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Government College of Teacher Education
Thiruvananthapuram
ASSIGNMENT
Submitted to
Dr.ISSAC PAUL
Assistant Professor& HOD
Department of Commerce
Submitted by
VANDITHA.P.R
Semester II
B.Ed. Commerce
Submitted on
10 October 2015
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INTRODUCTION
Integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into teaching and
learning is essential for meaningful interaction between learners and educators in commerce
education. Commerce educators are defined here to comprise high school teachers who facilitate
learning in accounting, economics and business studies subjects. ICT can be used to advance
cognitive skills such as comprehension, reasoning, problem-solving and creativethinking
(Department of Education, 2003). ICT is expected to improve educational outcomes and enhance
and improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning Information technology and
computer networks are becoming an important part in our life. Developing virtual education and
distend learning methods are replacing the classical methods of education. IT and computers are
widely used to expand teaching possibilities as education is complex process in which human
and technical resources should be used very carefully concept related to teaching and learning
hence changed rapidly. In the era of dynamic changes in the field of commerce, trade and
industry. IT has a pivotal role to play in the education of that discipline. The role of ICT in
commerce education goes for beyond the direct use of instructional devices. ICT can provide
coverage of a growing knowledge base associated with the information explosion in all areas
including commerce. So the practices and availability of ICT enabled course material can foster
better teaching and improving the level of performance of the students.
Today Indian higher secondary schools are shifting the focus from traditional instruction
to ICT assisted instruction. This is a field where ICT is going to make a bigger impact and
commerce teachers need to put more effort in these. Today learning has moved from the teacher
to the student. Later has to learn by exploring and also by working with peers. The role of the
teacher is not providing information but guide students to find required information. Both
teachers and students become co-learners. ICT provides alternate sources of knowledge and
information and teachers can therefore be free from managing classrooms to concentrate on
enhancing the quality o learning experience for students.These leads to more qualitative
communication between the teachers and students thus blurring the line between them.
What is really amazing is that the developments are being telescoped into shorter and
shorter time spans and this is the crux of the matter. As a result, the learning tools at the
command of the children are getting more effective and sophisticated. At the root of this
revolution are the personal computer, the television set, video cassettes, the satellite network and
what not. And there is no stopping this avalanche of change as the world approaches the 21st
century. Information Technology (IT) and computer networks are becoming an important part of
the life. IT and computers are widely used to expand teaching possibilities. As education is a
complex process in which human and technical resources should be used carefully, concepts
related to teaching and learning has changed radically. Computer and related technologies are the
widely used, effective and excellent visualization media and hence these are widely used all over
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the world. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become commonplace
entities in all aspects of life. Across the past twenty years the use of ICT has fundamentally
changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of Endeavour within business and
governance. Education is a very socially oriented activity and quality education has traditionally
been associated with strong teachers having high degrees of personal contact with learners.
The last few decades have witnessed a pretended flow of information across the globe
consequent to the emergence of various technologies. The information and communication
technology has played a significant role in these dynamics which has not only made access
across the globe is a, but has facilitated integration of thought process. In the current context, a
school teacher has an added responsibility of designing and information and communication
technology (ICT) strategy and overseeing its implementation process in his or her school.
Information and Communication Technology
Information and communication technology (ICT) refers to the integration of computing
technology and communication. It can be defined as ‘ anything which allows as to get
information to communicate with each other, or to have an effect on the environment using
electronic or digital equipment’. The early computers were designed to aid computation however
today there use has become diverse and computation is just one among the many functions a
computer is used for. These coupled with the reach of telecommunication, have become a major
driver of change all over the world. It has brought unprecedented changes in many walks of life
and education is no exception. In india, IT has taken long strides in the field of education
especially in schools. The government of india’s CLASS (Computer Literacy and Awareness in
Secondary Schools) Project in mid 1980’s could be marked as the genesis of this moment
however, for a longtime ICT in school simply referred to IT education (teaching of LOGO,
BASIC and so on). Only recently has its scope being extended to include ICT in education and
school administration
In simple terms "ICT" is the Information and Communication Technologies. "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 "KnowledgeComprehension" · "Practical skill" and
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"Presentation skill" in subject areas such as mathematics, science, and commerce. In detailed
view we can define ICT as a parasol term that includes any communication device or application
, encompassing radio, television, cellular phones, computers and networks ,hardware and
software ,satellite systems and so on as well as the various and applications associated with them
such as video conferencing and distance learning. The advantages of ICT in education
aredepending upon the way in which the instructor combines the tools in instruction process.
