some magic spell that will solve all problems, but because ICT is needed to provide the children of the world the education they so desperately need.

I would like to step back from the question of how to make specific ICT solutions useful in particular schools, to the question of what is required to give children the education they need. And then look into the matter of how this might be achievable by deploying the tools we have, mainly ICT.

A good overview of the scientific studies on the use of ICT in education was written by Magdalena Clara (2007) for the CERI-KERIS (2007) meeting and her paper can be seen as the background of my contribution to this debate. The other papers in this meeting give a nice overview of current thinking (CERI-KERIS, 2007)

The first question to target is what is the aim of education? It is not high grades on standardized tests. But what is it?

A global view: Wealth, health, and happiness

World wide, people spend trillions of dollars on education. Educational spending constitutes around 5% of global GDP. A “simple” question is now: Why do people spend so much money on educating children? And often other people’s children? What do they hope this money will achieve?

The aim of educational spending can be compressed into a sound bite: To improve the future Wealth, Health, and Happiness of the children.

Future income and prosperity is foremost in the mind of those who advocate education. Children that receive an education will be more productive as adults. Hence, they will be able to earn more income. This wealth will benefit the whole community.

Moreover, it is well known that both personal and family health improves with the level of education of the parents, especially the care giving parent. This health improvement comes over, and is independent of, the increase of socio-economic status that results from education (e.g., Yuyu Chen and Hongbin Li, 2006). All school curricula contain implicit and explicit health related components, like disease prevention and dietary advice. This way, schools provide a major contribution to public health.

The last item, happiness, might sound rather vague and “new-age”, but has been at the foundation of every educational system I have ever seen. A primary cause of preventable suffering is ignorance and social misadaptation. The common cure has been moral teachings. Children have been taught moral lessons under the guise of religious, political, or civic education since the dawn of civilization. To avoid the endless confusion about “morals”, “life-style”, “civic duty”, and “freedom”, I prefer to say that education promotes the future happiness of the child as a member of the community.

Globally, people consider these effects of education so important that they are willing to spend close to 5 cent per dollar earned on education. Do the educational systems of the world deliver? For many children of the world, they do. However, for far too many other children, they do not deliver on any scale of educational achievement. In the (very) long term, education worldwide could be improved to adequate levels by supplying more teachers and more resources. But in the long term, we are all dead, and these children out of school. In the short term, the only solution would be to dramatically increase teacher productivity. That is, to let each teacher educate more children better. A daunting task, indeed.

Increasing teacher productivity

Education is a service “industry”. Over human history, a single teacher has been able to handle around 30-60 pupils at a time, with no real increase of numbers over time. It should be understood that group sizes of 30 pupils and less are certainly preferable for the quality of education. The ideal seems to be adequate teacher quality (training), groups of 20-30 pupils, all at comparable educational level, with text books and some other materials available. Reality in many regions is, deficiencies in teacher training, up to 60 pupils of varying levels, and few or no text books or other materials. A description of such schools can be found in Oscar Becerra (2010).

The challenge is to improve educational quality in such schools without the ability to supply more teachers on short order. That is, to increase teacher productivity, defined as the cumulative increase per teacher of earning capacity, family health status, and happiness of the students. It is obvious that there are no practical ways to actually quantify “real” teacher productivity. Well-known proxy measures are increases in some skills, e.g., reading level and mastering of arithmetic. However, it must be remembered that these are just proxy measures.

So the challenges to improve teacher productivity are, in no particular order:

• Supply teaching materials
• Improve teacher’s mastering of the curriculum
• Improve teacher handling of groups larger than 30 pupils
• Improve teacher handling of diverse groups of pupils

The only two known ways to improve productivity in a service industry are education and ICT, i.e., networked computers. Education was the problem to begin with, so this leaves us with ICT as the only short term way to improve teacher productivity in the schools as described by Oscar Becerra (2010).

The question now that remains is, can it be done at all? Can teacher productivity be increased? Or are we forced to admit that there is only one solution: Supply more teachers? I sincerely believe that it is possible to improve teacher productivity in the short term and so improve education in disadvantaged communities at a reasonable cost.

The remainder of this contribution is an attempt to argue the possibilities of ICT4E for improving teacher productivity. As a model for this discussion, I take the OLPC 1:1 distribution model as described by Oscar Becerra (2010). In this model, every child and teacher has a personal laptop and there are network connections between the laptops, at least around the school building. There is a periodical update of library and software materials, possibly through an Internet connection of the school or by exchange of some storage medium, eg, a portable computer disk.

Teaching: drill and debate

Wayan Vota started his introduction with a reference to Plato. If we go back to classical Greece in his spirit, we can see two opposing approaches to teaching, which can be simplified as the Spartan and Athenian way. The Spartans raised their children to be good soldiers. The aim was to be practical and the tool was the drill. The Athenians raised their children to be good citizens. The aim was to become politically engaged and the tool was the intelligent conversation.

Very appropriate, the face of Spartan education is a mythical state reformer, Lycurgus, who organized all life in Sparta around military power. The face of Athenian education is a historical philosopher, Socrates, who taught by debate, or rather, guided conversation. Obviously, the above is a caricature of historical Greece. But the aim of these sketches is not historical accuracy, but to characterize archetypes floating around in the educational world.

The current debates between “traditionalist” and “constructivist” models of teaching are also debates between Spartan and Athenian models. In the end, we obviously need both. Some skills are better learned with practice, or drill. Other skills are best learned by guiding students to find their own solutions.

It is easy to envisage a hundred people doing drills in an exercise field but it is difficult to imagine more than a handful of people discussing a question at a market place in an orderly fashion. The same can be seen in a school. A classroom with sixty children can easily recite exercises together or all copy a lesson from the blackboard. However, it is difficult to see how a teacher can give personal attention and feedback on performance to all children individually in such a large group.

When teachers are strained due to large groups, little time, and few teaching materials, they will fall back to drills to get any teaching done. When the strain is relieved, it is natural that the balance will be shifted to more individual guiding at the expense of drill practice. Teachers, schools, and parents will have to adapt to this shift. There will be inertia against change as it will be initially difficult to evaluate the value of the new teaching against the known outcomes of the old methods. For instance, writing essays or organizational skills are more difficult to judge than correctly reciting lists of facts.

There is one thing missing in the above argument. That is the fact that all education requires motivation. Especially in children, the most important job of the teacher and the parents is to motivate the pupils (by stick and carrot) to learn, whether it be drill practice or not. The main motivating factor in education is relevance (e.g., Oscar Becerra, 2010).

Targeting teacher productivity: The role of ICT

The above global, birds-eye view of educational practices has been made to set the stage for a discussion on how to assist failing schools. Against this background, we can more easily discuss how ICT can be recruited to help increase teacher productivity. For simplicity, and a good sound-bite, think of ICT as the technology to deliver Information, Communication, and Tools to teachers and students.

As a starter, if there is one major role for ICT in education, it would be the distribution of Information in general, and teaching materials in particular. With current technology, it is possible to compile a mobile library that a child can take home. Electronic text books solve a lot of the production and distribution problems in teaching materials, as well as allowing easy updates. If every child has access to a computer in class and at home, it becomes very easy to supply every child with up-to-date text books and a portable library. And the library does not have to be limited to texts and pictures, but can include multi-media resources. This is an obvious application of ICT4E that has immediate effects.

