Literature Review

• Projects focusing just on technical skills dampen enthusiasm of teachers, but

• Exploring ICT in a relevant learning context and focusing on using ICT forlearning not just learning to use the technology, is much more useful (Cox and Marshall, 2007).

• A key element is access to computer network (Lawson and Comber, 2000).

• Students are nowadays much more into new technologies than getting knowledge from worksheets. Teachers need to accept and accept the shift in power relations.

• Changing role of the teacher - facilitator, such as a central leading person, an advisor, a mentor, a planner, a technician, a link between the student and the computer, an educator or a combined technician and educator(Jedeskog 2000).

For example, Internet promoted a different style of teaching and those teachers and students have to find new ways of working together (Lawson and Comber, 2000).

3 parts of digital competence important when planning ICT educational courses for teachers (Fors, Hossjer, Olson, Sönnerbrandt, 2008)

1. Didactical competence - ability to be able to judge when, what, why and how ICT should be used as a pedagogic and methodological support for learning. - ability to choose methods and digital tools suitable to the content,

considering the pedagogic of the tools when planning the education. - knowledge about examination tools

2. Theoretical competence- knowledge about ICT pedagogic theories and methods for teaching

and learning, and ability to use them practically in the professional pedagogic activity. - knowledgeable about research within the ICT area

3. Technical competence- can decide when and what digital tool to use in a pedagogic environment. - continuous upgradation of technical skills

Literature Review

ICT Teacher Education in China

Standards for Teachers are divided into two areas of activity:A. Digital Resources Development and Sharing• Government developed “Meta-Data Standards for Digital Resources

Development and Exchange”.• A national digital learning resource database based on the national

curriculum has been designed and shared freely through on-line portals, such as, the China Basic Educational Resources Network (http://www.cbern.gov.cn), the China Educational Resources and Service Portal (http://www.cersp.com).

• Dedicated satellite channels deliver learning materials to schools regularly and freely.

• Every province has established a local, dedicated, educational website.

B. Integration of ICT into teaching and learning• Teachers are encouraged to facilitate extensive use of ICT by

students in inquiry-based classroom learning activities.• Since 2001, a national programme on ICT for Teaching and

Learning has been in effect.

According to the Standards, all classroom teachers should be prepared or trained in four areas.

1. Awareness and attitudeAwareness of technology’s valueTeachers should be aware:– Of the potential of technology to promote educational reform.– That the ability to apply technology appropriately is one of the necessary

skills for a good quality teacher.– Of the value of applying technology effectively for enhancing the

teaching process and cultivating innovative teachers.Self-AssessmentTeachers should be able to evaluate themselves on:– Use of technology for delivering teaching materials.– Implementing a technology-enhanced teaching process.– Effectiveness and efficacy of technology-enhanced teaching.Concepts of lifelong learningTeachers should be able to demonstrate the ability to:– Learn and re-learn about emerging technology over time.– Use technology to support life long learning, professional development,

and personal life.

ICT Teacher Education in China

2. Knowledge and skillsConceptsTeachers must demonstrate an understanding of:• Commonly-used technology.• Fundamental educational technology theories.• Educational technology methodologies.SkillsTeachers should master the skills of:• Information searching, processing and presenting.• Selecting and developing teaching media.• Designing a technology-enhanced instructional system.• Managing teaching materials, the teaching process, and learning

projects.• Evaluating teaching media, teaching materials, the teaching process

and teaching outcomes.

ICT Teacher Education in China

3. Implementation and innovationDesigning and implementing technology-supported lessons and

activitiesTeachers should be able to:• Describe teaching objectives, analyse teaching content appropriately,

and design teaching activities appropriate to students’ characteristics and local situations.

• Explore effective technology-enhanced instructional strategies.• Design and create technology-enhanced learning environment for

students and provide guidance.• Apply technology to support assessment.Using technology to support teaching and managementTeachers should be able to:• Identify, locate and collect technology and information resources of

high relevance to the curriculum.• Use technology to manage resources effectively.• Use technology to monitor students and manage the diverse learning

activities effectively.• Use technology to manage the instructional process.

ICT Teacher Education in China

ICT Teacher Education in China

3. Implementation and innovation (contd.)

Using technology to enhance research and professional development

Teachers should be able to:• Use technology to support subject-specific research.• Identify and implement studies of technology application.• Use technological tools to enhance their in ongoing professional

development and lifelong• learning.Using technology to mediate collaboration and communicationTeachers should be able to use technology to communicate:• With students, about learning activities.• With parents, to update them on students’ performance.• With peers on teaching ideas, materials and research.• With administrators of different levels, about management.• With technicians in fields such as courseware design, media

selection and development.• With experts to ask for professional assistance.

ICT Teacher Education in China

4. Social responsibilities• Understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding

the use of technology in schools and apply that understanding in practice.

Teachers should be in a position to:• Apply technology equitably: facilitate students of different genders

and economic status to have equitable access to technology resources in classrooms.

• Apply technology resources effectively: enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

• Apply technology resources appropriately: guide safe use of technology resources.

• Demonstrate good practice: model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

ICT-Curriculum for Teachers in Switzerland

ICTs have become important not only as tools to create teaching materials but also integrated into teaching.

