THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN EDUCATION Bahawodin Baha, PhD. University of Brighton, UK. Seminar Kabul Polytechnic University. August 17, 2008

Outline The importance of technologies, What is ICT and why it is essential, Basic IT skills, Reasons for promoting ICT, Requirements for future workforce in the world, A New Century with New Technological Frontiers, New initiatives on ICT at Universities worldwide, Higher Education and ICT, Digital Resources for Education, ICT in Teaching and Learning, The progress of ICT in Afghanistan, ICT at different sectors in Afghanistan and Concluding remarks.

The importance of technologies The advancement in technologies has revolutionized: –Agriculture –Construction industry –Transportation –Telecommunications and ICT –Energy –Pharmaceutical The above sectors have direct effect on the daily lives of every human being

What is ICT? ICT is the field of expertise that connects information technology (computers) and telecommunications networks (the Internet) to provide sophisticated applications. Digital electronic devices and circuits, communication theory and networks are used to design and develop ICT tools ICT tools are widely used in every aspects of daily life throughout the world, e.g. Office work, transport, banking, home appliances, etc. Beside other applications, ICT tools and media is playing a major role in educating people around the world. ICT tools have been developed to make the governments and businesses more efficient To modernise Afghanistan, we need ICT Literate workforce for every sector in the country The future workforce is trained at educational institutions around the world, therefore, the problem should be addressed at source

Basic ICT skills Computer OperationsApplication SoftwareInternet SkillsWorld Wide Web Skills (www) Turning a computer on or off Creating a word processing document Using World Wide WebUsing www search engine, e.g. Goggle or Yahoo Opening and closing a computer file Modifying an existing word document Sending an messageUsing keywords or phrases to search for information using www Making a buck-up copy of a computer file Printing out a documentUsing www for finding specific information Using more advanced searching techniques than keywords or phrases Deleting a computer filePlacing an image or a graph into a document Taking part in an line discussion or chat Finding useful information www search Creating a folder or directory Creating an image or a graph using a computer Sending an attachment with an Using information form the www in projects or assignments Copying a file from one disk to another Using an extended word processing feature such as table, equation, etc. Downloading a file from the Internet or www Copying and pasting information from searches into personal documents Connecting to the Internet from a remote computer from home Creating a graph using a spreadsheet package such as Excel Saving an Image or a graphic from a www page Using a bookmark to record a useful www address Installing a program onto the computer, eg. MS office Making a multimedia presentation, eg. PowerPoint Creating a www pageUsing a known www address to find useful information

Reasons for promoting ICT Location No Longer Matters. The World is changing “The World is Flat” -- Tom Friedman –In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down, and Microsoft’s Windows went up. –$1.5 trillion worth of optical fiber connects the world. –Globalization has “accidentally made Beijing, Bangalore, London, New York next door neighbors.” –Many jobs are now just a “mouse click” away from anywhere..

Reasons for promoting ICT (cont) 20th Century: –Physics, Electronics, and High-Speed Communications and Transportation 21st Century: –Bio, Nano and information technologies are main challenges –but also Energy, Water, and Sustainability –Large scale multinational projects –ICT literate workforce is key to the success in all these development

Requirements for future workforce Technically Adept Broadly Knowledgeable Innovative and Entrepreneurial Commercially Savvy Multilingual Culturally Aware Able to Understand World Markets Professionally Flexible and Mobile

A New Century with New Technological Frontiers

With New Engineering Frontiers Bio Info Nano Smaller and Smaller Faster and Faster More and More Complex

Engineering Frontiers Macro Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Larger and Larger More and More Complex Great Societal Importance

Frontiers and Synergies Macro Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Natural Science Science and Engineering Are Merging.

Frontiers and Synergies Macro Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Social Science These engineering systems need social science, management, and humanities / communications.

Frontiers and Synergies Must be reflected in university education. Macro Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Social Science Natural Science

New initiatives on ICT at Universities worldwide leading US universities including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley and MIT to provide lectures and research news free of charge MIT has a program called Open Course Ware (OCW), a free publishing venture –Teaching Materials for 1800 courses –Free of charge to Anyone, Anywhere Some universities in the UK distribute their lectures via the iconic iTunes service The iTunes service gained its dominant position in online music as the downloading service for the iPod player Lectures can be downloaded from an academic iTunes service The early emergence of a Meta University – a dynamic, communally-constructed framework of open materials and platforms on which much of higher education worldwide can be constructed or enhanced.

Higher Education and ICT ICT can be used in higher education for the following purposes: –Teaching Developing course material Delivering and sharing content Communication between learners, teachers and the outside world Distance learning Video conferences Creation and delivery of presentations and lectures -Academic research To find information To find out about research centres To communicate with other researchers To share ideas and new development with other fellows -Administrative support Student enrolment To keep students records Time table Student support

Digital Resources for Education Cyberinfrastructure Inexpensive, Limitless Memory Digital Archives –JSTOR, ARTstor, Ithaka, Public Library of Science, Google Library, … Platforms / Pedagogy –SAKAI, OKI, Open Learning Initiative (CMU), Connexion (Rice), Digital Chemistry (Berkeley), VUE (Tufts), Lionshare (Penn State), …

ICT in Teaching and Learning Research has shown that ICT tools utilized in classrooms enhances the learning process in the following ways: –Students can access information that is available worldwide –The most cost effective means for bringing the world into the class room Foster inquiry and exploration The integration of modern ICT tools into teaching/learning process has potential to enhance the environment for learning. Motivate and engage students in learning process. Images, sound, colours and movement can stimulate the students learning capabilities.

The progress of ICT in Afghanistan Ministry of Communications and IT The need of ICT literate workforce in non- governmental & governmental organizations The establishment of new IT departments at Universities Integration of ICT in the main stream education is essential Be able to communicate with outside world efficiently Have access to a rich academic environment Progress?

ICT at different sectors in Afghanistan ICT Can help the development in the following areas: 1.Government and governance –Enhance management system 2.Poverty alleviation –Better access to relevant knowledge on agriculture, disease control and market price 3.Environmental management –Through the use of GIS and early warning system 4.Health –Information and knowledge sharing 5.Education –ICT is playing important role in distance and e-learning 6.Industrializing to Afghanistan - For better communications within Afghanistan and outside world

In Closing Some Personal Views about ICT in Afghanistan

Integrate ICT at the hearth of development in the national strategy ICT literate workforce is essential for the future of the country Strong steps must be taken to Improve the quality of education and integrate ICT in the education system ICT can accelerate the development in the country

Challenges Lack of qualified and experience ICT literate human resource in the country Lack of affordable ICT tools Lack of power especially in the remote areas Lack of reliable communication networks Fortunately, despite all these and other challenges –There is a strong desire especially amongst the young generation in Afghanistan to learn ICT tools - The creation of a safe and constructive work environment is essential in the country, which our government must create. In conclusion: ICT must be integrated within the education system

Thank you for your attention.