Motivation Motivation in education is to a large extend a matter of relevance of the curriculum and inter-personal relations at school and between school and parents. In general, more relevance and better contacts tends to result in better motivation and better educational results (e.g., Oscar Becerra 2010). The role of ICT is two-fold.

General office automation software can help with better student records and parent contacts. Moreover, with teaching materials and text books available in electronic form, they can be adapted more easily to local situations to make them more relevant to the children. There is a consistent trend that long term student motivation increases after the introduction of ICT in schools (Anja Balanskat, 2007; Oscar Becerra, 2010).

For a national supplier of teaching materials, it is relatively cheap to assemble additional, localized, information to supplement a standard electronic text. For instance, biology lessons could be supplemented by examples of local flora and fauna, instead of a single text with a national selection of plants and animals that might not be very relevant to the children. Such localization is expensive in the production of paper text books, but very cheap in electronic text books.

With electronic distribution and school based storage, it becomes much more practical to make teaching materials relevant and attractive to the children. Which will help improving motivation in school. Note that this distribution model also allows for easy distribution of supplementary materials for the teachers. Thus also allowing for better teacher preparation.

The Spartan model: Drill It is a truism that to learn anything you have to practise. In martial terms, “an army fights as it trains”. In general, more practise is better to the extend that children that spend more time on a certain subject tend to master it better. This can be called the drill aspect of education. Often, it is not so important how a particular skill is practised, as that there is practise at all. There is a huge pitfall in relying on drills. The underlying assumption is that the drilled skills can be applied in real life. But any expectation that children can generalize and extrapolate from the classroom to the real world is at best a speculation waiting for proof.

The point of drill practice is that there is only a limited scope for supervision. The only condition is that the student performs the exercises correctly. If she does, no teacher or other supervisor is actually needed. So it is no surprise that “drill and test” practices were the most popular targets of educational software (e.g., Report to the Ministry of Education New-Zealand, 2000). Drill and test software comes closest to the “ideal” of relieving teachers from supervising children.

Drill and test software can generate unlimited numbers of exercise questions and track student performance. Progress of the children to the next level can be made conditional on performance at the current level, so students can progress at an optimal pace. Teachers can easily follow the progress of students from a distance and check whether they actually practice. Unsupervised practice might ideally free up teacher time for helping pupils that need personal attention, while not hampering the progress of those who do not need personal help. Such software is already in widespread use.

The next step in using drill and test software is to delegate it to times the students are not expected in class. If teacher supervision is not needed, the practice can be done at home or elsewhere. Class time can then be used for other purposes.

The Athenian model: Guided conversations Education does not consist of poring a substance called “knowledge” into the heads of individual students. Teaching is a social interaction. Any attempt to structure education without social interactions between teacher and students is destined to fail. The social aspect of teaching is most clearly visible in the Athenian, or Socratic, model of educating by conversation.

In the Athenian model, students are taught to argue, debate, and find their own solutions. This prepares students to the real world, where they will have to collaborate with colleagues to face problems never encountered in school. The basic assumption behind this method is that the debating, researching, and learning skills can be applied to effectively master many relevant subjects.

ICT can still help in this phase of education. The crucial part of this guided conversation is that it is about communication between students and between students and teacher. And although we know there is nothing better than a face-to-face talk, other means of communication can substitute if face-to-face time is not available. Video conferencing, conference calls, Instant Messaging (or twitter), Wiki discussion platforms, school web-sites, and email correspondence are all useful ways to communicate at a distance.

Virtual Classrooms It is possible to extend the classroom face-to-face conversations into electronic collaborations, with electronic conferencing as communication channels. It is well known that peer guidance is the second best thing after teacher guidance. The decoupling of group work and guidance from the classroom and school times to virtual groups, or virtual classrooms, would allow children’s supervision and guidance to be shared by different teachers (if available) and peers. If network connections are available, children could be working in peer groups that could span classes or even schools and supervision could be shared over teachers and (older) students.

The main advantage of such a virtual classroom set-up would be more efficient use of teacher time. With virtual classrooms, the teacher is not restricted to a particular place, and sometimes even a particular time, for teaching. Virtual classes do not have to demand all of a teacher’s time continuously, but she might be able to distribute attention over several tasks and virtual classrooms. In some situations supervision can be partially delegated to other students.

From the student’s view, virtual classrooms separate them (from the distractions of) other children that might be present physically, but do not partake in the same lessons. Virtual classrooms can allow children to be taught interactively while not actually, physically, present in the same classroom. Thereby giving children the benefits of the Athenian educational model, while not demanding everyone to be present at the same place at the same time.

Obviously, there is no point in trying to organize all teaching in virtual classrooms where children stay at home. This is not how education works. Certainly not with small children. But many aspects of normal classroom interactions, like group work and home work, can be made much more efficient using collaborative software and simple communication channels, like email or drop-boxes. These technologie becomes more relevant when coping with situations where children have only half day lessons due to a lack of teachers and classrooms.

An important criticism of the Athenian approach to education is that leaving the actual learning of subject matter out of the classroom leads to the pitfall of the sophists. People who could eloquently argue for or against any standpoint on any random subject without mastering even a single one themselves. The real strength of the Athenian method is that it teaches students to master skills and solve problems themselves in collaboration with peers. Lifelong learning might seem a mirage in schools struggling to provide for education now. But if there is one thing that we know for sure it is that children in school today will have to learn a new set of skills at various times in their working lives. School should prepare them for this re-education, if at all possible.

Criticism: Can ICT4E actually work in the developing world?

The above is all nice and well, looking at ICT4E as an option to improve education in less developed countries. But what if there is no alternative to more and better qualified teachers? What if we simply have to give up and wait for that (elusive) moment the required quality and quantity of education can be delivered to the children the old way? What if the current generation of children cannot be helped at all and are “lost”? This is more or less the position of Kentaro Toyama in his contribution to this debate and an earlier article (Kentaro Toyama, 2010, 2011).

Critics of investments in ICT4E can point to monumental failures in introducing technology to aid in development. In each individual case, the reasons for failure are complex and intricate. Generalizing, even over-generalizing, it can be said that all the really hard problems of humanity have at their root social problems. Economic, agricultural, industrial, and technological solutions are all only effective if they are also able to solve some of these social problems. The problems of under-development and failing education are not different.

The received opinion is that technology, like any other “solution”, will only work if it is integrated in the social structure. It must become an integral part of the lives of the people. There are remarkable exceptions to this rule. Few communities have had problems with embracing tele-communications technology, i.e., movies, radio, TV, or fixed and mobile phones. If you allow people a chance to hear, view, or speak other people, they will grab it with both hands. All these communication technologies have caused revolutions in the lives of people all over the world (e.g., Charles Kenny, 2009). But in general, it is true that an externally supplied solution only works if it can be integrated in the life of those who receive it.

