Background On IT In Education

Information technology is playing a critical role in developing educational systems. There are different ways of accessing resources of learning which contributes to increasing the level of education. 

There are different ways of learning anywhere and anytime such as using E-learning. Integration of technology can bring equality as it accommodates different people (disabled people included), so as to easily access relevant resources.

Distance learning can also contribute to the quality of education; people can do online courses. Communication channels in education are one of the virtual interactions that allow an increase in efficiency within different institutions. This blog will discuss the methods of using and accessing resources of learning.

As technology becomes more advanced, information technology ensures improvement in educational systems. Educational systems could prove to be less time consuming in processing and collecting information. The incorporation of  IT in education improves the quality of education and makes it more effective. 

The convenient and immediate access to information provided by information technology has been helpful in the improving of education through the introduction of collaborative learning.

Collaborative learning is efficient and communication between users can be more direct. Educational systems provided by information technology have made a great change for users by creating an equilibrium on the learning field. 

Author : Adelia Mokhera

Editor  : Daryl Kekana   

IT in Education Survey

Introduction

The aim of the survey was to determine how effective IT in education is in today’s youth. The questions were set out in a way that would help us see how much knowledge the 21^st century generation knows about IT, and how they can actually incorporate in in education.  In our blog, we speak about how to make the most out of IT in education.  This would result in educating the youth around us on the different aspects of technology and its resources.

Target group

Our survey was created with the intention of students, from schools and universities, to answer. Students ranging between the ages of 15 to 24 years old completed the survey. However, any person would be able to answer it due to the simplicity of the questions and the layout whereby it was created.

Method used

The questions were based on contributions from all group members. The survey was created using a free online survey creator, known as Survey Monkey. It took the recipients more or less, 40 seconds to complete it. The following link was sent to all the students who answered it: 
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DPVPYFP

Survey Results

 

   Do you think that it is necessary for all schools to have access to technology?

Out of the 60 people surveyed, 1 person skipped the question. 52 people agreed that it is necessary, 4 people said maybe and 3 people disagreed.

      How has information technology been integrated into your classroom?

Out of the 60 people surveyed, 1 person skipped the question. 33 people said that digital projectors were implemented into their classrooms, 31 people said they integrated e-learning into their learning routine and 29 people said they used laptops as well as computers.

Additional comments were given by people such as additional learning materials are acquired from online platforms and white boards, tablets, digital dictionaries as well as smart phones are used in the classroom. One person said that technology is not integrated in their classroom.

      Do you think that you are computer literate?

Out of the 60 people surveyed, 40 people said that they had an adequate amount of skills, 14 people said they had basic skills and 6 people agreed to being computer literate.

       In your opinion, what do you think are the greatest challenges facing IT in education?

Out of the 60 people surveyed, 1 person skipped the question. 32 people said that there is a lack of knowledge of resources that are available to them, 27 people said access to these resources is difficult and 26 people said there are not enough resources for everyone.

Additional comments were given by people such as the fact that there is a lack of funding and insufficient IT user support to cope with technical problems.

       How has information technology affected academic performance?

Out of the 60 people surveyed, 1 person skipped the question. 28 people said that they used it to gain additional resources for a better understanding of a topic, 26 said it aided them with their homework and assignments and 5 people said it was a distraction.

One person said that it revolutionized their teaching-learning lifestyle positively. 

Recommendation and Conclusion

From the survey above, we have deduced the following:
Implementing information technology in education will be difficult as the infrastructure required for it to work correctly is not readily available.
The knowledge required for the system to operate properly is limited to basic knowledge or no knowledge at all.
Therefore we can conclude that it is best that the integration of technology in education be kept at a minimal.

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of students working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. An approach to collaborative learning can be done through the use of multiple technological devices.

