Galaxy Fan: ICT Tools, Roles, and Applications

ICT


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ICT has become part of human’s life. Nowadays, we can’t separate the use of ICT in the English Curriculums. ICTs use in English Curriculum such as, the assessment and teaching, to promote ICT based texts as valuable text, to provide theoretical understanding of using ICT, and to heighten access in our classrooms. ICT content in English enables students to develop and apply skills, knowledge, and understanding. ICT encourage students to use technology. The recent research shows that ICT is proper for curriculum. Thus, teachers should use specific objectives in English curriculum to improve student’s attainment. ICT has the needs of students for learning process. For example, knowledge, video learning, and spoken and written lesson materials. Many advantages which can be taken from ICT such as, increase student’s critical thinking, develop student’s new skills, making repetitive tasks more interesting and so on. ICT also has an advantage as a media for learning and also the teachers as facilitators in the classroom. Teachers can use a range of teaching tools such as discussion boards, forums, email, raps, web quests, video and digital photography, e movies, and even mobile phones as tools for delivery of class program. Research suggests that incorporating ICT into the English curriculum can: improve writing and reading skills, develop speaking and listening skills. ICT provides the tools for composing and publishing a range of both conventional and multi-media texts so that students read, compose, and transform texts in novel and challenging ways. ICT enhances composing in English by allowing students to plan, draft, revise and edit their own and others’ writing using a word processor and other desktop publishing packages, share and collaborate in the writing process. ICT allows students to access an ever widening range of texts including non-linear texts. Increasingly ICT provides a forum for student discussion, with sites such as book rap which allows students to respond to a range of texts on sites which in themselves are valid and valuable text types. In order to fully understand the place of technology and ICT based texts in the English curriculum, it is necessary to examine the ways in which the new technologies have redefined literacy and to understand the implications of this for English pedagogy.
Within our curriculum and our classrooms, we must go beyond traditional notions of reading and writing and text types to provide our students with opportunities to develop skills, including skills in visual literacy, which will enable them to engage with an increasingly broad range of texts including multimedia texts. Whilst the ability to operate the technology eg use a word processor is basic to assessment of ICT in English, the authentic integration of assessment must encompass more than an assessment of basic technical skills and the ability to use the technology as a tool. There can be no doubt as to the importance of ICT to English. It is patently obvious at this point in time, that not all students have the same opportunity to access technology and achieve these outcomes. There is inequitable access within and amongst public schools, between public and private schools, and in access to ICT in our students’ homes. Likewise students in economically disadvantaged areas have correspondingly lower levels of home ownership of computers and associated technologies such as the internet and this places them at further disadvantage. The discussion of access and equity, therefore, must be broadened to include a debate about access to effective models of ICT for teaching and learning. Finally in order to address the issue of access and equity, there is still much work to be done to skill teachers in the new technology. Research indicates that teachers need to have adequate ICT skills, regular use of ICT equipment, and access to reliable technical support if they are to use ICT effectively in the English classroom.

Credit : http://www.englishteacher.com.au/AboutUs/OfficialStatements/ICTsinEnglish.aspx

Education holds the key to continued growth and prosperity. A well educated population adequately equipped with knowledge and skill is not only essential to support economic growth, but is also a precondition for growth to be inclusive. According to the census 2011, overall literacy rate has increased from 64.8 percent in 2001 to 74.0 percent in 2011. ICT tools must be used for significantly improving the educational services and for streamlining the admission process. ICT is integral to the teaching earning process. In an age where massive expansion of education is required, we cannot do without the use of technology. ICT is vital for dissemination of knowledge, for evaluation and for keeping data and records. The role of ICT is multifaceted and it has to be exploited to the maximum potential, said Secretary of Central Board of Secondary Education, Dr Veera Gupta.

Credit : http://ictpost.com/role-of-ict-is-multi-faceted-in-education/

Many years ago, the Internet is not widely available in most LDCs but in radio and TV are, Radio and TV can have high start-up costs, and reinforce existing, Radio instruction has been used widely and is reasonably well studied pedagogical styles, TV has been used with success in a few places. In some cases, where markets have been liberalized, ICTs are used to distribute educational content regional within a country. It was unclear where to place computers to make sure they are used most efficiently. Some expert certain multi-channel learning was a useful concept. The existence of satellite is much hyped, but under-studied. Then newcomer new Internet technologies hold promise, but are not yet operational. Besides, mobile Internet center (vans, etc.) are being deployed as a way to reach rural areas. After many years, the use of handheld devices is just now receiving serious widespread attention.

Technology changes rapidly and newer, more cost effective and more powerful technologies will continue to emerge of potential use in education. At the same time, evidence shows that, once installed in schools, ICTs continue to be used for the life of the functioning life of the technology, whether or not newer, more cost effective and powerful technologies emerge. Much of the publicly available information about the effectiveness of particular ICT tools is generated by the companies who market such products and related services. While it is clear that it is the application of various ICTs that are the most important determinants of the effectiveness of such tools in education, the choices of tools are quite varied and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Credit : http://www.infodev.org/articles/use-specific-ict-tools-education


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Worldwide research has shown that ICT can lead to improved student learning and better teaching methods. Educational ICT tools can be divided into 3 categories: Input source, Output source and Others. Input source for example, Visualiser/Document Camera, Students response system, PC, Slate/Tablet,

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Software. Output source for example, Projector, Interactive Whiteboard, Display, Monitor, TV, etc. Others, for example, Digital Camera,

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Digital Recorder, Switcher, and other technology.

