1. THE ESSENCE OF ICT ON EDUCATIONPROGRAMS
“If someone has an unpleasant experience the first time they try to
use the ed tech facilities, it will be a long time, if ever, before they try
again.”
Information and communication technology (ICT) has become,
within a very short time, one of the basic building blocks of modern
society. Many countries now regard understanding ICT and
mastering the basic skills and concepts of ICT as part of the core of
education, alongside reading, writing and numeracy. This book
deals with ICT in secondary schools, and with the changing
competencies required of both students and teachers if they are to
function effectively in today's society. It specifies an ICT curriculum
for secondary schools, and outlines an accompanying programme
of teacher development to implement such a curriculum.
All governments aim to provide the most comprehensive
education possible for their citizens within the constraints of
available finance. Because of the pivotal position of ICT in modern
societies, its introduction into secondary schools will be high on any
political agenda. This book gives a practical and realistic approach
to curriculum and teacher development that can be implemented

2. quickly and cost effectively, according to available resources. The
curriculum is designed to be capable of implementation throughout
the world to all secondary age students. The programme of teacher
professional development relates closely to the ICT curriculum, and
particularly to the stage of development that schools have reached
with respect to ICT.
ICT permeates the business environment, it underpins the
success of modern corporations, and it provides governments with
an efficient infrastructure. At the same time, ICT adds value to the
processes of learning, and in the organization and management of
learning institutions.
The Internet is a driving force for much development and innovation
in both developed and developing countries. Countries must be
able to benefit from technological developments.
To be able to do so, a cadre of professionals has to be educated
with sound ICT backgrounds, independent of specific computer
platforms or software environments. Technological developments
lead to changes in work and changes in the organization of work,
and required competencies are therefore changing.

3. A secondary ICT curriculum should contribute to the building
up of teams of professionals with these new competencies. The
use of ICT cuts across all aspects of economic and social life.
Technological developments in ICT are very rapid. Technology
quickly becomes obsolete requiring new skills and knowledge to be
mastered frequently. Adaptation is only possible when based on a
sound understanding of the principles and concepts of ICT.
Keeping pace with technological development and the
changing competencies required of both students and their
teachers requires a state-ofthe- art curriculum and appropriate
teacher development.
Rapid developments in ICT are difficult to manage for
Ministries of Education, educational managers, and schools. A
situation of constant change is also confronting to teaching staff
and publishers. This ICT curriculum has been designed to help
cope with these developments
and situations of change. It helps Ministries of Education to develop
a systematic and controlled secondary education ICT policy. It also
helps schools to develop ICT systematically and effectively in their
programmes, if need be from scratch.