Criticism is generally directed towards Educational Technology (Kentaro Toyama, 2010) which is treated as some field separated from general ICT. The conclusion then is that as delivering Educational Technology has failed to solve problems in X cases, it must be dismissed as a possible solution to the problems of the developing world. However, the fact that ICT can be used in education does not create a separate, isolated field of ICT4E.

In reality, ICT are a cluster of hard- and software technologies for the control, communication, and handling of information and multi-media. This cluster of technologies is more extensive, diverse, and volatile than anything produced by humans before. These technologies have changed the face of industry, commerce, and private life the world over, e.g., it allowed the economic rise of the BRIC countries. Deciding now that none of these technologies can be harnessed for education in poor communities seems at least premature.

The question Can technology benefit failing schools? is meaningless and cannot be answered with Yes or No . In my opinion, the only real question is How can technology benefit failing schools?

Discussion: [ICT4E] is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes (Adapted from Edsger Dijkstra)

The Spartan drill delivers skilled workers, the Athenian debate produces educated citizens. We want children to be educated to become both productive workers and engaged citizens. For such an education, students and teachers need good, up-to-date information and teaching materials, good tools to work and practice with these materials, and communication channels to collaborate and interact with peers and teacher.

In this context, ICT4E becomes Information, Communication, and Tools for Education . Every school will benefit from such ICT4E, but I expect that schools that are overstretched by the limitations of the resources of their country will benefit most.

Any improvement in the situation in schools, and the introduction of new tools and possibilities in general, will lead to changes in education itself. If the implementation works out well, the balance of teaching will move from drill practise towards more “Athenian” style teaching. Children will start to learn new things. New things that might not fit easily in the existing evaluation models. Schools should be prepared for such changes. And schools should prepare teachers and parents for such changes.

In light of the quote from Edsger Dijkstra, what part can the computer, or ICT in general, play in education? I think the analogy to the telescope is very apt. A telescope is a personal access point into astronomy. A computer is a personal access point into an educational world of tools, connections, collaborations, and information. Such a computerized environment can help to raise students and teachers above the isolation and resource limitations that hold back education in so many parts in the world.

What is exactly demanded from ICT4E, and how the demands should be prioritized, is a matter of local requirements. 1:1 Laptop programs, e.g., the OLPC program, are the most thorough of such applications of ICT4E. And the paper by Oscar Becerra (2010) illustrates such a program. Many more can be found at the official site of the OLPC program , or at the independent site, OLPC News .

1:1 Laptop programs tackle all problems at the same time: Dissemination of teaching materials, communication and collaboration, and both general and specific tools useful in school. So a 1:1 laptop program is very likely to solve those local problems that can indeed be solved with ICT. But such 1:1 programs are complex and costly and not the be all and end all of ICT4E, e.g., see Magdalena Clara (2007) and this debating site itself . For a large number of reasons, 1:1 programs might not fit the requirements of individual schools. In the end, it all depends on the needs and resources of the school (Michael Trucano, 2007; InfoDev.org).

Back to the original question “ Are ICT investments in schools an education revolution or fool’s errand? “.

ICT in education can be a revolution, like text books or black boards once were. But just as some text books turn out to be useless, not all applications of ICT will be revolutionary or even useful. Every human endeavour can fail. And we know that ICT4E has had its share of failures. But as I argued above, the question is not whether , but how ICT can be useful in education. Because, short of “growing” teachers on trees, there seem to be no other option to improve education for the generation that is now entering schools in the developing nations.

Anja Balanskat (2007). “ Comparative international evidence on the impact of digital technologies on learning outcomes: empirical studies ”, CERI-KERIS 2007

Oscar Becerra (2010). “ What is reasonable to expect from information and communication technologies in education? ” Educational Technology Debate, Computer Configurations for Learning

CERI-KERIS (2007). International Expert Meeting on ICT and Educational Performance

Yuyu Chen, Hongbin Li (2006). “ Mother’s Education and Child Health: Is There a Nurturing Effect? ”

Magdalena Clara (2007). “ OECD Background paper ‘Information and Communication Technologies and Educational Performance’ “, CERI-KERIS International Expert Meeting on ICT and Educational Performance

ETD (2009). “ Assessing ICT4E Evaluations ”, Educational Technology Debate

InfoDev.org. “ Quick guide: Monitoring and evaluation of ICT in education initiatives ”, Web Site.

Charles Kenny (2009). “ Revolution in a Box ”, Foreign Policy November/December 2009

Report to the Ministry of Education New-Zealand (2000). “ A Review of the Literature on Computer-Assisted Learning, Particularly Integrated Learning Systems, and Outcomes with Respect to Literacy and Numeracy ”, UniServices Ltd

Kentaro Toyama (2010). “ Can Technology End Poverty? “, Boston Review, November/December 2010. “ Response ” from KT:

Kentaro Toyama (2011). “ There Are No Technology Shortcuts to Good Education “, Educational Technology Debate, ICT in Schools, January 2011.

Michael Trucano (2007). “ What do we know about the effective uses of information and communication technologies in education in developing countries? ”, CERI-KERIS 2007

Written by Rob van Son on January 25, 2011 in ICT in Schools . Tagged: Athens Constructivist Debate Drill Educational Technology happiness health ICT4E Lycurgus Socrates Sparta Teacher Productivity Virtual Classroom Wealth | Trackbacks

Don’t miss a moment of the action!

Subscribe to Educational Technology Debate today by adding your email below .

17 Responses to “The question is not whether, but how ICT can be useful in education”

Yama,I fear you speak of some fantasy future state of education when you talk about individualized education for all. Yes, technology could play a role, and yes, this would be the best possible process to educate our youth, but it will never, ever happen. Or not in our lifetimes, anyway. The closest I've heard to this is Teachermate , which helps increase the uniqueness of instruction on a large scale, but cannot make the true individualized instruction you seem to speak of. That would require a massive investment in new teachers, which Rob debunked in an earlier comment .So we are left with some sub-optimal mix of teachers, technology, and to a great extent, homogenized educational experiences. From this, I can agree with you – we will only get random serendipity, which is why I so dislike the individualized story of child + laptop + miracle = education, especially that third, undefined step.

As I already wrote, all the hard problems of humanity are social problems. Technological problems are easy. Any solution that would require society to change, e.g., change power distribution, is very, very, likely to fail. We cannot wish for other parents, children, and teachers. We will have to do with those that are there.

I know that the best fitting, natural if you want, approach to education are apprenticeships and personal tutors. The closest we have to that approach to formal education is the Oxford university model. Everybody knows that, but we also know why that won't work: There are not enough tutors to teach all the children.

While we wait for utopia to come, we should help the children going to school now. So what can we do until we have all those highly qualified and motivated teachers? Help the children in class now to learn more. The next question is to look what we can do to help the teachers teach and children to learn. And frankly, I see no option but to recruit technology in some form.

But the search for solutions does not have to be limited to giving every child a computer and an Internet broadband connection. And most certainly, technology should not be limited to the classroom.

James, you are thinking education is equal as teaching, and you are ignoring one of the most important elements (if not the most important), which learning by the students. Do you think the poor will be able to overcome their situation and even have the opportunities others have with the educational system you are describing? I am afraid not! I would challenge people to think about other solutions that really give opportunities to children in developing countries.