3 Main advantages of ICT tools for education.

1. Images can be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory of students.

2. Teachers can easily explain complex instructions and ensure students’s comprehension.

3. Teachers are able to create interactive classes and make the lessons more enjoyable, which could improve student attendance and concentration.

3 Main advantages of ICT tools for education.

1. Setting up the devices can be very troublesome.

2. Too expensive to afford

3. Hard for teachers to use with a lack of experience using ICT tools

Credit : http://www.elmoglobal.com/en/html/ict/01.aspx

The fact that many quality on line teaching and learning tools are available for free. All we, as teachers and ICT coordinators, need do is introduce them to the on line apps that can help unlock their creativity and collaborative skills and aid their study, revision and organisation. Here 10 free online tools for teaching and learning :

1. Wallwisher

Wallwisher allows users to build virtual classroom Walls, onto which 160-character messages, web links, images, videos and audio may be posted. Individuals can use it to mind-map, keep notes, or bookmark useful websites. Alternative: PrimaryWall is designed for primary schools, offering a user-friendly, text-only service with which to introduce pupils to group projects and collaborative storytelling.

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2. Prezi

Prezi's selling point is its creation of a spatial narrative, meaning users can flow around presentation elements in the same non-linear way one might use an iPad: scrolling, enlarging, sliding and zooming in while always being able to return to the wider context. Alternative: Ahead.com is a similar tool that's particularly useful for showcasing student portfolios as well as making presentations. Student projects are granted free educational licences.

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3. Study Blue

StudyBlue is a revision and assessment tools for the over 13s, which allows teachers and pupils to create sets of digital flashcards, then generate online tests based on them. sound and images can be uploaded to the cards, engaging audio-visual learners, and providing more memorable triggers for key terms and concepts students may need to recall. Alternative: For the same age group, Headmagnet also includes a feature that remembers the cards that users have had trouble learning, building them more frequently into study activities.

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4. Animoto

Animoto is a video-creation tool that teachers and pupils can use to make dynamic videos, either for the classroom, VLE or for special school events such as parents' evenings and open days. Upload images, text, video and music, and Animoto will automatically composite your ingredients, creating a fluid video presentation in minutes. Alternative: Stupeflix, it gives users more autonomy over the animation and transitions used in their presentations. Educators can currently sign up for free, unlimited usage as a beta tester.

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5. Wordle

You can create Wordles in seconds by pasting the text from on line newspaper articles, then use them as a springboard for discussion. English Language students could make a series of Wordles using articles from different news outlets that cover the same Wordle can also be used to carry out snapshot classroom polls, making lists of useful terms, or as an icebreaking activity for new pupils. Alternative Tagxedo is a tool with the same basic idea, and the added option of making your word clouds in various shapes (perfect for grouping together themed Modern Foreign Languages vocabulary and making attractive wall displays).

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6. Storybird

lt makes available hundreds of high-quality artist illustrations in a range of styles, which pupils can use to illustrate their own ebook. Alternative: Little Bird Tales allows users to create and upload their own images as well as embedding multimedia clips in their ebooks.

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7. Popplet

Popplet has three main functions, two of which (digital bulletin board and presentation tool) overlap with the uses we've already discussed for Wallwisher and Prezi. As a result, we'll focus on its primary application: mind-mapping. Mind-maps featuring video clips and images can be constructed as a whole class on an interactive whiteboard. Alternative: Bubbl.us is a simple, effective text-only online mind-map creator that doesn't require registration before use, although you'll need to register to save any mind-maps created.

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8. Google Docs

Google's cloud-based office suite, Google Docs, offers an on line word processing, spreadsheet creation and presentation package. pupils can co-edit a document in real-time; it tracks their individual inputs, making clear exactly who's done what. Alternative: Its real-time collaboration may not be as slick as Google Docs, but many cite Zoho's wider range of applications and features as a reason to switch. Both tools are available as free smartphone apps.

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9. Dipity

Dipity is an interactive timeline tool that allows students to plot text and images, as well as video and audio clips, onto a linear timeline. Timelines can be published online, and URLs submitted to your school's VLE. Science and ICT teachers can also use it to have their pupils track the spread of a phenomenon - from the H1N1 virus to the development of email -around the world using Dipity's global map view to plot events. Alternative: Capzies is another interactive timeline tool that provides more design options than Dipity, although it could prove a double-edged sword for pupils that find tweaking an irresistible distraction.

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10. Storify

It's remarkably user-friendly, with easy-to-use search options producing lists of relevant tweets, photos and video clips relating to your topic. As a research tool, it's a great aggregator for web links, and an effective visual way to organise information. Alternative: Storyful is a similar tool to Storify, also popular as a news portal for student research into current affairs incorporating new media.