Date: 06.03.19 - 'Informative Tool'

The module tutor instructed us to go outside and capture pictures of any kind. We went and clicked many pictures. Some of our friends took pictures of waste bins, windows, trees and so forth. Similarly, I took a picture of a primrose flower.

With the picture, we went back. Then, we were asked to use ICT to teach about the picture to our students. I used Power Point Slides to talk about the yellow primrose. The activity was carried out basically to understand how best we could use ICT teach any subject to our students.

Then, gradually we discussed about integration. I understood that ICT integration is not just a teacher using ICT to make his or her work easier and ease teaching but it is about teacher and the students using ICT together to learn and understand different things. It is also about integrating ICT in teaching and learning process, to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need in their subject matter.

In this way, I feel that we could evolve more effectively from teacher-centered to student-centered learning environments. ICT will not only facilitate delivery of lessons but also the learning process. Therefore, educators can play an important role in technology integration. In order to make use technology in the classroom effectively, educators should have a positive attitude toward technology and they should be trained in using the modern technologies in their respective field of education. Teachers could act as the change agent.

We also discussed the analogy of a chef. Integrating technology in the classroom instruction is like cooking a meal for important guests; it requires a careful selection of ingredients (that is, instructional materials), and thoughtful preparation (in this case, lesson planning). And, as all good chefs know, after we have finished cooking, we need to present our masterpieces (lesson) to our guests (students) in a manner so as to leave them well-fed (having the required skills and knowledge) and eager to come back for more. Thus, it is imperative on our part, as educators to make sure that our students would love to come in our sessions with utmost excitement and wanting to learn more.

Lastly, we also discussed some of the challenges that might hinder the integration of ICT in the classrooms. One of the pertinent issues that we discussed was about the availability of adequate computers in the schools. Even the internet connectivity and more importantly, the external and internal factors. The attitude of the school leaders and teachers. The lack of expertise to use hardware and software to ease teaching and learning. These are some of the pertinent challenges that we felt would eventually hinder the integration.