ICT facilities and its support in teaching learning process:

As per the studies conducted by scholars, and my own experience of having worked both in remote school and in central school, one can endorse that the schools with sufficient ICT resources achieve better results than those that are ill-equipped, as ICT brings significant improvement on learners’ performances. 

According to a document entitled teaching and learning with ICT, G. Galea (2002), states that with the change in students learning behavior, ICT can change the lesson pace where learners will develop sufficient potentials and skills. ICT allow for a higher quality lessons through collaboration with teachers in planning and preparing resources. In addition, students learn innovative analytical skills, including improvements in reading comprehension. As per Lewin et al, 2000, ICT also develop writing skills: spelling, grammar, punctuation, editing and re-drafting. ICT technologies encourage independent and active learning, and students’ responsibility for their own learning which truly constructs the teaching- learning process.

Globalization of the 21st century education

With the availability of sophisticated technology, it has helped in connecting the local classroom to global places through Skype, we chat and video call etc. For example, through visual conferencing opportunity, both I and my students had the opportunity to communicate with people from all around the world. In that way, global connections has enriched   richer learning opportunities that are accessible  to students including more collaborative learning opportunities. One of my students expressed her delight  when she met with the author of a book they were reading by a video conferencing interview. This accelerates  the excitement of the students learning notion in this 21^st century teaching learning system. The schools which lack the ICT facilities can seldom enjoy such exciting and learning base opportunities; therefore impeding learning process.

Abuse of ICT

 

Exposure to ICT, if not properly guided, leaves the users vulnerable. Young minds of students are often exploited by  visiting porn website and ultimately disturbing the mental ability of those individuals. Alxandra Katehakis (2011,July 8) Effects of Porn on Adolescent Boys which was retrieved from http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/apa/website/ states that  between the ages of 12 and 20, the human brain undergoes a period of great neuroplasticity. The brain is in a flexible stage during which billions of new neuron cells are made. This leaves us vulnerable to the influence of our surroundings and leads our brains to be "wired" around the experiences and information that we receive during that time period. Thus during long term the brain chemistry of the child may get spoiled and lead to self destruction. Therefore,  I strongly recommend the censorship of internet usage for young adults .

Welcome to ICT learning.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have gained a swift momentum on teachers and students’s teaching learning process and has provided a significant research area for many scholars in and around the world.  ICT has significantly changed the face of education. However Bhutanese educational system has just entered in the early phase of Information and Communication Technologies adoption.

According to a journal titled ‘The Challenges of Illiteracy and ICT Training in Bhutan’ (2013, June 12) retrieved from http://www.ictworks.org/2013/06/21/the-challenges-of-illiteracy-and-ict-training-in-bhutan/, Bhutan’s timeline is unique as formal education was introduced in 1960, Internet and TV were introduced in 1999, and democracy was introduced in 2008; because of which Bhutan faces unique ICT integration challenges. Moreover, most of the rural areas of Bhutan do not have access to power supply and other modes of modern technology due to uneven geographical landmark which has further deprived the use of ICT facilities in teaching learning process in rural schools. On the brighter side, with the introduction of Central School system in education, schools today are better equipped with all the facilities which have changed the face of teaching learning process; though one cannot say that challenges are completely resolved.

A study conducted by Blanskat, Blamire, Kefala (2006) in national, international, and European schools  to draw an evidence regarding the advantages of ICT in school learning achievement, it has been  found out that ICT has positive impact on students’ performances in primary schools particularly in English language and less in science.
Hence forth I will be updating on the ICT integration in our Bhutanese Class room.

Welcome Note

Dear friends,
Welcome to my blog on the teaching learning through ICT in this 21st centuary world of learning.

Happy exchange.

Dago Rinzin