Integration of ICT in Teacher Education

Robinson and Latchem (2003) suggest that teachers must now go beyond imparting knowledge and skills, instead facilitating meaningful learning experiences for each student. The availability of advanced technologies has increased teaching possibilities, but it is crucial for teachers to acquire the necessary skills to effectively incorporate these technologies into their instruction.

Educational systems worldwide are under growing pressure to incorporate Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) into their teaching methods. This is in response to the need for better preparing students for the modern era. As a result, there is a shift away from traditional lecture-based instruction towards an interactive, student-centered approach.

The integration of NICTs refers to the seamless use of technology for educational purposes such as accessing curriculum materials, allowing students to work on authentic tasks with technology, creating technology-supported products, providing authentic assessments, and facilitating institutional development. Currently, there is a wide range of NICTs that can enhance not only the delivery of instruction but also the learning process. Furthermore, NICTs can foster international collaboration and networking in education and professional development.

Teachers have various options for NICTs, such as videoconferencing, multimedia delivery, and websites, to tackle present challenges. Studies demonstrate that NICTs can offer educators more adaptable and efficient methods for their lifelong professional development. Despite encountering obstacles, NICTs have also presented numerous opportunities for education. Hence, it is essential for the educational system to acknowledge and accept these challenges in order to fully capitalize on the advantages they provide.

To ensure that students graduate with confidence and the ability to use new technology, teachers must possess skills in integrating emerging technologies and digital content into their work. This is especially challenging for higher education institutions, particularly teacher education programs, as they strive to cultivate a new generation of proficient teachers who can utilize technology tools in various academic, administrative, research, and extension activities.

The significance of a teacher’s role in the teaching and learning process has grown, particularly concerning ICT knowledge and its application in education. It is crucial for teachers to possess the proficiency to incorporate ICT effectively into their specific subject area, enabling a more significant learning encounter. The recognition of the importance of acquiring this knowledge during pre-service training stems from research showing that exposure to ICT at this stage enhances student teachers’ preparedness for utilizing technology in the classroom.

ICT integration in institutions is crucial and rapidly increasing. The widespread use of technology in various aspects of life, the knowledge economy, and a shift in mindset all contribute to the need for institutions to implement strategies that promote the development of 21st century skills among students.

APPROACHES TO ICT INTEGRATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION

ICT is being used in teacher-training programs worldwide in different ways and with different levels of success. These approaches were described, improved, and combined into four main approaches.

The approach to developing ICT skills is focused on training individuals in the general use of ICT. Student-teachers are encouraged to become proficient users of ICT in their daily activities and are taught about various software and hardware used in education. The ICT pedagogy approach emphasizes the integration of ICT skills within specific subjects. By incorporating constructivism principles, pre-service teachers design lessons that incorporate the use of ICT tools to support the achievement of learning objectives.

The usefulness of this approach lies in the fact that it enhances ICT literacy skills and allows students to further develop and maintain those skills while designing classroom-based resources. Students who undergo this type of training experience significant changes in their understanding of effective implementation strategies and their confidence in their ICT competencies. In the subject-specific approach, ICT is integrated into one’s own subject area.

Teachers utilize this method to acquaint students with creative and innovative learning techniques, while also providing them with a firsthand comprehension of learning and teaching using ICT. Consequently, ICT becomes an essential instrument that both teachers and students can utilize across various areas of the curriculum. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on integrating the utilization of ICT in practical elements of teacher training.

By emphasizing the development of lessons and assignments using ICT and implementing them in practical work experience, students have the opportunity to assess workplace facilities and utilize their own skills to manipulate these resources. The pre-service teacher is expected to research their practicum school’s ICT facilities, collaborate with their tutor-teacher to design ICT activities, facilitate those activities in the classroom, and evaluate their effectiveness in terms of student learning.

Ultimately, it is ideal to adopt an integrated approach to develop ICT skills in teaching. Various approaches used in educational institutions to enhance ICT knowledge have limitations and, when combined with other factors, fail to instill complete confidence in student-teachers when it comes to utilizing ICT in their everyday classrooms and other situations. According to the authors, all four approaches are necessary for cultivating expert-level skills in student-teachers. Furthermore, the evolving circumstances call for a redefinition of the role of a teacher-educator.

