The impact of ICTs on Learning and Teaching

The use of ICT in teaching and learning situation promote active learning and authentic assessment. Educators can use ICT to design learning activities that can give learners hands-on activities using different assessment activities (using performance based activities).
ICT may be used to support learners to design and produce their own knowledge representations thereby engage with powerful learning experience. The New Curriculum Statement (NCS) Learning Outcomes are measured by the Assessment Standards i.e. the learner must achieve certain Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards for example, in Mathematics, LO5: Data Handling AS6;the learner must be able to collect, analyse, organize, and represent data effectively and appropriately. This lessons can be interesting when using the ICT, Micro-soft Excel, as it gives learners the opportunity to draw different graphs, bar graphs, pre charts, etc.

Unlike in the Mathematics textbooks, in the book learners must read the information and represent it on the graph. It does not motivate and challenge learners. While when working on computers the learner can work on this information having a lot to choose from and challenging activities. Educators can make use of Micro-soft Excel to create activities and design graphs. The learner can work on computers being motivated and get immediate feedback. They can sent their work to groups for review using Face book. ICT offers support to learning and teaching environment by providing learning environments that are more learner-centred, knowledge-centred, assessment centre, and community-centred. ICT has multimedia tools that help to provide more motivating and challenging learning experiences that encourage learning experiences that help to encourage learners to be more engaged with their learning, for example, AUTHOREWARE Software, help educators to create and design activities that engage learners and support the development of higher-level thinking skills and independent learning.

Are there sufficient resources available in schools to cater for all Learning Areas and for learners?