Information Communication Technology in Relation to High School Teachers in Education Policy - Essay Example

ICT Educational policy Institution: Name: Date: Information Communication Technology in relation to high school Teachers in Education Policy in Saudi Arabia Introduction-origins In several sections of the world, computers have been commonly in use in education precisely for the past approximately 25 years. However, that was never the case with Saudi Arabia. Computer skills in Saudi Arabia were introduced as a subject around 1980. However, the actual learning and teaching of the subjects started at around 1990 (Al-Khathalan p1). The government education policy has pushed such expansions. The policy includes the software and hardware to schools as well as the offering trainings to the policy executers. The policy executers here are the head teachers and the teachers. The training is fundamental in that it helps the management of schools to change their learning and teaching practices. To successfully incorporate ICT in education, teaches are required to change their pedagogical approach. A number of teachers, however, do not welcome the while idea. This is because it necessitates the usage of ICT that is more direct in teaching practice as well as bringing change to the teaching practice they currently have. ICT use changes the situation of learning from one that is teacher-centred to a learning situation that is more personalized. A teacher-centred situation is whereby the teacher sets the educational aims and targets. A personalized learning situation, on the other hand, refers to students having a bigger role to shape the learning and teaching experiences they have had (Al-Khathalan p1). Implementation Recently, due to the increased pace of technology advances teachers in Saudi Arabia are encouraged to routinely make use of information Communication Technology (ICT) while teaching (Blamire & Balanskat, 2005).. This is as a result of the ICT developments put in schools by the government. A teacher who was seen to resist the change is thought to underestimate the ICT program potential in education. The resistance, however, is seen as resulting from lack of clarity and ambiguity of the ICT policies by the government. The government sets targets and state aims but does not provide assistance, suitable guidance or training of achieving the targets or fulfilling the aims. For instance, the policy of UK ICT refers to a computer as “a learning tool” but fails to focus on the manner in which computers can be used to serve the purpose. (Blamire & Balanskat, 2005). To make it easy for teachers to be reluctant in using computers, the training by the government has to have its focus not just in the skills of ICT but on raising the awareness about advantages of ICT use. If they fail to appreciate that, they may continue resisting ICT in the teaching practice. The inadequacies that exist in training pulls back the Saudi teachers from competently making use of ICT while teaching as much as the software and the hardware maybe available. It is clear, from previous researches that innovations in education do not usually succeed if a teacher is not provided with the knowledge and skills of carrying them out. According to the British studies, when teachers are insufficiently trained, there will be low confidence in the use of ICT resources that is in a wide range. When teachers do not feel confident in the use of various ICT applications, their lessons delivery is inevitably affected. This, therefore, prevents them from utilizing the resources that are available (Cox et al. 2003). The lack of ICT skills training of the Saudi teachers and the lack of awareness of the advantages they have during their teaching tend to hinder successful educational innovation introduction. If the government offers more training to the teachers, the attitudes of the teachers towards the usage of information communication technology may change (Cox et al. 2003). Studies show that some teachers who were willing to change had ICT experiences that were successful in teaching. The teachers were able to pass through a number of obstacles because of the confidence they had in the advantages of computer use in education that were promised (Cox et al. 2003). It is clear that a teacher plays an essential role in hindering or promoting the ICT usage in classrooms. Teachers have the capacity of influencing the attitudes of the students towards the use of ICT in the environment of learning. In that sense, it is, therefore, crucial to appreciate and understand the attitudes of the teachers, as well as their perceptions of computers. This is meant to ensure that each student has unprejudiced and equal experience of ICT when learning. The information communication technology global adoption in the education fraternity has been often premised (Cuckle & Clarke, 2003). This happens on new technological tools potential in revolutionising and improving the system of education. It prepares students for the age of information and accelerates the efforts of national development. The current implementation plans for technology is not their only focus in reference to the technology potential per se. They also focus on the failures they have made in the implementation of the policies of education. Every education policy in Saudi Arabia is subjected to the control by the government. The curriculum, textbooks and syllabus are uniform throughout the entire country. Education administration is controlled by via two agencies that are the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education. In 1985, ICT was introduced in Saudi Arabia as a subject in the special secondary schools that were advanced. The program was introduced via three subjects: Programming in BASIC, system programming and computer science. The program systems success encouraged the Education Ministry in 1991 to make an introduction of computer studies and incorporated it in the curriculum in every secondary school of boys and later of girls making it a compulsory subject. The subject had to classes every week, and the classes lasted for two hours. By then, computer studies already existed in the public schools curriculum at both secondary and primary schools though optional (Cuckle & Clarke, 2003). The ICT policy in Saudi Arabia came up with six solid objectives of implementing the project: 1. To develop the skills of the students by using and exploiting information technology in education. This thereby effectively prepared students for the future in a manner that was effective. 