The National Council of Teacher Education, Jaipur (NCTE), has established three areas of expertise that a teacher-educator must acquire: five performance areas, ten competency areas, and five commitment areas (NCTE, 1998). To successfully incorporate ICT in teacher education, teachers must not only fulfill the responsibilities outlined in these areas but also take on the additional responsibility of survival as described below:

• Act as a role model for pre-service trainees and in-service teachers, demonstrating the use of technology across the curriculum. Encourage technology integration among the trainees, colleagues, teachers and parents.
• Be involved in planning and implementing ICT professional development training.
• Be up-to-date with the latest technological developments and advise the institutions concerning technology advancements and upgradation.
• Plan, design, and demonstrate the use of multimedia applications for instructional use through multimedia projects. Examine a variety of evaluation and assessment tools including electronic portfolio assessment.
• Become active, competent online users of telecommunication services and act as model in the use of internet as an instructional tool.
• Direct trainees and teachers to digital resources that will be able to answer their questions.
• Address issues related to acceptable user policies, student safety, ethics, security, copyright, etc.
• Be involved in marketing the best practices of technology integration. Manage the available resources more productively to face the ever increasing financial crunch.
• Use information literacy to access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources.

As society progresses, the skills required for student success also progress. Basic literacy in reading, writing, and math is insufficient. Students need to not only excel in these foundational skills but also possess the capacity to analyze texts critically, write persuasively, think logically, and solve complex problems. Furthermore, a successful student must be skilled at information management – which includes locating, evaluating, and utilizing new content – while remaining adaptable. They must have the necessary abilities and viewpoints to anticipate change and plan accordingly.

Preparing students with necessary resources is crucial for equipping them to navigate an ever-evolving world. It is important to acknowledge the significant transformations children have undergone in the last 150 years, where nearly every aspect has been subject to scrutiny. Nevertheless, when contrasting present-day schools with those a century ago, similarities outweigh differences. This emphasizes a substantial gap between the knowledge and skills acquired in conventional educational establishments and the ones demanded in technology-driven modern workplaces.

In order to effectively prepare students for life in a digital-driven economy, the educational system must adapt and ensure that pedagogical practices are responsive to the changing social, political, and economic environment.

In addition to academic standards, it is crucial for the educational system to acknowledge the importance of 21st-century skills. Like businesses, industries, and families, schools must adapt to these changes and link students’ lives with their education. The rapid advancement of technology, continuous growth in knowledge, global competition, and improvement of workforce capabilities worldwide make 21st-century skills indispensable.

Students need a variety of skills to prepare for careers in the 21st century. These skills include acquiring new knowledge, learning new technologies, processing information quickly, making decisions, and effectively communicating in a global and diverse society.

Examples of these skills include analyzing, accessing, managing, integrating, evaluating, and creating information in different forms and media. It also involves understanding the impact of media on society.

In addition, communication skills are crucial. This includes comprehending, handling, and producing effective oral communication as well as written and multimedia communication across different forms and contexts.

The ability to exercise sound reasoning in understanding and making complex choices, as well as understanding the interconnections among systems, is critical thinking and systems thinking. Problem identification, formulation, and solution involve the ability to frame, analyze, and solve problems. Creativity and intellectual curiosity involve developing, implementing, and communicating new ideas to others while remaining open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives. Interpersonal and collaborative skills include demonstrating teamwork and leadership, adapting to varied roles and responsibilities, working productively with others, exercising empathy, and respecting diverse perspectives.

Self-direction involves the ability to monitor one’s own understanding and learning needs, and to locate appropriate resources. It also includes the transfer of learning from one domain to another. Accountability and adaptability are important traits when it comes to personal responsibility and flexibility in various contexts such as the workplace and community. This includes setting and meeting high standards and goals for oneself and others, as well as being able to tolerate ambiguity. Social responsibility is the act of behaving responsibly with the larger community in mind. It requires demonstrating ethical behavior in personal, workplace, and community contexts.

In today’s knowledge-based society, students need to cultivate various learning skills such as critical thinking, information analysis, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Additionally, they should acknowledge the significance of technology in improving these abilities. To succeed in the workplace, students must acquire six essential areas of ICT literacy skills.

Students need to possess a diverse set of communication skills, encompassing written and visual expression through paper, audio, video, animation, and design software. They must also be skilled in utilizing digital platforms like email, websites, message boards, blogs, and streaming media. Additionally, they should have the ability to analyze and interpret data from the abundant online and electronic information sources. Understanding computational modeling is crucial for comprehending the capabilities, restrictions, and assumptions inherent in various data representation systems such as computational models and simulations. These proficiencies are increasingly important across multiple disciplines.