Rob, I agree with you that once someone decides that ICT of any kind — television, radio, PC, mobile phone — are to be used in education , it's important to focus on how best to use it. Our disagreement is in fact on the point of "whether," rather than "how." You're sure that it's always "yes," while I believe that there are plenty of instances where "no" is a better response. That's a disagreement we're not likely to resolve, so let's move on…

Two misperceptions of my view that I'd like to correct are below…

First, I'm not at all pessimistic about the possibility of improving education. Children are not "lost" unless we give up on education entirely. But, I disagree that the best way to do so is to focus on technology when improving teachers and administrations (and engaging with parents) is far more important. There is a cost trade-off, because the resources allocated to technology could easily be allocated towards teacher training or more teachers. It's a little strange to imply that if we don't use ICTs, the children are lost! Were all of us lost before ICTs?

Second, I actually believe very much in a constructivist view of education, but in the sense of learning happening when a person cognitively recreates the thing being learned. Learning is an active, rather than a passive process, yes, but good teachers are still critical, and there's no more guarantee of good active learning on PCs than there is of good active learning in a sandbox.

First, I think we mostly agree.

I most certainly would not want to state that Technology is always the solution. But more, that tools help people do their work. So, if there is a shortage of people to do the work, it is common practice to try to improve productivity with technology. So, in this respect I see the educational problems as a labor shortage problem that might be alleviated by the introduction of technology and tools.

I write "alleviated", not solved. And I do not have a particular preference for certain technologies. My all time favorite educational technology is the blackboard.

I am all for the training of teachers, because that is the other route to higher productivity. But (re-)training of teachers has even more logistic problems than the introduction of technology. And we are already short of teachers. Who will train the teachers?

I have explained my thoughts on these logistic problems of recruiting and training teachers in my February post on ETD.

On your second point.

I introduced a more "neutral" terminology of Spartan and Athenian education to avoid the politicized polemics between "Constructivism" vs "Traditional" education. And, really, these ideas are as old as education itself.

When translated to the developing world, I see the problems mostly as a result of over-crowding and under-training of teachers. The teachers in these schools simply lack the time and means to apply methods targeted at individual students. And as they have never been able to apply such methods, they also lack the training and experience to do so.

I think that to introduce more "modern" (or classical) teaching methods in the developing world it is necessary to first give the teachers the time and means to do so. In front of a class with 60 children and no textbooks or other teaching materials, how much room is there for "Constructivist" education?

How about trying to carve up a little room for such education by supplying textbooks and teaching materials. And if we could introduce something, anything, that would allow the teachers to get one part of the group busy with learning or exercising without the teacher's constant supervision, then she could give more personal attention to the others.

You could do that by hiring low-trained class supervisors that simply help the children with prescribed drill practice. And you could do that with some kind of technology, like cardboard models, or ICT gadgets. My point is that without carving out a little space for the teacher to attend to individual pupils, there will not be much Constructivist teaching.

You have no idea what you are talking about may a tour around Africa would do you some good. Video Conferencing is a far fetched reality. How about we start with the basics a pen, a book and a desk to write on!

This is more realistic than the latter posts.

I feel as if some of the old methods are outdated. I spend tons of money on college and then i go there just to go to my computer and learn what im supposed to. Its almost as if the classroom is just a form of mission administration! Learn this, come back and take a test this day, and im going to waste your time while you do it. Look at khan academy. I learned everything from there.

I regularly check this site to see how the "debate" about ICT is going. And, whew, much to my "comfort", it remains well anchored in the circular mode. And while the debate "rages", children are using technology more and more in their lives, so given the old and stale, old public education structures (aka schools), so much learning is happening outside of schools. When oh When will folks finally come to the realization that we have entered a new phase and reality, when research of ICT in Ed is discussed: "We know it works in practice, but does it work in theory?" This is my answer now to researchers and simply tell them, "Please go visit a classroom where the teachers have done a good job of integrating the technology into the classroom and tell them that according to research, there is nothing really happening." Alfred Jarry, the great French satirical playwright would have a field day on this one. We need to move on folks to developing concerted, coherent actions plans to support our teachers and help them create new learning environments, this in conjunction with students. Now that is one area that technology has made a huge difference: It now includes the voice of students in the design of learning and teaching environments. Some adults are having a tougher time on this element right now.

InfoDev UNESCO

• Future Topics
• Previous Topics
• Contributors

Subscribe to ETD

Receive our latest posts by email.

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

From EduTech Blog:

Educational Technology Debate: published via Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 license.

Information and Communication Technologies in Education: A Framework for Transforming the Indian Education System through Smart Learning

• First Online: 07 June 2023

Cite this chapter

• Prama Chatterjee 7 ,
• Arnab Gantait 8 ,
• G. Anjaneya Swamy 9 &
• Babu George 10  

Part of the book series: Arts, Research, Innovation and Society ((ARIS))

241 Accesses

1 Citations

Literate and educationally advanced population is the primary characterizing feature of any developed nation. In this context, digital inclusion in education system is seen as a potent solution to the holistic growth of an education system, since it provides a comfortable learning environment that meets the demands of individual learners, and that of the society as a whole. Like many other governments around the world, the Government of India has also made strides in modernizing its education system by promoting Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based education. Educational institutions support this innovative technology-based education system, known as “Smart Learning”. The current chapter focuses on ICT’s required capabilities in establishing a digital environment and examines how ICT may upgrade education for next generation, while also being effective in smart learning. The study further emphasizes the opportunities and benefits of ICT in the education system, and throws light on a few important initiatives taken by the Indian Government and other organizations toward the holistic development of the Indian education system by bringing sophistication in the field of education. This work can be categorized as descriptive research. Researchers have chosen a qualitative method by reviewing and analyzing reports, research works, and other information sources pertaining to the topic. Thematic and Content Analyses are used to infer from the data acquired from various reports, reviews, and also from experts’ opinions. The challenges that pose impediments in the path of successful implementation of the ICT-based teaching-learning system in India are also dealt with. Findings of this study will provide guidance to educational policymakers as well as future researchers of the country.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

The New Educational Models Based on Information and Communication Technology and Education 4.0

Information and communication technologies (ICT) for access to quality education in the global south: A case study of Sri Lanka

Information and Communication Technologies in Russian Education: Background and Outlook

Amutabi, M. N., & Oketch, M. O. (2003). Experimenting in distance education: The African Virtual University (AVU) and the paradox of the World Bank in Kenya. International Journal of Educational Development, 23 (1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-0593(01)00052-9

Google Scholar  

Anderson, J., van Weert, T., & Duchâteau, C. (Eds.). (2002). Information and communication technology in education: A curriculum for schools and programme of teacher development . UNESCO.

Awwad, M. S., & Al-Majali, S. M. (2015). Electronic library services acceptance and use: An empirical validation of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. The Electronic Library, 33 (6), 1100–1120.

Bhattacharya, I., & Sharma, K. (2007). India in the knowledge economy–an electronic paradigm. International Journal of Educational Management., 21 (6), 543–568. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540710780055

Birch, A., & Irvine, V. (2009). Preservice teachers’ acceptance of ICT integration in the classroom: Applying the UTAUT model. Educational Media International, 46 (4), 295–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523980903387506

Biswas, S. (2019). Integration of ICT in Indian schools. Journal of Information and Computer Science, 9 (12), 1533–1539.