There is other famous quote in regard to this. "You can be given computers, but if you don't have
the capacity and ability to use them, it e disappointing, “said KK Pai, educational administrator
and former Chairman of Syndicate Bank.
Effectiveness ofICT in Transacting Curriculum
In teaching learning process easier understanding of the content due to the using
of ICT, and increasing the fastness and attractiveness of the teaching modalities which combine
the ICT with traditional methods. Some teachers found it was also good opportunity to discuss
with another teacher on how they can improve their teaching methods. They pointed that the use
of ICT in the teaching process of commences leads to an important increasing of pupil
motivation. The field of education has been affected by ICTs, which have undoubtedly affected
teaching, learning and research.ICTs have the potential to accelerate, enrich, and deepen skills, to
motivate and engage students, to help relate school experience to work practices, create
economic viability for tomorrow's workers, as well as strengthening teaching and helping
schools change In a rapidly changing world, basic education is essential for an individual be able
to access and apply information. Such ability must find include ICTs in the global village.
Conventional teaching has emphasized content.
For many years course have been written around textbooks. Teachers have taught
through lectures and presentations interspersed with tutorials and learning activities designed to
consolidate and rehearse the content. Contemporary settings are now favoring curriculum that
promote competency and performance. Curriculum is starting to emphasize capabilities and to be
concerned more with how the information will be used than with what the information is.
Contemporary ICTs are able to provide strong support for all these requirements and there are
now many outstanding examples of world class settings for competency and performance-based
curricula that make sound use of the affordances of these technologies. The integration of
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information and communication technologies can help revitalize teachers and students. This can
help to improve and develop the quality of education by providing curricular support in difficult
subject areas. To achieve these objectives, teachers need to be involved in collaborative projects
and development of intervention change strategies, which would include teaching partnerships
with ICT as a tool.
Benefits of ICT in Modern Classroom
According to research the following are the advantages of ICT assisted teaching over
traditional classroom teaching;
1. Interaction with teachers can be structured and managed through online communication to
provide greater access and flexibility for both students and teacher.
2. Information previously available only through a teacher or instructor is accessible on
demand through computers and internet.
3. Well designed multimedia learning materials can be more effective than the traditional
classroom methods. Because students learn more easily and quickly through illustrations,
animation, different structuring of material, and increased control of interaction with
learning materials.
4. Learners are able to access high quality teaching and learning at any time and place.
5. Computer mediated communication can facilitate team teaching , use of guest faculty from
other institution and multi-cultural and international classes
6. New technologies can be designed to develop and facilitating higher order learning skills
such as problem solving, decision making and critical thinking.
Holvig and Crisci (2001) provide the following evident insupport of the use of ICT. :
1. Empowerment: Students feel more power in hand
2. Engagement : Students get to collect data and analyze them
3. Authenticity : students feel that technology has helped them
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4. Leading with technology: Students feel ICT will give them an edge in the later part of
their life.
ICT and secondaryeducation
ICT increases the flexibility of delivery of education so that learners can access
knowledge anytime and from anywhere. It can influence the way students are taught and how
they learn as now the processes are learner driven and not by teachers. This in turn would better
prepare the learners for lifelong learning as well as to improve the quality of learning. In concert
with geographical flexibility, technology-facilitated educational programs also remove many of
the temporal constraints that face learners with special needs. Students are starting to appreciate
the capability to undertake education anywhere, anytime and anyplace. One of the most vital
contributions of ICT in the field of education is- Easy Access to Learning. With the help of ICT,
students can now browse through e-books, sample examination papers, previous year papers etc.
