Introduction

 

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is important in primary education because it enables kids to search for the information they need and to organize what they have found. As children progress through the school system, they become increasingly responsible for their own learning. Many believe that ICT needs to be better integrated into curriculum so all schools produce computer literate, independent learners.

    

In School Innovation: Pathway to the Knowledge Society there is an unequivocal statement of what teachers have to do:

“The integration of I.C.T. into all major social institutions and organisations means that the necessity to equip young people with the capacity to understand and utilise the potential of such environments is no longer an option, but is now an imperative”.

(Cuttance, 2001:73)  

This issue has been increasingly addressed by schools through out the world.  For a number of years schools have been approaching the integration of ICT with a commendable investment in hardware and software.  In more recent years it seems some schools have moved to another level with the investment in staff to facilitate ICT integration in schools.  This integration has taken a number of forms. Some teachers in schools have taken the initiative and use ICT in the classroom to enthuse their departmental members. 

Now the question becomes what can these integrators do to help teachers and students?  The first thing is to give ideas on how to use the facilities that you may have. Secondly, then some ideas on what traditional and emerging learning technologies can be use and how to use them in the classroom are two sold starting points.

  

How to use the technology you have

• Use the computer room in your school: Start using ICT in the classroom by booking the computer room or library computers if available in your school. 

• Manage the time table: Set aside double period per a week for practical classes in an ICT type room. 

• Plan your lesson:  get into the class room with strategic approach to the integration of ICT needs to be considered in your lesson- Integration of ICT directly related to class work. In this approach, designed activities directly related to what the topic your plan teaching is saying doing.

• Apply your personal gadgets: become little more adaptable and flexible in your approach employing various personal hardware tools like laptops, GSM phones, smart devices (Tablets), Software like PowerPoint, Movie Maker, One note, consider storage and battery capacity for areas where electricity supply is a problem.

Finally, it makes sense to consider the linking of ICT activities to class work just by working with the syllabus to get topics that could be brought together though an ICT activity related to the syllabus.