Computer Skills and Integration of ICT in Classroom Instruction

Rationale

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become commonplace entities in all aspects of life. Across the past twenty years the use of ICT has fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of endeavor within business and governance. Education is a very socially oriented activity and quality education has traditionally been associated with strong teachers having high degrees of personal contact with learners. The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centered learning settings. But with the world moving rapidly into digital media and information, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the 21st century. The adoption and use of ICTs in education have a positive impact on teaching, learning, and research. ICT can affect the delivery of education and enable wider access to the same. In addition, it will increase flexibility so that learners can access the education regardless of time and geographical barriers. It can influence the way students are taught and how they learn. It would provide the rich environment and motivation for teaching learning process which seems to have a profound impact on the process of learning in education by offering new possibilities for learners and teachers. These possibilities can have an impact on student performance and achievement. Similarly wider availability of best practices and best course material in education, which can be shared by means of ICT, can foster better teaching and improved academic achievement of students.

Course Objectives

The course will enable the participants to :-

1. Know how to use ICT as a tool for designing new learning environments for their own subject-specific purposes to help their future students to use ICT.
2. Provide the student-teacher with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to better use technology in their lesson-planning and lessons, research, communication, problem-solving, and continuing professional development.
3. Critically apply the pedagogical principles of ICT integration in education.
4. Develop and facilitate ICT-based learning activities in the context of teaching.
5. Analyze and evaluate appropriate content and context for the use of ICT in teaching.
6. Use appropriate and varied communication and multimedia tools (emails, websites etc) in teaching and learning.
7. Use ICT efficiently in research, problem solving and project-based learning in.
8. Use ICT efficiently for professional development in the context of teaching and learning.
9. Integrate ICT appropriately into curriculum activities that will foster students ownership of their ICT-rich learning environment.