Students should possess the capacity to effectively handle and prioritize tasks, encompassing multitasking, choosing, and prioritizing across diverse technology applications. Such competence will enable them to effortlessly navigate between teams, assignments, and communities of practice. Furthermore, students must be capable of applying their knowledge and skills to resolve problems in novel contexts. Additionally, it is crucial for students to recognize strategies that guarantee security and safety in the 21st century by acknowledging, identifying, and addressing risks.

It is essential for education colleges to incorporate 21st century skills in their curriculum to ensure future teachers possess the necessary knowledge and techniques to foster these skills in students. By employing methodologies like activity-based learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, and effective technology integration in daily classroom practices, the promotion of 21st century skills among students can be achieved.

By employing these processes, students can use information and ideas to solve problems, gain comprehension, and uncover fresh insights. The primary responsibility of the teacher in assisting students to become creators of knowledge is to establish activities or environments that enable them to partake in advanced thinking. Technology can be highly effective when employed as a means for problem solving, conceptual growth, and critical analysis. By utilizing technology as a tool, students can effectively allocate their time to devise strategies for resolving intricate problems and cultivate a profound understanding of the given subject matter.

It is essential for students to present, publish, and share their ideas or products that stem from analyzing and evaluating information critically. Technology plays a crucial role in creating impactful publications that effectively convey the learner’s ideas.

Technology’s Role in Creating a Student-Centered Learning Atmosphere

The instructional methods have undergone a major change in reflection of the challenges presented in today’s society due to the adoption of 21st-century technology. Over the years, both the teacher and student roles have significantly transformed. Previously, the teacher’s primary responsibility was to provide information to students, while the students were expected to consume and remember as much of the facts and figures as possible. However, in a student-centric classroom, the teacher’s role changes to that of a facilitator and resource person, acting as a catalyst to promote individual learning for the students. Through the use of technology, the teacher can expand their role beyond the boundaries of the physical classroom.

Technology allows students to communicate and work together through platforms like E-mails or discussion forums, enabling them to ask questions and collaborate with peers to understand the course material. This use of technology provides students with constant access to their instructor, allowing them to ask questions and receive answers without having to speak in front of a large group. Additionally, technology enables students to access lectures, demonstrations, or discussions at their convenience, rather than being bound by a fixed schedule.

These resource materials are stored and available in digital format, such as CD-ROM or DVD, and can also be delivered on demand via the Internet. Each technology has a different function in students’ learning. For example, word processing and e-mail help improve communication skills, while database and spreadsheet programs promote organization skills. Modeling software, on the other hand, enhances understanding of science and math concepts. There are also numerous multimedia programs designed to meet the unique needs of diverse learners. For instance, a student learning the English language would greatly benefit from a computer program that allows them to learn at their own pace.

In student-centered classrooms with technology, students have the freedom to spend as much time as they need on the computer without feeling rushed to keep up with their peers. While not all teachers may be able to adapt their teaching methods in this way, computer programs and multimedia applications can provide the same benefits without taking away time from other students. By utilizing these programs, a single teacher can incorporate a wider range of resources and teaching methods in one classroom, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. In these technology-rich classrooms, there are multiple noticeable changes.

• There is shift from whole class to small group instruction.
• Coaching occurs rather than lecture and recitation.
• Teachers work with weaker students more often rather than focusing attention on brighter students.
• Students are more actively engaged.
• Students become more cooperative and less competitive.
• There is an integration of both visual and verbal thinking instead of the privacy of verbal thinking.

According to Grant (2002), by combining technology with constructivist strategies like problem-based learning and project-based learning, teachers become more accountable and engaged in the learning process.

ICT’s role in the curriculum

Learning through ICT: ICT has become an essential tool in a course/curriculum to the point where teaching and learning cannot occur without it. According to a report published by UNESCO in 2003, advanced countries such as Australia, South Korea, and Singapore have successfully integrated ICTs into their educational system. However, countries like China, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, and India still have not fully incorporated ICTs into their education. In India, the best utilization of information communication technologies has been observed.

Introduced in 1994, the video conferencing facility was implemented by UGC-CEC network in collaboration with ISRO and Doordarshan. The main objective was to disseminate knowledge about new technologies. CEC, an inter university centre of University Grants Commission, ensures the quality of e-content material on higher education. This material is accessible worldwide through the internet and can be utilized for educational purposes in a range of subjects within two to three years.