and can also have an easy access to resource persons, mentors, experts, researchers,
professionals, and peers-all over the world. more learners who previously were constrained by
other commitments ICT enhancing learning Environment ICT presents an entirely new learning
environment for students, thus requiring a different skill set to be successful. Critical thinking,
research, and evaluation skills are growing in importance as students have increasing volumes of
information from a variety of sources to sort. ICT is changing processes of teaching and learning
by adding elements of vitality to learning environments including virtual environments for the
six purpose. ICT is a potentially powerful tool for offering educational opportunities. It is
difficult and maybe even impossible to imagine future learning environments that are not
supported, in one way or another, by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
When looking at the current widespread diffusion and use of ICT in modern societies, especially
by the young the so-called digital generation then it should be clear that ICT will affect the
complete learning process today and in the future. Authenticity is an important issue which
should be addressed in the design and development of learning environments. Learning
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environments need to reflect the potential uses of knowledge that pupils are expected to master,
in order to prevent the acquired knowledge from becoming inert. In addition, teachers should
stimulate pupils to engage in active knowledge construction. This calls for open-ended learning
environments instead of learning environments which focus on a mere transmission of facts. ICT
may contribute to creating powerful learning environments in numerous ways. ICT enhancing
learning motivation ICTs can enhance the quality of education in several ways, by increasing
learner motivation and engagement, by facilitating the acquisition of basic skills, and by
enhancing teacher training. ICTs are also transformational tools which, when used appropriately,
can promote the shift to a learner centered environment. ICTs, especially computers and Internet
technologies, enable new ways of teaching and learning rather than simply allow teachers and
students to do what they have done before in a better way. ICT has an impact not only on what
students should learn, but it also plays a major role on how the students should learn. Along with
a shift of curricula from “content-centered” to “competence-based”, the mode of curricula
delivery has now shifted from “teacher centered” forms of delivery to “student-centred” forms of
delivery. ICT provides Motivation to Learn. ICTs such as videos, television and multimedia
computer software that combine text, sound, and colorful moving images can be used to provide
challenging and authentic content that will engage the student in the learning process. Interactive
radio likewise makes use of sound effects, songs, dramatizations, comic skits, and other
performance conventions to compel the students to listen and become more involved in the
lessons being delivered. Some of the parents of the respondents opined that their children were
feeling more motivated than before in such type of teaching in the classroom rather than the
stereotype 45 minutes lecture. They were of the view that this type of learning process is much
more effective than the monotonous monologue classroom situation where the teacher just
lectures from a raised platform and the students just listen to the teacher.
ICT changes the characteristics of problems and learning tasks, and hence play an
important task as mediator of cognitive development, enhancing the acquisition of generic
cognitive competencies as essential for life in our knowledge society. Students using ICTs for
learning purposes become immersed in the process of learning and as more and more students
use computers as information sources and cognitive tools, the influence of the technology on
supporting how students learn will continue to increase. ICT enhancing the scholastic
performance Based on the extensive usage of ICTs in education the need appeared to unravel the
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myth that surrounds the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as an aid to
teaching and learning, and the impact it has on students’ academic performance. ICTs are said to
help expand access to education, strengthen the relevance of education to the increasingly digital
workplace, and raise educational quality. However, the experience of introducing different ICTs
in the classroom and other educational settings all over the world over the past several decades
suggests that the full realization of the potential educational benefits of ICT. The direct link
between ICT use and students’ academic performance has been the focus of extensive literature
during the last two decades. ICT helps students to their learning by improving the
communication between them and the instructors. The analysis of the effects of the
methodological and technological innovations on the students’ attitude towards the learning
process and on students’ performance seems to be evolving towards a consensus, according to
which an appropriate use of digital technologies in 8 educations can have significant positive
effects both on students’ attitude and their achievement. Research has shown that the appropriate
use of ICTs can catalyze the paradigmatic shift in both content and pedagogy that is at the heart
of education reform in the 21st century.
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Contributions of ICT in commerce education
The role ICT in commerce education goes for beyond the direct use of instructional
devices. IT can provide coverage of a growing knowledgebase associate with the information
explosion in all areas including commerce ICT can meaning fully communicate all type of
information in graphics text audio and video. ICT provide also a broad diversity of learning
activities.Commerce is subject which has more practical implications. Without updating, one
commerce student cannot succeed in a world which changes day by day. ICTs for education
refers to the development of information and communications technology specifically for
teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in education involves the adoption of general
components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process.
The adoption and use of ICTs in education have a positive impact on teaching, learning, and
research. ICT can affect the delivery of education and enable wider access to the same. In
addition, it will increase flexibility so that learners can access the education regardless of time
and geographical barriers. It can influence the way students are taught and how they learn. It
would provide the rich environment and motivation for teaching learning process which seems to
have a profound impact on the process of learning in education by offering new possibilities for
learners and teachers. These possibilities can have an impact on student performance and
achievement. Similarly wider availability of best practices and best course material in education,
which can be shared by means of ICT, can foster better teaching and improved academic
achievement of students.
