The document discusses the importance of technology in education. It notes that while most developing countries struggle to equip schools with basic technology, mobile phones offer a more affordable solution. It also points out that policymakers sometimes lack the capacity to create ICT education policies and that technologies can help promote inclusive education by reaching disadvantaged groups and reducing inequalities. Additionally, ICT can help enrich educational content and make more resources available, though quality assurance and reform are needed to fully realize the benefits.

1. IMPORTANCE
OF
TECHNOLOGY
IN
EDUCATION
BAGUIO , CHRISTINE R.
(M-F 9:30-10:30AM)
2015

2. HOW IMPORTANT IS
TECHNOLOGY IN
EDUCATION?

3. Affordability
• : Most developing countries are struggling to
equip schools with basic ICT devices and
digital resources. However mobile phones
offer a more affordable solution that makes
use of existing devices to connect teachers,
students, parents and administrators, as well
as to promote literacy.

4. Capacities
• National policy-makers sometimes lack the
capacity to formulate ICT in education
policies. In developing countries, both the
technical and pedagogical capacities of
ministries of education for managing and
implementing ICT in education programmes
are often low.

5. Inclusion
• : Poor people, people living in rural areas,
disabled people and other disadvantaged
groups typically receive low-quality
education, even though they have special
educational needs. The challenge is to ensure
that the introduction of ICT favours inclusive
education and reduces inequalities.

6. Content
• : ICT integration enriches the process of
educational content development and
dissemination by making far more content
and teaching models available to learners
and educators. Open educational resources
(OERs) hold significant potential to accelerate
free access to knowledge and facilitate the
adaptation of content to local needs and
languages.

7. Quality assurance
• : ICT can help foster knowledge deepening
and creation, problem-solving and other 21st
century skills, but the curriculum systems of
most developing countries have not been
duly reformed to embrace those new
learning outcomes. As reforms take place,
issues such as the quality of ICT-based
learning and the safety of children online
need to be addressed.