ICT Mediation in Teaching Learning
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DEd. syllabus Review -2012 Department of State Education Research and Training Karnataka Position Paper ICT mediation in teaching-learning Chairperson Dr. E.R. Ekbote Professor, Dean of Education Department of Education, Gulbarga University Gulbarga Coordinator Geetha S Members Gurumurthy K Director, IT for Change, #393, 17th Main, 35th Cross, Jayanagar, 4th T Block, Bengaluru 560 041 Rekha Naik - DIET Kumta (PSTE) Savita Naik - DIET Kumta (IFIC) Shylaja SN - EDC and ICTs for Teacher Education 2 Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................4 2 Introduction and background........................................................................................................................4 3 Objectives of ICT mediation in teaching-learning (PSTE)...........................................................................5 4 Enumeration of specific concerns.................................................................................................................8 5 Underlying principles guiding ICT mediation in teaching-learning..............................................................9 6 Critiquing the existing system....................................................................................................................13 7 Suggesting practical alternatives with justification / Broad contents, methodologies proposed..................15 8 ICTs for planning........................................................................................................................................18 9 Precautions / disclaimers/ do's and don'ts / desirables and undesirables.....................................................21 10 Abbreviations, references and annexures..................................................................................................21 11 Suggested inclusion of ICT mediation in different subjects in revised DEd. Syllabi................................27 12 Subgroup #2 - Structuring Learning .........................................................................................................27 13 Subgroup # Science..................................................................................................................................30 14 Subgroup # Mathematics..........................................................................................................................32 15 Subgroup # Social Sciences......................................................................................................................33 16 Subgroup # Languages..............................................................................................................................34 Document created under Creative commons license 3.1. (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License) ICTs for Teacher Education 3 1 Executive Summary PSTE aims to develop teachers, with a deep understanding of the core disciplines of educational philosophy, sociology of education, cognition etc. and also aims to develop capabilities in student-teachers for life-long learning. These goals need to inform the use of ICTs. Limitations of current PSTE model, which need to be addressed in any mediation of ICTs, include rigid curriculum, behaviourist learning models, inadequate assessment support, as well as lack of efforts to build learning communities. However current ICT models in school education have certain limitations, which have ensured that such programs have limited impact on education, these include their design being technology driven, isolation of ICT program from mainstream teaching-learning processes, use of proprietary software and resources, and by-passing of regular teachers which dilutes any possibilities of their ownership and engagement. Fortunately, we now have second generation ICT programs which see ICTs as a sub-process of teaching-learning than as a stand-alone subject. These programs aim to address educational priorities, focus on the teachers and are transacted by regular subject teachers who use a wide variety of public digital resources, both software and content. The mediation of ICTs in teaching-learning needs to have critical underlying principles for any appropriation of ICTs for education, derived from larger educational principles/policies. This position paper aims to support a common understanding on how ICTs can play an important role in supporting PSTE, that help align programs to frameworks such as the NCF 2005 and the NCFTE 2009. The underlying principles include seeing ICTs as another (important) curricular resource, thereby an integral part of mainstream education, and not be a black box that technology experts need to interpret for education; according primacy to the role of the teacher, ensuring public ownership of resources created and used in education, taking a critical perspective on ICTs as well as promoting constructivist approaches that privilege participation and co-creation over mere access. The paper provides a 'layered' approach to integrating ICTs into teaching-learning processes in DEd., comprising of ICT literacy, free access to digital resources, peer review of resources, creating resources, sharing and publishing resources, connecting to teachers and teacher-educators and finally moving to blended models of teacher education. Such an approach can be implemented through a program that covers in a phased manner, ICT literacy, ICT integration into learning as well as blended learning systems. For this provision of required infrastructure as well as its adequate maintenance is essential and doable. The mediation of ICTs in teaching-learning has the potential to pioneer new models of TE that are self-directed, need-based, self-paced, decentralized, peer-learning based, mentored and continuous and providing a suitable location in the curriculum for this, is an essential starting point. 2 Introduction and background The position paper on 'ICT mediation in teaching-learning” discusses the background, aims, challenges and possibilities for the use of ICTs in pre-service teacher education (PSTE) and has been prepared as part of a review by DSERT, of the PSTE1 (DEd.) curriculum. An important departure from conventional approach to ICT education, is that, ICT is not treated merely as another subject, but rather as a process and method that could mediate new models of PSTE. Such new models of teaching-learning, using ICTs, could support PSTE goals as well as address critical challenges and limitations in current PSTE models. The Karnataka government has provided computers through various schemes like CLASS, Mahiti Sindhu and ICT Phase I, II and III projects for high schools and CALC for primary schools for computer education and computer based education to the teachers and students. Radio based audio-programmes and satellite based video programmes have also been implemented, covering different subjects. However, the D.Ed curriculum provides limited importance (3-4% of contact time) to ICT education. And even this little time emphasizes limited computer literacy and not using ICTs as a mediator in teaching -learning processes. As envisaged in NCF 2005, ICT can play an important role in the creation of resources, their sharing and use, to enhance teaching-learning process. ICTs can enable the student teachers to get diverse perspectives, connect to one another and to teacher-educators for peer learning and mentored learning, and to update their learning capabilities as well as knowledge in the changing world. 1 While few comments are made in the generic context of PSTE, this position paper is primarily for the DEd. Curriculum revision exercise of DSERT, Karnataka ICTs for Teacher Education 4 The DEd program will not have a separate paper on ICTs, this is because, ICT needs to be seen as a methodology of teaching-learning, applicable to all subjects, and not as a stand-alone subject. This means, every teacher-educator will need to use ICTs in their teaching-learning, rather than one 'ICT' teacher- educator. This paper briefly discusses the possibilities for teacher-educators in mathematics, science, social sciences and language papers in the DEd. course. Similar possibilities for other papers can also be explored /extrapolated and it is hoped that the revised syllabi and text books will explicitly require the teacher-educators to use ICTs in relevant and meaningful ways in their teaching-learning. 3 Objectives of ICT mediation in teaching-learning (PSTE) A teacher education curriculum framework needs to be in consonance with the curriculum framework for school education. A teacher needs to be prepared in relation to the needs and demands arising in the school context, to engage with questions of school knowledge, the learner and the learning process. The expectations of the school system from a teacher change from time to time, responding to the broader social, economic and political changes taking place in the society. The main goal/aim of PSTE is to develop student-teachers to become teachers. This includes: 1. Developing an understanding of educational goals and philosophies 2. Developing an understanding of social contexts, specifically understanding equity / inclusion 3. Building and deepening subject matter expertise 4. Learning rich and diverse set of pedagogies 5. Developing an understanding of assessment principles and processes, including CCE The goal is also to support continued Teacher Professional Development