Answer:
Essay Example
Education means considerably more than just teaching a student to read, write, and manipulate
numbers. Computers, the Internet, and advanced electronic devices are becoming essential in
everyday life and have changed the way information is gathered, How this new technology is
utilized in the curriculum and managed by teachers will have an important role to play in widening
the resource and knowledge base for all students
Technology affects the way teachers tcach and students leam. To make the best use of information
technology (IT), schools need a workable plan to fully integrate it into all aspects of the curriculum
wo students are taught how, wliy, and when to use technology to further enhance their leaming
If a school does not have a clear plan of how and why it wishes to implement IT, then it runs the
risk of wasting money. In schools today, nearly all classrooms have access to a computer.
However, many schools mistake this as incorporating information technology into the cumculum
School staff need to rescarch what IT is available and what would best serve the school's purpose.
not simply purchase the latest equipment. There should be a policy stating how IT is going to assist
pupils' development and what teachers want pupils to achieve (Reksten, 2000). Staff members
need to be clear about what they want IT to do for them before they can start incorporating it into
their lessons.
The only way information technology is going to be useful to schools is if all staff members are
well-informed and fully supported. It is the principal's responsibility, and should be part of the
chool's plan, lo eilsure that all staff are consulied about the changes, and ihat the change is
carefully organised. Some teachers may be resistant, especially if they have not had much
experience with computers, to training teachers is essential in implementing IT into the school
curriculum. Staff members must feel involved in the process of acquiring technology, and in
learning how looperate il, in order for them to increase their confidence in using IT as a curriculum
tool. Teachers are only going to be able to incorporate IT into their lessons if they are competent
users themselves (Reksten, 2000).
In addition, teachers need to be aware that IT within the classroom is extremely flexible, but that
they need to plan what purpose IT serves in each lesson. The skills a child leams are theimportant
part of any lesson, and it is the sama with technology. It needs to be used and understood in all
subjects in the same way as the ability to read is necessary for all subjects, and must be used
across the curriculum, in the same way that a pen and pencie used in most subject areas" (Ager,
2000, p. 15). The best way to plan the use of IT in the classroom is to approach it as simply a
leaming tool that is more advanced (and more exciting) than the traditional pen and paper.
It is vitally important for students to be taught the strategies for using IT. Children also need to be
fully informed about the capabilities of IT before being asked to use it
. Pupils should be aware that
the contents in which they use IT will change, and they need to know what the appropriate use of
IT is and what is not. Whilst it is important that children learn to use IT effectively, teachers must
emphasise that IT is not always suitable. According to Apter (1968), the danger is that the
"computer dehumanizes people and inevitably leads them to act like machines themselves" (p. 58).