The influence of ICT on teacher-educators and student teachers

1. It acts as the gateway to world of information and enables teachers to be updated.
2. For professional development and awareness of innovative trends in instructional methodologies, evaluation mechanism etc.
3. For effective implementation of certain student – centric methodologies such as project -based learning which puts the students in the role of active researches and technology becomes the appropriate tool.
4. It is an effective tool for information acquiring – thus students are encouraged to look for information from multiple sources and they are now more informed then before.
5. It has enabled better and swifter communication, presentation of ideas are more effective and relevant.
6. The dissemination of ideas to a larger mass now seems possible due to technology.
7. Student-teachers are transformed into self learners.
8. ICT creates awareness of recent methodologies and thus teacher educators feel empowered.

ICT TRAINING INPUTS FOR TEACHERS AND TEACHER- EDUCATORS

In order to successfully implement ICT, it is necessary to train teacher trainees, teachers, and teacher-educators in several areas. The current training programs available focus primarily on system software, certain application software, and the fundamentals of internet usage.

• Awareness phase: The input should be to make the teachers aware of the importance and possibilities of ICT-the current trends and future projections.
• Learning theories and technology integration: Traditional and modern view of learning, shift from teaching to learning, constructivism, role of ICT  in lifelong learning.
• Basic hardware skills : Hands on experiences in operating  the PC and laptops-switching on, shutting down, and networking, storage devices- using floppy drive, CD ROM drive, flash drive, and burning CD-ROM , output devices-using printers and speakers,  input devices-using keyboard (Including shortcuts), mouse, modem, scanners, web cam, digital camera, camcorders, date loggers and  display devices- data projectors, and interactive white boards.
• Understanding system software: Features of desktop, starting an application, resizing windows, organizing files (Creating, editing, saving and renaming), switching between programs, copying etc.
• Using application/productivity software: Word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, publishing, creation of Portable Document Format (PDF) files, test generation, data logging, image processing etc.
• Using multimedia: Exposure to multimedia CD ROMs in different subject, installing programs, evaluating CD ROMs, approaches to using CD ROMs, creating multimedia presentations.
• Using internet: e-mail, communities, forums, blogging , wiki: subscription to mailing lists, e-mail and internet projects, web searching strategies (navigating, searching, selecting, and saving information ) videoconferencing, designing web pages, freeware and shareware, evaluating website resources, virtual fieldtrips, learning opportunities using the web, and netiquette.
• Pedagogical application of ICT tools: Specific use of application software in different subject, appropriate ICT tools and pedagogy, unit plan integrating ICT tools, approaches to managing ICT-based learning groups, assessment of learning, electronic portfolio and assessment rubrics, creating teacher and student support materials, supporting students with special needs.
• Introduction to open source software: Concept, types, advantages, working on open sources application software. 10. Social, legal, ethical and health issues: Advantages and limitations of computer use, privacy violations, copyright infringement, plagiarism, computer security (hacking, virus, misuse, abuse and staying safe) healthy use (seating, light, sound, radiation, exercise)
• ICT for professional and personal productivity: ICT for administration, record keeping, reporting and transfer of information, attendance, research, careers in computers and professional development opportunities. As an advanced training website development, installation and use of server based applications, training in course management system, e learning course content development using various authoring tools, audio/video /image editing, animation etc. can be introduced.

In addition to hands-on experiences, every training program could incorporate an ICT awareness or familiarity quiz. There could also be exhibitions of ICT books and multimedia CD ROMs by commercial agencies, as well as poster sessions on success stories and case study presentations and analysis. Additionally, ICT-based demonstration lessons in schools (such as whole class, small group, or internet-based) could be included, along with exhibitions and presentations by commercial agencies on emerging technologies. These are some of the initiatives taken by teacher educators.

REFERENCES

1. Anjali Khirwadkar, R. L. Madhav,”ICT in education, An integrated approach”Edutracks, pg. 14-17, July, 2006
2. Jasmeen Kaur, ‘ICT and changing roles of teacher” Education New Horizons, vol. 6,no. 22,Jan-March,2009
3. Dr. M. U. Paily,” Integration of ICT in Teacher Education” Edutracks, vol. 5 no. 6 pg. 5-11, Feb. 2006
4. S. K. Thakur,”X-PDITTE Towards Excellence in Education” Intel Teach Program,2008