How can ICTs help transform the learning environment into one that is
learner-centered?
What are the implications of ICT-enhanced education for educational policy
and planning?
Attempts to enhance and reform education through ICTs require clear and specific
objectives, guidelines and time-bound targets, the mobilization of required
resources, and the political commitment at all levels to see the initiative
through. Some essential elements of planning for ICT are listed below.
- A rigorous analysis of the present state of the educational system.
ICT-based interventions must take into account current institutional practices
and arrangements. Specifically, drivers and barriers to ICT use need to be
identified, including those related to curriculum and pedagogy, infrastructure,
capacity-building, language and content, and financing.
- The specification of educational goals at different education and training
levels as well as the different modalities of use of ICTs that can best be
employed in pursuit of these goals.This requires of the policymaker an
understanding of the potentials of different ICTs when applied in different
contexts for different purposes, and an awareness of priority education needs
and financial and human resource capacity and constraints within the country or
locality, as well as best practices around the world and how these practices can
be adapted for specific country requirements.
- The identification of stakeholders and the harmonizing of efforts across
different interest groups.
- The piloting of the chosen ICT-based model. Even the best designed models or
those that have already been proven to work in other contexts need to be tested
on a small scale. Such pilots are essential to identify, and correct, potential
glitches in instructional design, implementability, effectiveness, and the like.
- The specification of existing sources of financing and the development of
strategies for generating financial resources to support ICT use over the long
term.
