ICT IN EDUCATION MEANS TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH ICT

Worldwide research has shown that ICT can lead to improved student learning and better teaching methods. A report made by the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Japan, proved that an increase in student exposure to educational ICT through curriculum integration has a significant and positive impact on student achievement, especially in terms of “Knowledge Comprehension”, “Practical skill” and “Presentation skill” in subject areas such as mathematics, science, and social study.

Children had more fun in the classroom due to the use of ICT .It decreased lesson preparation time. None of teachers felt that preparation time increased for lessons

Through ICT, images can easily be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory of students. Teachers can easily explain complex instructions and ensure students’comprehension, able to create interactive classes and make the lessons more enjoyable, which could improve student attendance and concentration

Integrating ICT into education seems to be a necessary issue for educators / education administrators in the world. However, if teachers cannot make good use of the ICT tools, the money and time spent on the ICT is going to be a waste. SIMPLE IS BEST! Educational ICT tools are not for making educators master ICT skills themselves, but for making educators create a more effective learning environment via ICT. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can contribute to universal access to education, equity in education, the delivery of quality learning and teaching, teachers’professional development and more efficient education management, governance and administration.

For the teacher, it is an initiation into exploring educational possibilities of technology, learning to make right choices of hardware, software and ICT interactions, growing to become a critical user of ICT.

For the student, it is an initiation into creativity and problem solving, an introduction to the world of information and technologies, and an opportunity to shape career pursuits. Teachers who are already proficient in ICT can fast track through the course. Based on availability of infrastructure and access, students can begin as early as grade 4, in any case, completing the course before they leave school.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at Sto. Domingo Elementary School

It’s finals time for most students and many are preparing for that last examination before the school year comes to a close.

Studying before the examination is a skill if mastered can be of help for one to get higher score compared to those who have not mastered the said skill.

Here are some useful tips on how to study for exams and successfully taking it.

Rewriting is the first suggestion. It says that when you rewrite something, especially for kinesthetic learners, you think about what you are writing. Most importantly, it says, it refreshes your memory.

Discourage students to study when they are really tired. Suggest that a two hour schedule a day is better than lumping all in one day.

Discourage cramming as it has no use and will only aggravate the situation. This will just make you forget everything as you are trying to store as many information which is not anymore possible.

There are subjects that you only need to read, some to be analyzed and others to come out with solutions and thinking between the lines. Know your subjects well and know how to do them.

Surrounding is also a very important aspect to consider as it will set your mood. Avoid as many distractions as possible or if you can’t avoid it, live with it — be used to it. As much as possible, you need to avoid turning on the TV while studying as it will really distract you.

Study shows that men study with dim light and 75% of those surveyed revealed that they can focus better while 90% of the women do better if they study in a bright lighted and less noisy room.

Another important thing to consider is to take break once in a while in order to regain your wit, renew your strength, relax your senses and to have the energy to go through the next lessons.

Give yourself plenty of time. It will not help anyone if you do multifarious tasks in one setting — it is an intellectual suicide. Have time every night to read your notes and start doing as a habit the “reading over the notes” that you took during the day, and “paraphrasing the teacher’s notes using your own words”.

And if you are not really sure about the topic that you are studying, you need to talk to the very person who can help you — your teacher and don’t waittodoitthatitisalreadytoolateforhim/hertohelp.

So, do not just sit down and relax by thinking that this time is of no use to fire up your enthusiasm to learn. Let the battle against ignorance begin, now! — oOo— The author is Teacher III at Pampanga High School