ICT Skills for Teachers
F.L. Antony Gracious
F.L. Antony Gracious
AbstractICT stands for Information Communication Technology; ICT refers to all electronic Medias; it can be Radio, TV and computer and other electronic accessories. Today’s world is growing faster with technological revolution. As of September 30, 2007, 1.244 billion people use the Internet according to Internet World Statistics. By the advancement of Computer and its growth, our future teachers need ICT Skills. The skills are technical and technological, Browsing or Surfing, Designing or Authoring,Comunicating or Teaching and Maintainance or Hardware/Software skills must be needed for an effective teacher to teach effectively.
IntroductionICT stands for Information Communication Technology; ICT refers to all electronic Medias; it can be Radio, TV and computer and other electronic accessories. Many years ago, computer in education were unknown to teachers as well as students. ICT includes computers, but it also includes the Internet, the Web, cell phones, digital still and motion cameras, digital devices for storing and playing music and videos, robots, and so on. Now a day, almost distance education programmes and its assignment submission were through computers and its applications like email, virtual learning, search engines etc. So, we have to remember sort of laughing at the time that question among us. The question is who needs a philosophy of teaching or ICT Skills?
Need of ICT SkillsThe first philosophy of education is that teaching and learning are personal, human things. The heart of teaching and learning is the face-to-face interaction among students and teachers. The second said that computers are an extension to the human brain, and that learning about the capabilities and limitations of one’s brain is a fundamental, unifying theme in education. A human’s brain is naturally curious, driven to satisfy this curiosity, and driven to developing aids to overcome limitations of the mind and body. Reading, writing, arithmetic, telescopes, microscopes, and computers have all resulted from the curiosity and drives. For these philosophical problems, we can give a solution through video conferencing, language lab, creative software etc. If we want to give solution, we need ICT skills and idea about Internet.
InternetThe Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked web pages and other resources of the World Wide Web (WWW).
Terminology: Internet vis-à-vis World Wide Web
The Internet and the World Wide Web are not synonymous. The Internet is a collection of interconnected computer networks, linked by copper wires, fiber-optic cables, wireless connections, etc. In contrast, the Web is a collection of interconnected documents and other resources, linked by hyperlinks and URLs. The World Wide Web is one of the services accessible via the Internet, along with many others including e-mail, Usenet, file sharing and others described below.
The Internet protocol suite is a collection of standards and protocols organized into layers so that each layer provides the foundation and the services required by the layer above. In this scheme, the Internet consists of the computers and networks that handle Internet Protocol (IP) data packets. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) depends on IP and solves problems like data packets arriving out of order or not at all. Next comes Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is an application layer protocol. It runs on top of TCP/IP and provides user agents, such as web browsers, with access to the files, documents and other resources of the World Wide Web.
Today's InternetAside from the complex physical connections that make up its infrastructure, the Internet is facilitated by bi- or multi-lateral commercial contracts, and by technical specifications or protocols that describe how to exchange data over the network. Indeed, the Internet is essentially defined by its interconnections and routing policies.
As of September 30, 2007, 1.244 billion people use the Internet according to Internet World Stats. Writing in the Harvard International Review, philosopher N.J.Slabbert, a writer on policy issues for the Washington DC-based Urban Land Institute, has asserted that the Internet is fast becoming a basic feature of global civilization, so that what has traditionally been called "civil society" is now becoming identical with information technology society as defined by Internet use.
Today’s Technology1. Communication:
IntroductionICT stands for Information Communication Technology; ICT refers to all electronic Medias; it can be Radio, TV and computer and other electronic accessories. Many years ago, computer in education were unknown to teachers as well as students. ICT includes computers, but it also includes the Internet, the Web, cell phones, digital still and motion cameras, digital devices for storing and playing music and videos, robots, and so on. Now a day, almost distance education programmes and its assignment submission were through computers and its applications like email, virtual learning, search engines etc. So, we have to remember sort of laughing at the time that question among us. The question is who needs a philosophy of teaching or ICT Skills?
