Study on influence of ICT in schools: a case study

Abstract

Thomas Edison, the father of electricity and inventor of the motion picture predicted in the year 1922 that the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our educational system and...in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks. CD-ROMs, videodiscs, TV, interactive radio, educational television, voice mail, e-mail, satellite communication, etc are there to completely revolutionize the demagogy and communication. Modern society is becoming more and more knowledge dependent and but at the same time the gap between the ICT haves and the have-nots is also increasing worldwide. In developing countries like India, bridging the digital divide remains a big challenge. ICT can offer solution to everything and for everyone and introducing the computers at school level will go a long way in making the ICT literacy all pervasive, at the same time it can also transform the teaching and learning processes. This dissertation is a case study to explore in depth details of the technologies being used, to what extent the potential of ICTs are exploited? Whether the conditions for ICT are effectively met? And attempt has also been made to ascertain the potential of ICT. Six schools with ICT facility from standards one to ten in rural as well as urban areas were selected to investigate the effectiveness of the integration of ICT into classroom learning and teaching. Analysed the quality of pedagogy and management practices and also mean enrolment and aggregate performance of the students for the period before and after introduction of computers in each school were observed. As the hiatus between the needs and the resources is decreasing consequent upon the economic growth, there is a temptation to introduce ICT?s immediately and in full scale. However, it should be kept in mind that integrating technology into educational process is not a one step activity and it involves a series of gradual processes, plans and measures. ICT has great potential for knowledge dissemination and for making learning and teaching more effective but it will not be effective unless innovative educational ICT policies and strategies are put in place with thoughtful planning and fulfilling of prerequisite conditions.