Biswas, N. (2021). Role of information technology in education: Obstacles in EdTech in India—A study. GRD Journal for Engineering, 6 (10), 14–19.

Buabeng-Andoh, C. (2019). Factor that influence teachers’ pedagogical use of ICT in secondary schools: A case of Ghana. Contemporary Educational Technology, 10 (3), 272–288. https://doi.org/10.30935/Cet.590099

Chai, C. S., Koh, J. H. L., & Tsai, C. C. (2010). Facilitating preservice teachers’ development of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK). Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 13 (4), 63–73.

Chandra, S., & Patkar, V. (2007). ICTs: A catalyst for enriching the learning process and library services in India. The International Information & Library Review, 39 (1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572317.2007.10762727

Commonwealth of Learning. (2000). An introduction to open and distance learning , pp. 1–29. Retrieved from https://www.col.org/ODLIntro

Dhingra, D. (2022). Role of ICT in higher education. International Research Journal of Management Sociology & Humanity, 13 (2), 260–263.

Djan, J., & George, B. (2016). Standardization or localization: A study of online learning programmes by tertiary institutions in Ghana. European Journal of Contemporary Education, 18 (4), 430–437. https://doi.org/10.13187/ejced.2016.18.430

Education and Learning Sub-Committee. (2007). Empowering learners and engaging minds through Infocomm . Ministry of Education.

El-Amin, A., & George, B. (2020). Towards a model and strategy for transformational change. Economics, Management and Sustainability, 5 (2), 28–38.

Fu, J. (2013). Complexity of ICT in education: A critical literature review and its implications. International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, 9 (1), 112–125.

Gawk, D. (2010). The meaning and predict of smart learning, smart learning Korea proceedings . Korean E-Learning Industry Association.

George, B. P. (2017). Innovation and change in tourism education with special focus on India. In Handbook of teaching and learning in tourism . Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784714802 .

Ghavifekr, S., & Rosdy, W. A. W. (2015). Teaching and learning with technology: Effectiveness of ICT integration in schools. International Journal of Research Education and Science, 1 (2), 175–191.

Goel, D. R., & Jaiswal, K. (2000). Educational media in India. In D. R. Goel (Ed.), Educational media in India . Bharatiya Kala Prakashan.

Gredler, M. (2000). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice . Prentice Hall.

Gunjan, N. (2014). ICT based education: A paradigm shift in India. Techno Learn, 4 (1), 15–26.

Gurumurthy, K., & Vishwanath, K. (2010). ICTs Programmes in schools in Yadgir District, IT for Change: Case Study, www.itforchange.net cited by Gupta, C. D., & Haridas, K. P. N. (2012). Role of ICT in improving the quality of school education in Bihar . International Growth Centre.

Hanushek, E. A., & Woessmann, L. (2011). How much do educational outcomes matter in OECD countries? Economic Policy, 26 (67), 427–491. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0327.2011.00265.x

Hepp, P., Hinostroza, J. E., Laval, E., & Rehbein, L. (2004). Technology in schools: Education, ICT and the knowledge society . World Bank. http://mirror.unpad.ac.id/orari/library/library-ref-eng/ref-eng3/application/education/ICT_report_oct04a.pdf

Honan, E. (2008). Barriers to teachers using digital texts in literacy classrooms. Literacy, 42 (1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9345.2008.00480.x

Hwang, G. J. (2014). Definition, framework and research issues of smart learning environments-a context-aware ubiquitous learning perspective. Smart Learning Environments, 1 (1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-014-0004-5

Iwanaga, M. (2000). The present and the future of multimedia in Japan’s open learning. http://www.ouhk.edu.hk/cridal/gender/Technology/technology.html

Jayasubramanian, P., Ramya, N., & Rohini, M. (2015). A study on information, communication technologies learning practices in educational institutions in Coimbatore. International Journal of Applied Research, 1 (8), 480–485.

Jorge, C. M. H., Jorge, M. D. C. A., Gutiérrez, E. R., García, E. G., & Díaz, M. B. (2003). Use of the ICTs and the perception of E-learning among university students: A differential perspective according to gender and degree year group. In Interactive educational multimedia: IEM (pp. 13–28).

Kabouridis, G. (2008). An assessment of ICT-based education for mechanical engineering in TEI Patras, Greece. In V. Hodgson, C. Jones, T. Kargidis, D. Mcconnell, S. Retalis, D. Stamatis, & M. Zenios (Eds.), Proceedings of the 6th international conference in networked learning (pp. 829–835). Lancaster University.

Kennewell, S., Parkinson, J., & Tanner, H. (2000). Developing the ICT capable school . Routledge.

Khatun, A., George, B., & Dar, S. N. (2021). Knowledge management practices in the higher education sector with special reference to business schools. Education and Self Development, 16 (2), 47–59.

Kim, T., Cho, J.Y., Lee, B.G. (2013). Evolution to smart learning in public education: A case study of Korean public education. In T. Ley, M. Ruohonen, M. Laanpere, & A. Tatnall (Eds.), Open and social technologies for networked learning. OST 2012. IFIP advances in information and communication technology (Vol. 395, pp. 170–178). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-37285-8_18 .

Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9 (1), 60–70.

Koper, R. (2014). Conditions for effective smart learning environments. Smart Learning Environments, 1 (1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-014-0005-4

Lau, B. T., & Sim, C. H. (2008). Exploring the extent of ICT adoption among secondary school teachers in Malaysia. International Journal of Computing and ICT research, 2 (2), 19–36.

Lubega, T. J., Mugisha, A. K., & Muyinda, P. B. (2014). Adoption of the SAMR model to assess ICT pedagogical adoption: A case oSf Makerere University. International Journal of E-Education, E-Business, E- Management and E-Learning, 4 (2), 106–115.

Luhamya, A. N., Bakkabulindi, F. E. K., & Muyinda, P. B. (2017). Examining the integration of ICT in teaching and learning among educators in public teacher training colleges in Tanzania using the theory of planned behaviour: A concept paper. Nkumba Business Journal, 16 , 187–203.

Lwoga, E. T., & Komba, M. M. (2015). Antecedents of continued usage intentions of web-based learning management system in Tanzania. Education + Training, 57 (7), 738–756. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2014-0014

McMahon, G. (2009). Critical thinking and ICT integration in a Western Australian secondary school. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12 (4), 269–281.

Metbe, J. S., Dachi, H., & Raphael, C. (2011). Integrating ICT into teaching and learning at the University of Dar es Salaam. Distance Education, 32 , 289–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2011.584854

Middleton, A. (2015). Smart learning: Teaching and learning with smart phones and tablets in post-compulsory education . Media Enhanced Learning Special Interest Groups and Sheffield Hallam University.

Mooij, T. (2007). Design of educational and ICT conditions to integrate differences in learning: Contextual learning theory and a first transformation step in early education. Computers in Human Behavior, 23 (3), 1499–1530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2005.07.004

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online learning . Cengage Learning.