Need of ICT SkillsThe first philosophy of education is that teaching and learning are personal, human things. The heart of teaching and learning is the face-to-face interaction among students and teachers. The second said that computers are an extension to the human brain, and that learning about the capabilities and limitations of one’s brain is a fundamental, unifying theme in education. A human’s brain is naturally curious, driven to satisfy this curiosity, and driven to developing aids to overcome limitations of the mind and body. Reading, writing, arithmetic, telescopes, microscopes, and computers have all resulted from the curiosity and drives. For these philosophical problems, we can give a solution through video conferencing, language lab, creative software etc. If we want to give solution, we need ICT skills and idea about Internet.
InternetThe Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked web pages and other resources of the World Wide Web (WWW).
Terminology: Internet vis-à-vis World Wide Web
The Internet and the World Wide Web are not synonymous. The Internet is a collection of interconnected computer networks, linked by copper wires, fiber-optic cables, wireless connections, etc. In contrast, the Web is a collection of interconnected documents and other resources, linked by hyperlinks and URLs. The World Wide Web is one of the services accessible via the Internet, along with many others including e-mail, Usenet, file sharing and others described below.
The Internet protocol suite is a collection of standards and protocols organized into layers so that each layer provides the foundation and the services required by the layer above. In this scheme, the Internet consists of the computers and networks that handle Internet Protocol (IP) data packets. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) depends on IP and solves problems like data packets arriving out of order or not at all. Next comes Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is an application layer protocol. It runs on top of TCP/IP and provides user agents, such as web browsers, with access to the files, documents and other resources of the World Wide Web.
Today's InternetAside from the complex physical connections that make up its infrastructure, the Internet is facilitated by bi- or multi-lateral commercial contracts, and by technical specifications or protocols that describe how to exchange data over the network. Indeed, the Internet is essentially defined by its interconnections and routing policies.
As of September 30, 2007, 1.244 billion people use the Internet according to Internet World Stats. Writing in the Harvard International Review, philosopher N.J.Slabbert, a writer on policy issues for the Washington DC-based Urban Land Institute, has asserted that the Internet is fast becoming a basic feature of global civilization, so that what has traditionally been called "civil society" is now becoming identical with information technology society as defined by Internet use.
Today’s Technology1. Communication:
Fiber capacity always on the raise; Multiple Standards caused non-compliance (wired and wireless); Telecom de-regulation slow in pace; access cost still high; VoIP still banned by many governments; Domain name registration process and security issues.
2. Computer Processing:
2. Computer Processing:
Pace of advancement too fast; more dis-connected PCs than connected; Schools and community PC needs can be better addressed through innovative PC assemblies.
3. Digital Storage:
3. Digital Storage:
longevity of storage media; practicality of near online storage vs. cost of online storage; scalability always a concern; security protection.
4. Software:
4. Software:
Multiplicity of applications causing interoperability concerns; upgrades seldom facilitate seamless migration; proprietary software being challenged by open source; support and maintenance a cost issue; user interface has come a long way with improvements still possible; copyright protection still a global concern.
5. Capability:
5. Capability:
knowledge sharing and transfer evasive; continuous training becoming a must to stay current; cost of training a factor; uneven human capacity building between countries of North and South; brain drain vs. reverse brain drain; participatory process in int’l forums still unbalanced.
6. Content:
6. Content:
sectoral data standards still evolving; OCR not successful for some international languages; online content production needs a push; online translation lacking; security, copyright and privacy issues; some Internet content outdated.
7. Standards:
7. Standards:
constantly being enhanced (catch up game); different global standards (case of cellular networks); developed nations more in compliance than developing countries (awareness is needed); participatory process also unbalanced between countries of the North and South.
ICT Skills for teachers By the advancement of Computer and its growth, our future teachers need ICT Skills. The skills are technical and technological, Browsing or Surfing, Designing or Authoring,Comunicating or Teaching and Maintainance or Hardware/Software skills must be needed for an effective teacher to teach effectively.