This part deals with various measures through which ICT can be clubbed in learning
teaching process. a) E-Learning The term E-Learning is derived from, electronic learning and
refers to technology based learning or the electronic delivery of learning. It covers a wide range
of distributed knowledge applications and processes, including computer based learning, web
based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration. Thus E-Learning includes the
delivery of content via all electronic media, including the internet ,intranets, extranet, satellite
broadcast ,audio/video tapes, interactive TV and CD –ROM.The term Online Learning although
sometimes used interchangeably with E-Learning .it refers more precisely to web based learning
,which constitutes just one part of the technology based learning spectrum; learning via internet.
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Learning is a combination of learning services and technology to provide high quality integrated
learning at any time and any place. It results from a new blend of resources, interactivity,
performance and structured learning activities .The methodology followed in ELearning makes
use of various technologies to enhance the quality of the learning process, by helping full
realization of the educational objectives aimed at and by catering to the needs of a more diverse
learner population with minimal expenditure. b) Internet is a network of network where
thousands of computers are connected to a worldwide network through a common
communication protocol. Internet is the world’s wonder network carrying information on almost
any subject under the sun .It is known as the Information superhighway. People exchange many
types of information in all social contexts on the internet. Libraries and reference books are
accessed through internet .The internet stretches throughout the world with points of access at
libraries in thousands of universities and colleges. c) PowerPoint Presentation Power point is one
of the most powerful presentation –software’s developed by the Microsoft Corporation.
Presentation software’s are used to present an idea, topic message, lecture, information etc. on a
subject in front of an audience using computersystem and LCD projector. In power point
software, the teachers and students can develop their own slides in the subject of interest. The
term SLIDE is used in power point denotes the presentation programme files .A slide can be
made more attractive and catching by combining pictures, graphics, audio and video clips. d)
Interactive Cd ROM CD Rom (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) are the storage media used to
record, retrieve, read and replay the digitally formatted content of programmes and packages The
content or topic to be taught are programmed and stored in the CDs with multimedia features and
effect.
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CONCLUSION
ICT support is essential for holistic development of schools in the North West Province thereby
empowering managers, SGB members, educators, learners and the wider community? This
support may take place with appropriate policies and strategies of implementation to empower
every stakeholder in delivering the expected services to the nation using quality resources
including ICT.Educators are currently busy familiarising themselves with the changes in the new
curriculum andadapting themselves to the requirements of new trends in subject teaching.
Educators are fullyoccupied and find little or no time to devote to integration of Information and
Communication
Technology in teaching. Therefore, a holistic approach from the Department is vital for schools
to develop fully as expected. School Management Team (SMT) members, Commerce subject
educators and other subjecteducators need specialized support to integrate ICT in teaching as
well as to empower themselves with new ways of reducing paperwork and to concentrate on
improving the quality of teaching. Technical support services are vital to the ongoing viable ICT
empowerment of educators and learners. The following could be identified as important
competencies to be developed among ICT specialist Commerce subject educators: installation,
operation, and maintenance of ICT equipment such as motherboard, memory chips, processor,
modem, mouse,
sound cards, network cards, and the like. Schools require better physical conditions to promote
an environment conducive for positive teaching and learning. ICT specialists are required to
assist Commerce subject educators to effectively integrate ICT with the purpose of improving
quality of education by changing traditional approaches of teaching into the 21st century
knowledge-based, information rich, technologically advanced and highly competitive global
society of which South Africa is part.
Larry Cuban from the United Kingdom once remarked that new technologies do not change
schools; rather schools have to change before they can make effective use of new technologies
(Scott & Pack, 2001). This implies many things: firstly, technologies per se do not make changes
in schools, rather, schools are to change themselves by making use of such technologies;second,
the responsibility of making decisions about changes rests solely on school
administrators.
The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centered learning settings. But
with the world moving rapidly into digital media and information, the role of ICT in education is
becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in the
21st century. Education policymakers widely accept that improved access to information and
communication technology (ICT) in education can help individuals to compete in a global
economy by creating a skilled work force and facilitating social mobility.
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Reference:
1. Commerce Education EK LAL, Ed.2014
2. ICT Strategies for Schools , Neharika Vohra, Ed.2006
3. Teaching of commerce, Dr. SwotiDoshi, Ed.2012
Websites
1. http://www.uis.unesco.org/Communication/Documents/ICT-arab-states-en
2. https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ICT_Education/Keyin_Integrating_ICTs_in_Education.