Nair, R., & George, B. P. (2016). E-learning adoption in hospitality education: An analysis with special focus on Singapore. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing, 2 (1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.376329

Narashimhan, R. (2000). Human resource development to meet the challenge of information technology and communication . National Center for Software Technology.

Ndibalema, P. (2014). Teachers’ attitude towards the use of information communication technology (ICT) as a pedagogical tool in secondary schools in Tanzania: The case of Kondoa District. International Journal of Education and Research, 2 (2), 1–16.

Nyvang, T. (2006). Implementation of ICT in higher education as interacting activity systems. In S. Banks, V. Hodgson, C. Jones, B. Kemp, D. McConnell, & C. Smith (Eds.), Proceedings of fifth international conference on networked learning 2006 (pp. 1–8). Lancaster University.

Ratheeswari, K. (2018). Information communication technology in education. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research, 3 (1), S45–S47. https://doi.org/10.21839/jaar.2018.v3S1.169

Razak, N. A., & Embi, M. A. (2004). A framework of IT competency for English language teachers. International Journal of E-Language Learning and Teaching, 1 (1), 1–14.

Rodrigues, S. (2002). Opportunistic challenges: Teaching and learning with ICT . Nova Publishers.

Sampath, K., Panneerselvam, A., & Santhanam, S. (2007). Introduction to educational technology . Sterling Publishers.

Shradha, A. H., & Budhedeo, S. H. (2016). Issues and challenges in bringing ICT enabled education to rural India. International Journal of Scientific Research and Education, 4 (1), 4759–4766.

Singh, S. (2011). Role of information and communication technology (ICT) in higher education. In K. L. Dangwal, & S. P. Singh (Eds.), Emerging trends in education . A.P.H. Publishing Corporation, New Delhi.

Suryani, A. (2010). ICT in education: Its benefits, difficulties, and organizational development issues. Journal Social Humaniora (JSH), 3 (1), 13–33. https://doi.org/10.12962/j24433527.v3i1.651

Tezci, E. (2011). Factors that influence pre–service teachers’ ICT usage in education. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34 (4), 483–499. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2011.587116

Tinio, V. L. (2002). ICT in education. UN Development Programme. Bureau for Development Policy.

Tucker, B. (2012). The flipped classroom. Education Next, 12 (1), 82–83.

UNESCO. (2002). Information and communication technology in education: A curriculum for schools and programme for teacher development , Paris.

UNESCO. (2003). Developing and using indicators of ICT use in education (pp. 1–39).

Vasudevaiah, G. (2016). Promoting usage of ICT in open and distance education programs. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3 (3), 77–79.

Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27 (3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540

Ward, Y. D., George, B., & Jones, E. (2021). Digital inequities and digital inclusion in education: An agenda for the post-Covid world. EURIE, 2021 , 37.

Watson, D. M. (2001). Pedagogy before technology: Re-thinking the relationship between ICT and teaching. Education and Information Technologies, 6 (4), 251–266. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012976702296

Watts-Taffe, S., Gwinn, C. B., Johnson, J. R., & Horn, M. L. (2003). Preparing preservice teachers to integrate technology with the elementary literacy program. The Reading Teacher, 57 (2), 130–138.

Yakubu, M. N., & Dasuki, S. (2018). Factors affecting the adoption of E-learning technologies among higher education students in Nigeria: A structural equation modelling approach. Information Development, 35 (3), 492–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666918765907

Yuen, A. H., Law, N., & Wong, K. C. (2003). ICT implementation and school leadership: Case studies of ICT integration in teaching and learning. Journal of Educational Administration, 41 (2), 158–170. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230310464666

Zhu, Z. T., Yu, M. H., & Riezebos, P. (2016). A research framework of smart education. Smart Learning Environments, 3 (4), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-016-0026-2

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to extend our special thanks and gratitude to Dr. Sangeetha. C. P. (Asst. Professor, Govt Arts College, Coimbatore, India); and Dr. Kuldeep Singh (Assistant Professor; GD Goenka University, Haryana, India) for their constant encouragement and support in completing this study.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Sociology, Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India

Dr. Prama Chatterjee

Independent Researcher, Kolkata, India

Arnab Gantait

Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Chedulla, Andhra Pradesh, India

Dr. G. Anjaneya Swamy

School of Business, Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS, USA

Dr. Babu George

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Department of Management Science, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

Amina Omrane

Department of Management, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Gouranga Patra

Department of Psychology Government General Degree College, Singur, Hooghly, West Bengal, India

Sumona Datta

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Chatterjee, P., Gantait, A., Swamy, G.A., George, B. (2023). Information and Communication Technologies in Education: A Framework for Transforming the Indian Education System through Smart Learning. In: Omrane, A., Patra, G., Datta, S. (eds) Digital Technologies for Smart Business, Economics and Education. Arts, Research, Innovation and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24101-7_16

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24101-7_16

Published : 07 June 2023

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-031-24100-0

Online ISBN : 978-3-031-24101-7

eBook Packages : Business and Management Business and Management (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• IIEP Buenos Aires

• A global institute
• Governing Board
• Expert directory
• 60th anniversary
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Latest news
• Upcoming events
• PlanED: The IIEP podcast
• Partnering with IIEP
• Career opportunities
• 11th Medium-Term Strategy
• Planning and management to improve learning
• Inclusion in education
• Using digital tools to promote transparency and accountability
• Ethics and corruption in education
• Digital technology to transform education
• Crisis-sensitive educational planning
• Rethinking national school calendars for climate-resilient learning
• Skills for the future
• Interactive map
• Foundations of education sector planning programmes
• Online specialized courses
• Customized, on-demand training
• Training in Buenos Aires
• Training in Dakar
• Preparation of strategic plans
• Sector diagnosis
• Costs and financing of education
• Tools for planning
• Crisis-sensitive education planning
• Supporting training centres
• Support for basic education quality management
• Gender at the Centre
• Teacher careers
• Geospatial data
• Cities and Education 2030
• Learning assessment data
• Governance and quality assurance
• School grants
• Early childhood education
• Flexible learning pathways in higher education
• Instructional leaders
• Planning for teachers in times of crisis and displacement
• Planning to fulfil the right to education
• Thematic resource portals
• Policy Fora
• Network of Education Policy Specialists in Latin America
• Strategic Debates
• Publications
• Briefs, Papers, Tools
• Search the collection
• Visitors information
• Planipolis (Education plans and policies)
• IIEP Learning Portal
• Ethics and corruption ETICO Platform
• PEFOP (Vocational Training in Africa)
• SITEAL (Latin America)
• Policy toolbox
• Education for safety, resilience and social cohesion
• Health and Education Resource Centre
• Interactive Map
• Search deploy

IIEP Publications

Advanced search

• Library & resources
• IIEP Publishing

ICT in education around the world: trends, problems and prospects

Online version

About the publication.