Technical and Technological skill Every teacher should know about the technique of operating the computer and its accessaries as well as electronic media which supports its periperal parts during teaching – learning process. For an example if we take video conferencing, the teacher should know about the techniques of operating the web or video camera to lively telecast and view the teaching – learning programmes.
Browsing or Surfing Skill The modern teacher should know about the browsingg or surfing the website and the rules of internet and the threats from internet as well as electronic media which supports its periperal parts during teaching – learning process. Teacher should well verse in sending emails, taking notes for the students from internet as well as he/she must have the skill to teach and learn for the online / virtual calssroom and also known about use of blogs, wikis and digital libraries in his/her classroom.
Designing or Authoring Skill The ultra modern teacher should know about designing or authoring the website for his / her students and the rules of internet and its threats also the digital copy rights of the website that he/she designs for teaching – learning process. Teacher should well verse in making his/her blog/web/wikis/library with an proper informations to surfing as well as notes or reference to learn from his/her web. Finally, he should give assignments with a due date to submitt it and after evaluation its feedback would be in the Internet. So, teacaher must be an expert in designing softwares and its problem solver.
Comunicating or Teaching SkillThe versatile teacher should be a problem solver, good communicator, friend, guide and philosopher. If we teach throughout online, the students’ mentality will be affected drastically. So, the teacher should make the student to understand with a proper comunication, information and good knowledge facilitator with a relevant examples. So, the teacher should have skill of communication to overcome the technological and other technical problems through his psychological teaching skill of communication.
Maintainance or Hardware/Software skill Every efficient teacher of day today life should have the skill to maintain the computer from email threats, trojan, spyware and malware etc. So the teacher should have the skill of maintaining the computer and basic idea to block these threats. Otherwise, the classroom teaching through computer would be affected due to these threats or computer become slow; while its loading the programmes.
Use of Ict SkillsThe first step in the ICT Skill is to clarify and understand the requirements of the problem or task for which information is sought. Basic questions asked at this stage:
What is known about the topic?
What information is needed?
Where can the information be found?
Locating: The second step is to identify sources of information and to find those resources. Depending upon the task, sources that will be helpful may vary. Sources may include: books; encyclopedias; maps; almanacs; etc. Sources may be in electronic, print, social bookmarking tools, or other formats.
ICT Skills for teachers By the advancement of Computer and its growth, our future teachers need ICT Skills. The skills are technical and technological, Browsing or Surfing, Designing or Authoring,Comunicating or Teaching and Maintainance or Hardware/Software skills must be needed for an effective teacher to teach effectively.
Technical and Technological skill Every teacher should know about the technique of operating the computer and its accessaries as well as electronic media which supports its periperal parts during teaching – learning process. For an example if we take video conferencing, the teacher should know about the techniques of operating the web or video camera to lively telecast and view the teaching – learning programmes.
Browsing or Surfing Skill The modern teacher should know about the browsingg or surfing the website and the rules of internet and the threats from internet as well as electronic media which supports its periperal parts during teaching – learning process. Teacher should well verse in sending emails, taking notes for the students from internet as well as he/she must have the skill to teach and learn for the online / virtual calssroom and also known about use of blogs, wikis and digital libraries in his/her classroom.
Designing or Authoring Skill The ultra modern teacher should know about designing or authoring the website for his / her students and the rules of internet and its threats also the digital copy rights of the website that he/she designs for teaching – learning process. Teacher should well verse in making his/her blog/web/wikis/library with an proper informations to surfing as well as notes or reference to learn from his/her web. Finally, he should give assignments with a due date to submitt it and after evaluation its feedback would be in the Internet. So, teacaher must be an expert in designing softwares and its problem solver.
Comunicating or Teaching SkillThe versatile teacher should be a problem solver, good communicator, friend, guide and philosopher. If we teach throughout online, the students’ mentality will be affected drastically. So, the teacher should make the student to understand with a proper comunication, information and good knowledge facilitator with a relevant examples. So, the teacher should have skill of communication to overcome the technological and other technical problems through his psychological teaching skill of communication.
