ICT classes for Children and its advantages

Here in Chuzagang Primary School, Sarpang, classes from IV to VI has IT class once a week. It was a privilege for this school to have a small IT room with one ICT incharge. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is important in primary education because it enables students to search for the information they need and to organize what they have found. As children progress through the school system, they become increasingly responsible for their own learning.

ICT is a global phenomenon, and children who are computer literate at an early stage of their lives might deal better with the modern world. A sound knowledge of ICT makes it much easier for children to find and organize information. Although the ICT curriculum was sometimes poorly balanced, its use contributed to children doing better in some subject areas. The study also found that the primary school children spent as much time on computers as the curriculum allowed.

ICT is important in primary schools because it can help students to achieve better results in other subjects and to find what they need and use information in particular ways. It is important that children become familiar with ICT at an early age, because they will need those skills for the remainder of their education and in adult life.

At this stage, we found it very appropriate to discuss the overall advantages and disadvantages that are included with the integration of ICT and the primary school education system. It appears that it is about time that ICT is introduced to play a major role in our primary education system, as the advantages appear to heavily outweigh the associated disadvantages.

There are far more advantages with the introduction of ICT in the education system, in comparison to the associated and inevitable disadvantages. The fact that nowadays, teachers no longer need to rely solely on printed books in libraries, is a clear signal that times have indeed changed rapidly. With this comes easier preparation, less hassle, less luggage, increased information resources and of course next-generation teaching methods through the use of new-found technologies.

Furthermore, increased efficiency throughout the school is another overwhelmingly beneficial aspect.

ICT in schools creates a better environment throughout the school, through e-mail, discussion groups and even live chat rooms.

The use of ICT can have an extremely beneficial motivational influence on a student’s learning capabilities.

It is proven that students express more positive feelings towards work and education when they use computers to complete tasks.

Through better tracking of students, teachers have improved behavioural management, thus creating a more positive schooling atmosphere for both students and teachers.

Use of multimedia in teaching learning

Teaching songs, rhyme is a great way to help your child develop their language and communication skills. 

I always play songs and rhymes through multimedia like LCD and using mobile phone. They love changes in variation and vocal tone. This keeps it exciting for them and helps them to learn about the natural sounds of a language. It gives children a sense of joy and excitement.

It also help us to learn to play with words. They tune our ears to all the sounds in the word. By hearing different sounds we learn how sounds combine and blend together to form a word. It also help children develop their non-verbal communication skills. They love imitating, trying to copy what they see on the screen. 

So I take some time every day to sing and rhyme with my students. 

ICT Integration in Teaching and Learning

Reflection on integration of ICT in Teaching/Learning (5th August, 2019)

On 5th May 2019, I had a substitution class in class III A. As per the plan of the English teacher of class III A, the lesson was to teach the sound of few words from the reader the true son. Therefore, I was asked to continue the lesson. I thought of integrating ICT to teach the sounds of those words so that children learn differently. I have downloaded the Cambridge English Dictionary and installed in my laptop. I took the children in the ICT Lab. I have managed a speaker for the children to listen clearly. Before I started the lesson I have let some children to pronounce those words from the reader “The true son” which were written on the chart. (Words: hostel, lessons, laughed, dreamed, behind, prayed, clothes, quietly, frightened, suddenly, delighted and hugged). Children could hardly pronounce the words correctly. I have provided them the clear instructions on what we will be doing and how to make use of the English Dictionary apps. I have also oriented on proper use of Apps.

After having provided the clear instructions I have opened the English Dictionary apps and turned on the speaker. I have typed each word and let the children spell out the each word. Then, I clicked on the sound button. Since they pronounced the word wrong there was huge laughter amongst them. I made everyone to carefully listen to the sound/pronunciation for several times. I have also let them to practice pronouncing the word several times after hearing. I did same thing with rest of the words. Finally, I made each child to pronounce each word written on the chart as a follow up activity.

To my surprise, every one enjoyed the activity and everyone could pronounce all the words written on the chart correctly. Thus, my lesson objective was fulfilled.

To reflect on the way of teaching the children about how to pronounce the words was monotonous. The most common practice of teaching such lesson was teacher teaching the children how to pronounce. Children were made to repeat after the teacher. Such age old strategy could not make 100 percent learning on the children’s part because children forgot very fast. When ICT was integrated to teach such lesson, the interest of learning was automatically aroused. Children love learning ICT facilities. The children’s participation was optimum. Therefore, English teacher must integrate ICT in teaching and learning because the impact is immediate and effective. The lesson would have been much interesting if children were asked to use individual ear phones.

THE IMPORTANCE OF USING ICT IN TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

THE IMPORTANCE OF USING ICT IN TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

Several studies argue that the use of new technologies in the classroom is essential for providing opportunities for students to learn to operate in an information age. It is evident, as [5] argued that traditional educational environments do not seem to be suitable for preparing learners to function or be productive in the workplaces of today's society. She claimed that organizations that do not incorporate the use of new technologies in institutions cannot seriously claim to prepare their students for life in the twenty-first century. This argument is supported by Grimus [6], who pointed out that “by teaching ICT skills in higher educational institutions the students are prepared to face future developments based on proper understanding” (p. 362). Similarly, reference [7] reported that “what is now known about learning provides important guidelines for uses of technology that can help students and teachers develop the competencies needed for the twenty-first century” (p. 206). ICT originally is applied to serve as a means of improving efficiency in the educational process [8]. Furthermore, it has been shown that the use of ICT in education can help improve memory retention, increase motivation and generally deepens understanding [9]. ICT can also be used to promote collaborative learning, including role playing, group problem solving activities and articulated projects [10]. ICT allow the establishment of rich networks of interconnections and relations between individuals [11].

Some authors maintain that technology has the power to change the ways students learn and professors teach [12]. Still other authors posit that technology can “revolutionize” the learning process [13]. In other words, ICT extend professors‟ and students‟ capabilities, and their well determined use can transform roles and rules in the classroom [14]. Many people recognize ICTs as catalysts for change; change in working conditions, handling and exchanging information, teaching methods, learning approaches, scientific research, and in accessing information. Lecturers could use ICT to facilitate learning, critical thinking and peer discussions. Reference [15], recognize that technology-based teaching may not be essential in all classes but generally it is most facilitative as a result of providing relevant examples and demonstrations; changing the orientation of the classroom; preparing students for employment; increasing flexibility of delivery; increasing access; and satisfying public demands for efficiency. "The whole purpose of using technology in teaching is to give better value to students”[15]. This better value should also impact the learners/students‟ performance. Reference [16], argue that ICT holds much promise for use in curriculum delivery. Thus, technology can effectively improve teaching and learning abilities, hence increasing learners‟ performances. As [17] and [18] posit, ICT has the means to aid in the preparation of learners by developing cognitive skills, critical thinking skills, information access, evaluation and synthesising skills. In addition, ICT provides fast and accurate feedback to learners [19]. It is also believed that the use of ICTs in education could promote „deep‟ learning and allow educators to respond better to different needs of different learners [20]. According to [21], ICT-supported learning environments could be beneficial to a constructivist teaching approach.