How important ICT is for future changes? Explain?
Back to: Contemporary India and Education – Unit 4
Technology has taken over our world. It has changed the way we look as well as approach anything. This has led to the modernization of the people. Computers are one of the biggest examples of the advancements that we have made regarding technology. Computers of the previous generations were not that powerful. Still, they would cost tons of money, but now almost every family can afford a computer, and it has a lot of utilities to offer.
A computer with the combination of our current technology can do many things that most people can’t even think of, like creating an entire website on their own. Information technology (IT) is one of the things that make everything possible. There are many subparts of IT, such as ICT. The importance of explaining ICT for the future is an essential topic that we will discuss in the latter part of the article.
What is ICT?
ICT, or Information and communications technology, is the extension of Information technology (IT) in general, along with being the infrastructure and components depending on which the modern computer works the way they do. There is no fixed definition of ICT, but it is generally accepted as the components, applications or systems that allow or assist people and organizations in interacting in the digital world.
It comprises both internet-enabled spheres along with mobile-enabled spheres. Along with mobile enables spheres, it also consists of outdated technologies such as landline telephone and radio. This outdated technology is still used by people along with the current cutting-edge technology but not as much as once.
Uses of ICT in Research
ICT plays a very important role when it comes to research, and this fact is undeniable. The four most important areas are: The slow but steady growth of computer bandwidth and computing power have made the calculations of large data sets possible and made it easy.
The presence of communications and digital libraries equals the presence and access to academic resources as it greatly increases the research scope of smaller institutions that are not part of a big city. To take full advantage of an ongoing trend, one must create a new dynamic in research. This can be done with the introduction of policies related to ITC.
It is seen that the usage of ICT in higher research has grown in the last decade in both developing as well as developed countries. There are many fields where ICT can be used, but the major usage is seen in the education field.
How Important is ICT for Future Changes?
ICT has the potential to change the landscape of current education. We have seen many changes since the time of the covid pandemic. The education curriculum shifted from offline mode to online mode with the use of mobile phones and computers with the help of the internet.
This led to the emergence of many e-learning platforms, such as Udemy and Coursera, where you can educate yourself from the comfort of your home at a much lower price than what offline tuition would cost you. These E-learning platforms use many advanced technical instruments that are very to provided by all the schools, proving to be a roadblock.
There are many benefits to implementing ICT in the education system as it will introduce a much more efficient way of teaching and help the students in many ways, such as increasing their knowledge retention capabilities. This will also help the nation in many ways, out of which the most significant one would be the generation of new jobs.
Even though ICT is very important and a thing for the future, many things are stopping its progress. Some of them are high internet prices and many more.
Benefits & Challenges of ICT
There are many benefits of ICT. Some of them are mentioned below:
It promotes E-learning and E-education
The implementation of ICT in education has led to the introduction of education in newer forms of learning. There are many possibilities of natural calamities and any unforeseen situation due to which sifting towards an online mode of education.
ICT promotes knowledge retention as well as student engagement
It is seen that students are focused on their curriculum when ICT is implemented in their education. There are many reasons for it. Some might be that technology makes it easier for the children to focus on their studies as it makes their class much more exciting and fun for their students.
There are many challenges in using or integrating ICT. Some of them are mentioned below-
Network Connection
Using ICT requires the utilization of the internet. This is one of the reasons why it is very important to have stable internet. The main problem arrives as many students can’t be able to afford the internet due to its high prices.
Less Technical Support of the Schools
Not every school can afford to provide high-tech technical support. Technical support is one of the main requirements of using ICT.
Conclusion
ICT is a thing for the future as well as the present. It has the potential to change the way people see education as well as computing in this current time. Internet and computer are the two things that the implementation of ICT hugely depends on. So it will take a lot of time to normalize computers and the internet everywhere as many people don’t have a proper device or stable internet access.
Best Courses that help you Learn ICT
1. Understanding ICT- Information and Communication Technology (From Udemy)
Udemy is one of the websites that provide you with quality education at low prices. This course will progress from one level to another, starting from the introduction, where you will learn about the basics of ICT.
Then you will move on to different computer parts, and so on. You will follow the different sections by which you will progress in the course and end it by learning the application of ICT. There is one good piece of news Udemy is providing discounts for new users.
2. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children’s learning across the curriculum (From Coursera)
Coursera is one of the best edtech platforms for getting a quality education at lower costs. In this particular course, you will learn about how ICT is changing the learning curriculum of students. The course is 6 weeks long, and you will learn different things in specific weeks.Â
You will learn an introduction to ICT and its application in primary schools. This course will build up your base from scratch, and at the end of the 6th week, you will be an expert in this topic. The additional benefit for you is now there is an offer running for Coursera plus a discount for newly registered students.