Maintainance or Hardware/Software skill Every efficient teacher of day today life should have the skill to maintain the computer from email threats, trojan, spyware and malware etc. So the teacher should have the skill of maintaining the computer and basic idea to block these threats. Otherwise, the classroom teaching through computer would be affected due to these threats or computer become slow; while its loading the programmes.
Use of Ict SkillsThe first step in the ICT Skill is to clarify and understand the requirements of the problem or task for which information is sought. Basic questions asked at this stage:
What is known about the topic?
What information is needed?
Where can the information be found?
Locating: The second step is to identify sources of information and to find those resources. Depending upon the task, sources that will be helpful may vary. Sources may include: books; encyclopedias; maps; almanacs; etc. Sources may be in electronic, print, social bookmarking tools, or other formats.
Selecting/analyzing: Step three involves examining the resources that were found. The information must be determined to be useful or not useful in solving the problem. The useful resources are selected and the inappropriate resources are rejected.
Organizing/synthesizing: It is in the fourth step that information which has been selected is organized and processed so that knowledge and solutions are developed. Examples of basic steps in this stage are:
Discriminating between fact and opinion
Basing comparisons on similar characteristics
Noticing various interpretations of data
Finding more information if needed
Organizing ideas and information logically
Creating/presenting: In step five the information or solution is presented to the appropriate audience in an appropriate format. A paper is written. A presentation is made. Drawings, illustrations, and graphs are presented.
Evaluating: The final step in the Information Literacy strategy involves the critical evaluation of the completion of the task or the new understanding of the concept. Was the problem solved? Was new knowledge found? What could have been done differently? What was done well?
So the modern teacher should be eauipped him/herself with the latest and future updated of computers in education atleast basically. Then only, they can survive future education otherwise thein study will become equal to iliterate. Because, their students dominates the classroom.
ConclusionAlbert Einstein says “Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish”. Like that if we update our ICT Skills we can survive better else we will be wise or foolish according to ICT Skills before our students not the artificial computer. So, teacher should change according to the technological revolution as a facilitator.
References
· Friedman, Thomas (2005), the world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York.
· Logan & Robert K. (2000). The sixth language: Learning a living in the internet age. (Second Edition, the Blackburn Press, New Jersey.
· http://www.cpt.fsu.edu/pdf/teaching.pdf.
· http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.
· http://www.kurzweiltech.com/aboutray.html.
· http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/.
· http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC32/Drucker.htm.
Organizing/synthesizing: It is in the fourth step that information which has been selected is organized and processed so that knowledge and solutions are developed. Examples of basic steps in this stage are:
Discriminating between fact and opinion
Basing comparisons on similar characteristics
Noticing various interpretations of data
Finding more information if needed
Organizing ideas and information logically
Creating/presenting: In step five the information or solution is presented to the appropriate audience in an appropriate format. A paper is written. A presentation is made. Drawings, illustrations, and graphs are presented.
Evaluating: The final step in the Information Literacy strategy involves the critical evaluation of the completion of the task or the new understanding of the concept. Was the problem solved? Was new knowledge found? What could have been done differently? What was done well?
So the modern teacher should be eauipped him/herself with the latest and future updated of computers in education atleast basically. Then only, they can survive future education otherwise thein study will become equal to iliterate. Because, their students dominates the classroom.
ConclusionAlbert Einstein says “Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish”. Like that if we update our ICT Skills we can survive better else we will be wise or foolish according to ICT Skills before our students not the artificial computer. So, teacher should change according to the technological revolution as a facilitator.
References
· Friedman, Thomas (2005), the world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York.
· Logan & Robert K. (2000). The sixth language: Learning a living in the internet age. (Second Edition, the Blackburn Press, New Jersey.
· http://www.cpt.fsu.edu/pdf/teaching.pdf.
· http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.
· http://www.kurzweiltech.com/aboutray.html.
· http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/.
· http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC32/Drucker.htm.
