Activity # 2
Purpose
The main purpose of ICT in Education means implementing of ICT Equipments and Tools in Teaching-Learning process as a media and methodology. The purpose of ICT in education is generally to familiarise students with the use and workings of computers, and related social and ethical issues.
ICT has also enabled learning through multiple intelligence as ICT has introduced learning through simulation games; this enables active learning through all senses.
ICT By country
Kenya
In Kenya, ICT is not taught as a subject in primary school. It is taught as an added advantage to some schools. In high school, the ICT is an optional subject. In the university level students are offered several options to choose from. One may either take Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Bachelor of Business Information Technology or Bachelor of Science in Computing Technology. All these courses are inter-related in terms of course work but differ in the majors that a student wants to take or Master. ICT is much broken down into deeper details compared to IT. It is more advantageous compared to ICT..
Australia
In all of Australia, ICT is not a subject until the final two years of schooling, despite similar subjects being available before VCE or equivalent. In Victoria, children start ICT in Prep but are not reported upon until they are in Year 1. They undertake a wide range of activities using technology to learn in all curriculum areas.
Norway
Norway ICT is a course which students can select for their second year of upper secondary school. From pre-school to Year 10 ICT is interwoven throughout the curriculum as part of the Essential Learning of Communication.
Philippines
Other countries, such as the Philippines, also have integrated ICT in their curriculum. In fact, as early as pre-elementary education in some schools, pupils are having their computer subjects. Other non-computer degree courses in tertiary also incorporated Computer Technology as part of their curriculum.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a subject in education, and a part of the National Curriculum. Most students can choose to study Information and Communication Technology to GCSE level.
The ICT programme in the United Kingdom is co-ordinated by Becta. A major initiative was the Curriculum Online scheme, which was closed in 2008 and which was produced to accelerate the uptake of technology amongst schools. Becta took over the running of this scheme from the Department for Education and Skills in 2005. Becta worked closely with the Joint Information Systems Committee to develop strategy.
Students are taught to use software such as office suites, desktop publishers; they are also taught about ICT theory, and how ICT can be used to solve problems. Computer programming is not taught at GCSE level.
Students also study the Data Protection Act, the Computer Misuse Act, and other legal and ethical issues related to ICT.
Many schools have specialist school status in technology and, more recently, in maths and computing, and these schools champion the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning.
Within Scotland and the North East of England a pilot enterprise in education initiative[2] aims to use ICT as a vehicle to encourage creative thinking within the youth demographic. Tapping into the 'unconstrained' minds of the region's young people, the programme simulates the process of taking a new innovative ICT idea through the commercialisation process. The competition is sponsored by Microsoft and BT and hopes to expand its reach throughout the UK in 2009/10.
