Information and communication technologies in education deal with the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) within educational technology.

Purpose

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

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.ICT Curriculum and Standards http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/ict.html

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 ICT as an educational subject in their curriculum.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Information and Communication Technology is a subject in education, and a part of the National Curriculum. All students must 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. IComputer 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 ( ICT Youth Challenge) aims to use ICT as a vehicle to encourage creative thinking within the youth demographic. Tapping into the 'unconstrained' minds of the regions 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.

Categories

ICT in education can be broadly categorized in the following ways:

• ICT as a subject (i.e., computer studies)
• ICT as a tool to support traditional subjects (i.e., computer-based learning, presentation, research)
• ICT as an administrative tool (i.e., education management information systems/EMIS)

Further reading

Buckleitner, W. (2008). So young, and so gadgeted. New York Times. Retrieved on May 31 at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/technology/personaltech/12basics.html?_r=1&em&ex=1213761600&en=10ad107a6e1221f4&ei=5087%0A

Children Now. (2007). The effects of interactive media on preschooler’s learning: A review of the research and recommendations for the future. Oakland, CA: Children Now. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://publications.childrennow.org/assets/pdf/cmp/prek-interactive-media-2007.pdf

Harlen, W. & James, M. (1996). Creating a positive impact of assessment in learning. Paper presented American Educational Research Association, New York, April 1996, ED 397 137.

Hawisher, G. & Selfe, C. (1999). Conclusion: Hybrid and transgressive literacy practices on the web. In Hawisher & Selfe (Eds.), Global literacies and the World Wide Web (pp. 279-291). New York: Routledge.

Hsi, S. (2006). Digital learning and play: A synthesis and elaboration from a CILS Bay Area Institute Roundtable. San Francisco: The Center for Informal Learning and Schools. Retrieved on April 1, 2009, from http://www.exploratorium.edu/CILS/documents/RTdigitalSH.pdf

International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). The ISTE national educational technology standards (NET-S) and performance indicators for students. Eugene, OR: ISTE.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Chicago: Author. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from: http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. (2005). Digital media and learning fact sheet. Chicago: Author. Retrieved on May 20, 2009, from: http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/DL%20FACT%20SHEET.PDF

Mizuko I., Horst, H., Bittanti, M., Boyd, D., Herr-Stephenson, B., Lange, et al. (2008). Living and learning with new media: Summary of findings from the Digital Youth Project. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning. Chicago: Author. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from: http://www.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7BB0386CE3-8B29-4162-8098-E466FB856794%7D/DML_ETHNOG_WHITEPAPER.PDF

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE). (2002). Early learning standards: Creating the conditions for success. Washington, D.C.: Authors.

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2008). Technology and young children – ages 3 through 8. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from: http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pstech98.asp

National Institute for Early Education Research. (2009). Are new media a boon to young children’s education? Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey. Retrieved April 15, 2009 from: http://nieer.org/psm/index.php?article=259

Rideout, V., Vanderwater, E. & Wartella, E. (2003). Zero to six: Electronic media in the lives of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved May 1,5 2009 from: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Zero-to-Six-Electronic-Media-in-the-Lives-of-Infants-Toddlers-and-Preschoolers-PDF.pdf

Rogow, F. (adapted from). Choosing media for children checklist. San Francisco: Kids Watch Monthly. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from: http://www.kqed.org/assets/pdf/education/earlylearning/kidswatch/kidswatch-choosingmedia-english.pdf

Scarr, S., & K. McCartney. (1983). How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype—environment effects. Child Development, 54(2), p. 425–35. Seasame Workshop. (2007).

Shore, R. (2007). The power of Pow! Wham!: Children, digital media & our nation’s future. New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.

Speer, N., Reynolds, J., Swallow K. & Zacks, J. (2009). Reading stories activates neural representations of visual and motor experiences. Retrieved on May 21, 2009, from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12795757/Reading-Stories-Activates-Neural-Representations-of-Visual-and-Motor-Experiences-by-Zacks-Jeffrey-et-alR.

Swisher K. & Mossberg, W. (2009). All things digital. The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 6/2/09.

Taffel, R. (2009). Childhood unbound: Saving our kids’ best selves – confident parenting in a world of change. New York: Free Press. US Census Bureau. (2008). US Census Bureau releases TV stats. Retrieved on April 26, 2009, from http://broadcastengineering.com/news/census-bureau-releases-stats-0603/ US Census Bureau News. (2007). Received on May 15, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/010601.html

Zacks, J. (2009). Reading creates simulations in minds. Science out of the Box [radio broadcast]. Washington DC: National Public Radio.

External links

• ICT in Education- website of UNESCO Bangkok
• ICT Youth Challenge UK Schools programme