Objectives• Teachers have to be familiar with the didactical and methodological

issues in ICT practiceTeachers should- use competently ICT and integrate it in their teaching.- know strategies to integrate the knowledge of students into their

teaching.- use computers with a basic understanding of technology's principles

and methodology.- know how to collect, evaluate, use and edit information.- know how to communicate in virtual worlds ('netiquette').- use techniques and methods from information sciences to solve

problems in their jobs where appropriate.- be highly flexible to adapt to changing environments and should

follow and anticipate the development of ICT.- be able to lead, realise and accompany an ICT-based project

ICT-Curriculum for Teachers in Switzerland: Recommendations for teaching contents-

Kindergarten• Teachers should be able to organise ICT-based lessons and

have the necessary didactical skills to integrate computers consciously in their teaching.

• Teachers offer the opportunity to all pupils to play or work with ICT.

• Teachers learn to critically choose software packages for their teaching.

• Teachers have to be aware that the integration of ICT is an important issue to discuss with parents.

Recommendations for teaching contents-Primary schools

• Learn to integrate ICT into their teaching.

• Are able to analyse software packages critically and use them incorrelation with the curriculum.

• Practice the use of ICT during their studies:- news groups and forums to discuss pedagogical issues,- video-conferences with other teacher training centres and universities,- email to individually enhance their foreign language skills,- presenting projects on school web sites.

• Get to know examples of ICT integration and reflect on their experiences (whether they teach traditional subjects or new ones) by:- working alone or in teams,- using the computer as a presentation tool,- doing their assignments with a computer.

• Teachers have to be aware that the integration of ICT is an important issue to discuss with parents.

Recommendations for teaching contents- Lower Secondary

At this level of teaching the use of subject-specific software becomes more andmore important. Additionally, teachers at this level should:• Be able to solve minor technical problems;• Use networks to enhance their teaching;• Use ICT as a tool and as a learning medium and as a creativity tool within

teaching;• Be trained in project/task-oriented activities that include ICT• Use ICT to make presentations on the Internet or in front of their classes• Find other classes for learning partnerships;• Practice the use of ICT during their studies:

– news groups and forums to discuss pedagogical issues,– video-conferences with other teacher training centres and universities– email to individually enhance their foreign language skills– presenting projects on school web sites– act as moderators in bulletins boards, forums and video conferences to gain

experience in computer mediated communication;• Reflect on the impact of ICT on society

– be informed about data protection and copyright and use ICT appropriately;– know how to deal with unwanted contents of the Internet.– teachers have to be aware that the integration of ICT is an important issue to discuss

with parents.

Recommendations for teaching contents- Upper Secondary

This level includes a variety of school types: high school, specialised training centres, professional schools, resource centres for trainees in industry and construction, etc.

Recommendations have to be adapted according to school types.Future teachers at this level have to:• Understand and use networks and netware;• Find and evaluate software for specific subjects;• Use specific software and applications;• Put together hardware and computer-systems;• Use standard software-packages in their basic teaching;• Practice the use of ICT during their studies:

– news groups and forums to discuss pedagogical issues– video-conferences with other teacher training centres and universities– email to individually enhance their foreign language skills– presenting projects on school web sites.

• Work in a task/project-oriented way• Be trained in various IT applications such as:

– simulations, demos, hypertext- and computer-based training, searching and evaluating information, making internet presentations and presentations with special tools;

• Be trained in professional task-specific programming.

Indian Scenario: MHRD RecommendationsSteps to define Key Performance Measures• Teachers' confidence and acceptance in using ICT.• Barriers to computer related activities.Policy in teacher training on ICT • ICT professional development programme should focus on both

pedagogical and technological aspects of ICT integration. • Faculty professional development in the teacher education institution

is crucial to the success of the pre-service education program in ICT. Need for ICT competencies and standards before training• Integrate learning materials from a wide range of sources. • ICT competency standards should avoid software or product specific

skills. Instead, the standards should focus on generic skills of particular applications.

Content focus of capacity building for pre-service teachers • The foundation course on ICT integration in the pre-service education

program should focus on applying ICT skills to achieve pedagogical objectives, rather than teaching ICT skills in isolation.

• Pre-service teacher education institution should collaborate with private or public ICT training agencies to equip trainee teachers with the basic ICT skills.

What we recommend?

• Focus on using ICT for learning rather than training – At present IT skills education for teacher = computer literacy

programme– Building a positive attitude towards technology imperative to

overcome fear of technology.

• Ensure – sustained access to computer network so that teachers get an

opportunity to use the technology– Availability of technical support

• Adopt a Bottom up approach – instead of a top down approach, where tech. use is enforced by

education board/school principal – teachers are proactive in use of tech.

• Usage of a variety of ICT rather than only computers

What we recommend?• Use of technology for teaching, non-teaching activities, professional

development

• Encourage use of free software, free educational games

• Emphasis on building clarity of thought rather than using technology for the sake of using it. e.g. build logical thinking, critical thinking

• Strengthen information literacy skills of teachers so that they can efficiently leverage on existing free educational resources

• There is a lot of deliberation at the top level, but little gets percolated to the grassroots. Main hindrances:– Lack of access to technology– Lack of technical sophistication– Lack of awareness of appropriate educational resources– Lack of guidance on integration of ICT in respective teaching

How to address these gaps?

What we recommend? Primary Level

• Use ICT for collaborating learning activities in the classroom

• Usage of free educational games such as Childs Play, Educational suite GCompris, TuxMath to supplement learning in other subjects as well as building thinking capacities of children.

What we recommend? Upper primary

• Use ICT for collaborating learning activities in the classroom

• Use of multimedia programming applications such as Scratch so that students can develop confidence to create ‘something’ with the technology, e.g. demonstrate water cycle, write computer games, etc.

Secondary

Senior secondary