Publications Homepage

Related books

Education sector analysis: Republic of Albania

Côte d’Ivoire: éléments factuels pour orienter la planification sectorielle. Analyse du secteur de l'éducation

Mauritanie: analyse du secteur de l'éducation. Résumé

Designing policies for flexible learning pathways in higher education: self-assessment guidelines for policy makers and planners

• Privacy Notice

• Educational Software /

List of ICT Tools in Education Examples for Teaching

Table of Contents

Related Posts

• Optimizing School Attendance with Faxtor School ERP Solutions
• 11 Best Learning Content Management System in 2024
• Educational Management and Its Types, Importance & Benefits
• How Aruba K-12 Solution is Transforming Education Industry
• Importance of LMS for College & University Management

Summary: To enhance global connectivity and facilitate knowledge sharing, it becomes important to foster communication and this is where ICT tools play a great role. The article provides a complete understanding of ICT application in education while also highlighting its significance in enhancing communication.

In the rapidly changing digital world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have played a major role in revolutionizing the education sector, offering a vast range of benefits to enhance the learning and teaching experience.

From software to hardware, media devices to networking, ICT tools play an important role in enhancing global connectivity. Further, these tools empower individuals to personalize their learning experiences, access educational resources, and enhance necessary digital skills.

Therefore, the integration of ICT into the educational framework has brought a major shift towards an interactive learning environment. Let’s read more about it below.

What are ICT Tools?

ICT is a short form for Information and Communication Technologies and consists of a wide array of technologies used for broadcast media, telecommunications, audiovisual processing, BMS (building management system), and network-based monitoring and control functions.

ICT represents a diverse set of technological tools and resources used for communication, creation, dissemination, storage, and management of information. The full form of ICT in education refers to teaching and learning with ICT-related tools and technology.

What is ICT in Education?

ICT in education refers to the integration of Information and Communication Technology tools and resources into the teaching and learning process. Here’s a detailed breakdown of different components that an ICT in education consists of:

• Enhanced Learning Resources: ICT in education allows you to leverage digital resources and tools including educational websites , e-books, and other multimedia content. This empowers students with a richer and more dynamic learning experience.
• Interactive Learning: It enables interactive learning through educational software , virtual learning environments , and simulations. This allows students to engage with educational content in a more interactive manner.
• Personalized Learning: ICT devices in education support personalized learning experiences by allowing educators to customize their instruction to individual student needs and learning styles. This helps promote student-centric learning.
• Global Connectivity: ICT in education fosters global connectivity and collaboration through online platforms , enabling students to interact with individuals across the world from diverse cultural backgrounds. This also allows them to access educational content from various parts of the world.
• Skill Development: It helps develop critical thinking, digital literacy, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. These are important for students to strive in the digital world.

Integrating ICT into education has the potential to transform traditional learning and teaching. This will help make education more interesting and engaging while also preparing students to face the challenges of ever-evolving digital learning.

How is ICT Helpful in Education?

There are various uses of ICT. Some of the advantages of implementing new ICT-related technological tools in academic settings include improved learning experience, critical thinking skills, improved communication, better productivity, and more. Let’s read about them in detail below:

• Improved Learning Experience: Integration of new technological tools in the academic domain not only boosts innovation but also expedites the dissemination of information. It helps increase student engagement and facilitates the automation of processes.
• Improved Concentration and Comprehension: The use of digital and interactive tools helps enhance student concentration. It allows them to grasp difficult concepts and have enriched learning experiences. These tools also encourage practical learning on acquired knowledge.
• Promotion of Flexibility: New technologies play an important role in fostering flexibility through digital alternatives such as online courses. These allow students to learn at their own pace.
• Fostering Critical Thinking: The information resources offered by these technologies encourage students to have diverse viewpoints and perspectives. This fosters critical thinking, thereby enriching the learning experience.
• Seamless Communication: Digital tools facilitate direct and immediate interaction between teachers and students. Such tools enable remote learning and seamless communication during difficult times like the pandemic.
• Boosting Productivity and Collaboration: ICT technology not only enhances learning but also facilitates collaborative work through innovative teaching methods and enhanced connectivity.
• Stimulating Motivation: The incorporation of technology in the classroom boosts student motivation by providing a practical means to explore new concepts. Digital tools seamlessly align with the learning environment, thus helping stimulate and sustain motivation.
• Introduction of New Learning Strategies: The integration of ‘Information and Communication Technologies’ empowers educators to incorporate new teaching methodologies. This not only enhances academic performance but also boosts the digital skills required.

Types of ICT Tools

ICT tools consist of various technologies that are important to manage and communicate information effectively. Here is a detailed overview of various types of ICT tools:

Hardware Tools

• Computers : This makes the backbone of the ICT infrastructure which includes desktops, laptops, and tablets.
• Servers : These are the devices that help store as well as manage data, resources, and applications for network users.
• Networking Equipment : These include switches, routers, and modems. Such equipment facilitates communication effectively between devices.

Software Tools

• Applications: These include software programs like Adobe Creative Cloud , Microsoft Office Suite , and educational software that help address specific tasks.
• Operating Systems : It includes OS platforms including macOS, Windows, and Linux that help manage computer hardware as well as software resources.

Communication Tools

• Email Services : ICT tools include communication platforms like Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail that enable electronic mail communication.
• Messaging Applications : Tools like WhatsApp, Slack , and Microsoft Teams for instant messaging and group communication .
• Video Conferencing Platforms : Services such as Zoom , Skype , and Google Meet that facilitate virtual meetings and collaborations.

Collaboration Tools

• Cloud Storage Services : Platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox , and OneDrive are included in collaboration tools. These are used for storing, syncing, as well as sharing files online.
• Project Management Software : These include tools such as Trello , Asana , and Jira to help organize tasks, deadlines/timelines, team collaborations, and more.

Educational Tools

• Learning Management Systems (LMS) : To manage online course materials and learning, ICT includes LMS platforms like Canvas , Moodle , and Blackboard .
• Educational Apps : ICT tools also include applications for simulations, interactive learning, and educational games. This helps enhance student understanding and engagement.

Media Tools

• Multimedia Devices : To enhance interaction in online learning, multimedia devices play a major role. Media tools like microphones, cameras, and interactive whiteboards help to create and deliver multimedia content.
• Graphic Design Software : It includes tools like Canva , Adobe Photoshop , and Illustrator for creating graphics and visual content.

These diverse types of ICT devices cater to various aspects of information management, communication, collaboration, and education. It provides users with a wide range of resources to enhance productivity and efficiency.

List of ICT Tools in Education Examples

• Google Forms
• Spreadsheets
• Word Processor

1. Google Forms: Software Application for Data Collection and Surveys

Google Forms is a comprehensive platform that allows educators to create quizzes, surveys, and questionnaires to collect feedback, engage students interactively, and conduct assessments for them. It offers a user-friendly UI with options for MCQ-type questions, customizable themes, backgrounds, and response tracking in real time.

This allows educators to use Google Forms to create assessments, collect student feedback, and gather data for their research projects. These abilities make Google Forms a valuable tool for enhancing classroom engagement and gaining insights into student’s progress.

2. Blogging: Online Publishing Software

Blogging platforms like Blogger, WordPress , and others offer students and educators a collaborative platform for creating, publishing, as well as sharing educational content. This enables teachers to use blogs to share resources, post assignments, and create an online space for discussions and interactions.