As it stands, smartphones and tablets are the best tools to use. These devices can load standard programs like chrome book and one note but are simplistic and portable technological devices, which can easily substitute for textbooks at the students’ convenience. These devices allow for audio-visuals, immediate Internet access, teacher-peer interactions and effectively connect the students onto one learning platform controlled by the educator. At the moment there is a hole to be filled in South Africa’s education system, a hole created by unqualified and unmotivated teachers. This hole can be filled through technology, where students can immense themselves in the endless knowledge that exists globally, thus further increasing students’ educational interests and giving everyone the access to a world class education.

The main advantages of using technology for collaborative learning are: Learning is made more easy and is more efficient, less paper is required which is beneficial for the environment, students have a wider platform to further acquire their information, tasks and assignments are sent and submitted in a more efficient and affluent manner. Communication between teachers and students can be more direct and further engaging to ensure that all students understand the material at hand. The acquiring of technological skills can be both useful and the key to educational efficiency.

Collaborative learning using technology is taking its steps globally, however once incorporated properly, technology can prove to be a turning and an equilibrium point in the educational system; not only in South Africa, but globally too.

Author : Daryl Kekana
Editor  : Musa Rikhotso

References

1. (Unknown) CL1 - More Information: What is Collaborative Learning?. 2016. CL1 - More Information: What is Collaborative Learning?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://archive.wceruw.org/cl1/cl/moreinfo/MI2A.htm. [Accessed 27 April 2016].

2. (unknown) Why Some Schools Are Selling All Their iPads - The Atlantic. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/08/whats-the-best-device-for-interactive-learning/375567/. [Accessed 28 April 2016].

3.Stewart, A, 2013. Tablet PC use in teaching and learning: A case study. Thesis, 1, 2-10.

4.Anon, 2016. news & tips. [online] HotChalk Lesson Plans Page. Available at: <http://lessonplanspage.com/using-smartphones-and-other-pdas-in-class-these-days-its-cool/> [Accessed 28 Apr. 2016].

Communication Channels in Education

Communication channels are media used for the transfer of information both within an organization and externally amongst other organizations.

In an increasingly technological world, various forms of communication channels are being used within the education sector. Emails, apps, websites, open course ware, etcetera are being utilized by primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions to communicate with both the learners and their respective parents.

This type of virtual interaction allows for an increase in efficiency within the institution. Homework, assignments and notifications can be communicated across a broader spectrum and with minimal effort required.  These communication channels could also be used for communique between employees with relation to specific tasks at hand.

However, not all students and/or parents have access to these online communication channels, putting them at a disadvantage. 

OpenCourseWare

OpenCourseWare (OCW) describes free, online university-level courses made available by various tertiary educational institutions. These courses are accessible to anyone at any given time via the internet.

A number of the top universities have put some of their courses online for public usage. This includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford and Harvard.

OCW has the potential to provide a tertiary education to those unable to receive one otherwise. It also enables students to have a wider variety of resources, bettering their understanding of the course material.

Although OCW provides the necessary materials required to further a person’s understanding of a topic, it does not award any form of qualifications and solely depends on the individual’s desire to learn. It is also dependent on the individual’s access to the internet. This can prove to be troublesome for many. 

Author : Kimone Naidu
Editor  : Devona Mudaly

References: 

Communication Channels [Online] Available from: http://mangementchallenge.weebly.com/communication-channels.html [Accessed 25 April 2016]

Slideshare(2012) What is OpenCourseWare? [Online] Available from: http://www.slideshare.net/stephanieverbeken/presentation-opencourseware-ku-leuven-on-diverse-2012?next_slideshow=1  [Accessed 25 April 2016]

Communication Channels in an Organisation (2015)[Online] Available from: http://study.com/academy/lesson/communication-channels-in-an-organization-types-definition-examples.html [Accessed 27 April 2016]

Wikipedia (2012) Opencourseware [Online] Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenCourseWare  [Accessed 26 April 2016]

Open.edu: Top 10 Open Courseware Collections (2010) [Online] Available from:  http://onlineuniversityrankings2010.com/2010/open-edu-top-50-university-open-courseware-collections/  [Accessed 28 April 2016]

Updated Educational Information Including Online Libraries

Up-to-date information is easily found these days. Effortlessly, one can have the most recent information relevant to them at their fingertips. This is all possible with the help of Information Technology (IT). 
IT provides a basis for online libraries which are easily accessible that anyone can have information in no time. It serves as a resource for people to get up-to-date information. Therefore, one can educate themselves through the internet without any actual help from a physical institution or teacher. 
WITS itself uses an online library service for students who need quick access to textbooks for assignments, work etc.

