ICT Challenge

1. Informationandcommunicationtechnologies(ICT) are indispensabletoolsforanyorganizationtostay
competitive and play their role efficiently and effectively. A significance gain is achievable by
organizations, which adopt and implement ICT successfully. In the education sector, ICT is also a
potential tool to deliver high quality education and prepare students for the information era
Whencomputers,aspart of ICT, integrate intothe educational system, severalexpectationswillarise
suchas a reductionof teachers’effortstodeliverknowledge,achievementof bettervisualization,and
encouragement of students’ motivation.
However,integrationof ICTineducationisacomplex idea,whichpractical interpretationinterpreted
is a significant outcome
As other developing countries, our country here has no proper technological infrastructures like
developed countries. Therefore, efficient strategies are crucial to improve the usage of ICT in the
Namibiaprimaryschoolseffectively.IntegratingICTintoclassroomimprovesthe usage of technology
inourprimaryschools.However,some barriers,whichpreventasuccessful ICTimplementationinthe
primary schools, still prevail.
However, I suggest the following solutions to help the aforementioned challenges
(1) Teachers should have faith that the use of technology would enhance the effectiveness of their
goals, which is unachievable through ordinary means,
(2) They shouldalsobelieve thatthe use of technologywouldnothamperthe otherhigh-level goals
they want to accomplish, and
(3) Theyshouldbelievethattheyhavefullcommandonavailableresourcesandhave enoughpotential
for effectively utilizing ICT.
Statingthat a positive perceptionof studentsandteacherstothe value of ICTwill encourage themto
use ICT.Therefore,understandingtheteachers’perceptiontowardICTwill helpthe decisionmakerto
make plans on how the teachers will adopt ICT in their teaching activities.
Professionaldevelopmentforteacherswasconsideredasacritical factorinthe successfulintegration
of ICT in schools.
Teachersshouldhave ‘technologysupported-pedagogyknowledge’whichisrequiredwhentheyplan
to integrate ICT in classrooms.
By this knowledge, teachers may ask students to write their assignments in a word processor
document rather than submitting a hand-written paper. The teachers may also give art assignments
drawn on graphic software or a 2D/3D modeling software.
Trainingteachersenableteachingin‘student-centeredway’anddevelop‘individuallearningprogram’
for theirstudents.Theyalsoencourage the studentstoworkindependently on their own computer
Atwhole school level,adequatetechnical support,effectivetimetabling,supportfromseniorstaffor
principal and adequate equipment, such as whiteboards in classroom are key factors.
To sumup,basicand general ICTtrainingforall primaryschool teachersisrequiredandofferedatthe
national level bythe governmentof the KSA.More advancedandspecificICTtrainingshouldbe atthe
school level and with its subjects determined by each school requirements.
By Joseph. Xcellenx