On the other hand, blogging allows students to present their work, express their views/thoughts, and engage with others in reflective writing. Through blogging, individuals can enhance their digital writing skills, self-expression, and critical thinking. This also provides them with a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

3. Computer: Hardware

In the realm of education, computers play an integral part in various academic tasks. Educators and students use computers for creating presentations, accessing online resources, conducting research, writing papers, and increasing engagement in interactive learning activities.

With access to computers, students can enhance their digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Apart from that, educators can effectively deliver digital content, conduct data analysis, and manage administrative tasks.

4. Video: Educational Video Platforms – Multimedia Content

Educational videos through platforms like YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, TED-Ed, and more offer a range of visual content that helps improve the traditional way of teaching.

Educators leverage educational videos to explain complex concepts, showcase experiments, and engage students through visual and auditory learning. However, videos integrated into the learning process facilitate deeper understanding.

5. Software: Educational Software Suites – Learning Management Systems

Educational software like learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle or Canvas, and productivity platforms like Microsoft Office 365 or Google Workspace , provide a comprehensive range of tools.

These tools help organize course materials, facilitate communication, and create interactive learning experiences. These applications offer features for assignment management, collaborative document creation , grade tracking, and communication channels. All of these empower educators to deliver rich and dynamic content while streamlining administrative tasks.

6. Projector: Classroom Presentation Equipment

Projectors are an integral part of education for delivering visual content to a larger audience. Educators use projectors to display presentations, instructional videos, and interactive learning materials during classes.

Projectors enhance engagement by offering visuals and creating a holistic experience for students during classroom instruction.

7. Spreadsheets: Spreadsheet Software – Helps in Data Analysis and Presentation

Spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets offer versatile tools for educators to organize their data, create interactive graphs, and perform data analysis.

This enables educators to use spreadsheets for tasks like data collection, grade management, and statistical analysis. This helps improve students’ data literacy and analytical skills.

8. TV: Audiovisual Equipment

Televisions are used in educational settings to display educational programs, documentaries, and multimedia content. They offer a visual and auditory platform for enhancing lessons, showcasing real-world applications of various concepts, and providing enriched education through visual storytelling and live broadcasts.

9. Word Processor: Helps in Document Creation and Editing

Word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs is a fundamental tool for creating, editing, and formatting written documents. Students and teachers use word processors to prepare assignments, essays, reports, and collaborative documents.

These tools offer interesting features like spell-check, grammar correction, formatting, and more. Such features help enhance students’ writing skills and facilitate collaborative writing and editing processes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of ICT Tools

An ICT tool consists of both advantages as well as disadvantages. Some of the advantages include engaged and interactive learning, personalized learning, enhanced collaboration, increased critical thinking, and more.

Some of the disadvantages are technical glitches, connectivity problems, cybersecurity threats, reduced face-to-face interactions, etc. Let’s read more about them in detail below.

In conclusion, Information and Communication Technology tools play an important role in revolutionizing the educational landscape by fostering global connectivity, enhancing communication, and facilitating knowledge sharing.

By integrating ICT devices into education, the learning experience becomes more interactive, leading to personalized learning experiences, skill development, and enhanced global connectivity. These tools not only promote critical thinking and collaboration skills but also streamline administrative tasks and boost productivity in the classroom.

There are several advantages of ICT tools in education, but challenges such as technical glitches, cybersecurity threats, and over-reliance on technology need to be addressed to ensure a balanced and effective integration of these tools for optimal learning outcomes.

ICT Tools Frequently Asked Questions

What is ict tools in education.

ICT tools in education refer to the diverse set of Information and Communication Technology resources. This includes hardware, software, and digital platforms used to enhance teaching and learning. These tools empower educators and students to access, share, and interact with educational content. This helps promote personalized learning, global connectivity, and the development of required digital skills.

What is an example of ICT in education?

One of the best examples of ICT in education is Google Forms. It is a software application used for creating surveys and assessments to gather student feedback and enhance classroom engagement. Another example is the integration of educational video platforms like YouTube. This helps provide visual learning experiences.

What are the 4 types of ICT?

The four types of ICT include hardware, networks, software, and media devices. These types of ICT collectively contribute to effective information management, communication, and technological integration in various domains. 1. Hardware: Encompasses devices like computers and networking equipment 2. Software: Comprises applications and operating systems 3. Networks: Facilitates communication and data exchange 4. Media Devices: Consists of smartphones and digital cameras.

Namrata is a skilled content writer with an expertise in writing marketing, tech, business-related topics, and more. She has been writing since 2021 and has written several write-ups. With her journey with Techjockey, she has worked on different genres of content like product descriptions, tech articles, alternate pages,... Read more

Related Question and Answers

Here are some the best math software for students:

• Math Playground: Fun and interactive games for basic math concepts.
• Prodigy: Gamified learning platform for arithmetic and pre-algebra.
• GeoGebra: Free, powerful tool for visualizing geometry and algebra.
• Mathway: Step-by-step solutions for various math problems.
• Wolfram Alpha: Comprehensive computational knowledge engine, can solve complex equations and problems.
• Maple: Advanced math software for calculus, statistics, and more, steeper learning curve.

Remember, the best math software is the one that engages and helps the student learn effectively.

• Write Answer

Kuta Software provides free worksheets on the properties of parallelograms. These worksheets cover the basic properties of parallelograms, including the fact that opposite sides are parallel and congruent, opposite angles are congruent, consecutive angles are supplementary, and the diagonals bisect each other.

Kuta Software is a math education software company which makes interactive, customizable math assessments and worksheets for students. It can also help in providing real-time grading for their work to track their progress.

Jasper AI and HiveMind are the best AI tools for assignment.

Altitude Learning, Gradescope, Knowji, Ivy Chatbot are some of the most-used AI tools by students.

Still Have a Question in Mind?

Get answered by real users or software experts

Recommended Products

Megam Education

Megam Services

Education Copilot

ProProfs Quiz Maker

Kuta Software

Kuta Software LLC

Netimagine Educomp private limited

Redox Technologies

Spaising Technologies

Mink Infotech College Management System

Indian Mesh Pvt Ltd

Warals Institute Management Software

Warals Technology

MSP EDUCARE

My ERP Edu One

MY ERP Software

Holistic Educational e-shaala 

iBoss Education Management system

Apple G Web Technology

Career Counselling Lab for schools

Edumilestones

Meritnation

applect learning

School eDiary

Lamda Infotech

MICM net solutions pvt

Fliplearn Education

Trending Posts

21 Best Free Online Typing Software and App in 2024

June 13, 2024

Top 14 Free Bulk SMS Apps for Marketing in 2024

August 29, 2023

10 Best Open Source and Free Library Management Software

March 28, 2024

20 Top Free Bulk WhatsApp Sender Software Online in India 2024

May 24, 2024

21 Best Technical Analysis Software for Stock Trading in India 2024

April 18, 2024

Top 27 Gaming Websites for PC, Android & iOS – Download Free Games Online 2024

September 18, 2023

16 Best Stock Screeners in India for Day Trading 2024

January 17, 2024

12 Best Hidden Call Recorder Apps for Android & iPhone in 2024

April 16, 2024