IT in education is becoming more common and actually a “need” nowadays. Students, teachers, alumni and more use technology to make their learning and teaching more efficient, thus making their lives easier. In education, people can access the internet and other resources such as e-books, videos, websites, news etc. that assist them in learning in an environment that interests them.

Work can get done quickly and accurately and skills are learnt by using IT in education.  For example, the SA iPads for schools project gives students a chance to use technology in the classroom, thus assisting them in their future careers.

However, the question remains; how do we know if this information is up-to-date or not? The internet is a vast source of information that is either factual, false, opinion-based etc. There is no way of knowing what is really up-to-date and relevant to us. An example is that of wikis since many of them are opinion-based and anyone can edit it.

In my opinion, even though one has so much access to resources such as books from online libraries, one must make their own decision to sort out this information through instinct and skill which can be developed through more practice. IT has its pros and cons but I believe it can make the world a better place for humanity.

Author : Zainab Mohammed

Editor  : Adelia Mokhera

Links and References:

http://www.core.co.za/ipad-education/

https://prezi.com/mbovazewn3g9/edtech-9-useful-educational-tools-to-engage-communicate-and-keep-up-to-date-in-the-academic-environment/

http://www.wales.ac.uk/en/OnlineLibrary/OnlineLibrary.aspx

WikiEducator (2009) Need and importance of IT in education [Online] Available from:

http://wikieducator.org/Need_and_Importance_of_Information_Technology_in_Education  [Accessed 25^th April 2016]

Fedena (2015) Role of IT in education [Online] Available from:

http://www.fedena.com/blog/2015/10/the-role-of-information-technology-in-education.html  [Accessed 25^th April 2016]

Open University (2010) What is the online library? [Online] Available from:

http://www.open.ac.uk/library/library-videos/what-is-the-online-library  [Accessed 26^th April 2016] 

Access To Variety Of Learning Resources And Immediacy To Information

Access to variety of learning resources :

Being a part of the technological age, IT is helpful as it provides plenty of resources to advance the teaching skills and learning ability of learners. With the aid of IT, it is easier  to create different forms of teaching, for example; audio visual education.

The resources for learning are being improved and expanded in such a way that now with these vivid and vast techniques forming part of the IT curriculum, students can now regard computers as tools to be used in almost all aspects of their studies.

Learners are encouraged to make use of the newer multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and order information in their work.

Immediacy to information :

IT has provided immediacy to education in a way that the pace of importing knowledge, from computers and web networks, are very fast and one can be educated anywhere at any time.

Newer technologies are being introduced into well-established patterns of working and living without drastically changing them. For example, the traditional office, with secretaries working at keyboards and notes being written on paper and manually exchanged, has remained remarkably stable, even if personal computers have replaced typewriters.

Author : Alecia Ellan
Editor  : Kimone Naidu

References:

WikiEducator (2009) Need and importance of IT in education [Online] Available from: http://wikieducator.org/Need_and_Importance_of_Information_Technology_in_Education [Accessed 27th April 2016]

Wikipedia (2016) Universal access to education [Online] Available from: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_access_to_education

[Accessed 27th April 2016]

NAGT (2015) Immediacy in the Classroom: Research and Practical Implications [Online] Available from: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/immediacy.html

[Accessed 27th April 2016]


Links:

• http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/online/index.htm
• https://www.coursera.org/course/ictinprimary