2. To improve the potential of teachers by using IT in every educational activity. 3. To provide an environment that is information rich, scientific content as well as an educational source for teachers and students. 4. Improving the educational process outcome by graduating future students generation that are outstanding who have captured the IT use. 5. To venture in nucleus creation for an information technology industry that is advanced in the kingdom. 6. Creation of benefits awareness that is comprehensive of employing IT in disseminating knowledge and education of IT throughout the entire society. (tatweer.edu 2005). The educational ICT policy covers both the students under the Ministry of Education supervision and the society members as well. The society members are covered through the ICT club in the Education Ministry. The ‘after school’ social clubs in Saudi Arabia begun to offer the ICT services in 1996 and they are based in the computer labs of the secondary schools. Since the existing computers of the school and technology that was latest were made use, the expenses of building a new computer lab were saved (Al-Zahrani, 2001). The ICT educational policy of Saudi Arabia takes into account every involved stakeholder. The stakeholders get involved with computers in the implementation of education (Cuckle & Clarke, 2003).. Teachers are viewed as the most fundamental stakeholders. The government policy on ICT is therefore seen to give to the computer training of the teachers. This happens as much as the government emphasizes the importance of the program to students, offering them several opportunities of training or rather boosting their skills in ICT. The Ministry of Education currently runs a new scheme called the Jehazi project. The project enables every teacher to poses his or her laptop. Other equipment that the project allows the teachers to possess includes scanners and printers. The teachers are therefore allowed to access the equipment and prices that are reasonable with no required deposits and easy to clear the settlements. The project has got three key objectives: 1. Raising awareness about technology to the Saudi teachers. 2. Increasing the number of trained teachers in ICT use 3. Increasing the number of users of the internet among teachers and preparing them as well to utilize the electronic government. The advantages of the scheme include free 128MB flash drive, a laptop, free laser mouse, free internet subscription for a whole year. It also incorporates free annual subscription to computer magazines that are special, free laser mouse, and a free course trained for six hours at a computer training centre of the new horizon (Jehaazi.com 2006). Saudi Arabian ICT future is promising. This is because the promotion of the usage and awareness of ICT in every daily life aspect, with education included, is currently a national policy rather than a policy of the education fraternity. The objective of the ICT policy of education in Saudi Arabia According to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education, the policy aims at ensuring that education is more efficient, in meeting the social, economic and religious needs of the country and eradicating illiteracy among the adults in Saudi. The ICT policy within the National Project makes the education policy operational. The ICT policy as well provides more details and information about the objectives of the education policy. As much as every objective exists, the policy executers may not be aware of them. The policy executers in this sense refer to teachers and head teachers. Such objectives and aims however made very clear to students because they are expected to fulfil these outcomes: 1. Preparing students to live in environments that are technologically advanced. Where databases and computers form the basis for development works hence encouraging the expansion of such the 2. Developing the mental skills of students like creativity, problem-solving, organising, information analysis and understanding. Development of the potential of students viausing computers as educational tools. 3. Strengthen team work spirit among students via group work and 4. Enabling students to acknowledge and appreciate the relevance of computers in a society that is developed. This helps them realize the practical computer application ( Al-Wakeel el al, 2005) The Saudi Arabian kingdom like any other country that is developing lacks technological infrastructures like countries that are developed. Efficient strategies of implementing the education and ICT policy are essential. Incorporation of ICT implementation in schools especially primary still prevails. Communication and information technologies have changed and influenced several modern life aspects, including education. Developed countries teachers are expected to utilise ICT more and extend its use above special subjects. In education, the systematic ICT use has become very essential due to the varying roles it can play. And the advantages it has promised for the learning and teaching process. ICT has gained relevance in schools because of the various possibilities of it offering education. ICT, according to students and teachers, can increase lesson enjoyments hence making learning attractive hence increasing motivation and attention. ICT moreover offers a student individualised learning possibility and learning experiences according to abilities and needs. This thus brings an increase in learning. ICT offers educational methods that are new which helps ones currently practiced. Further, ICT will be expected to play, in the future, a big role of changing traditional classrooms and the students role from a single manager,, collaborator and facilitator in the process of learning (Al-Halag, 1998). Additionally, enhancing learning and increased motivate many literature exist on the perceived ICT advantages in education (Al-Khathlan, 2007). The ICT interactivity is essential and rationalises its role in teaching because it offers feedback on the performance they made. It also gives a student an ability to reflect on his or her ideas, revise and test his or her understanding and as well reporting his or her progress. ICT in Saudi Arabia was meant to offer students and teachers huge knowledge volume access literarily at the fingertips of the students. The students are thus provided with opportunities of expanding their knowledge and becoming a part of a world that is learning. As much as it is important to identify how information communication technology is utilized within classrooms, it is more essential to the reasons why teachers use it, however little. It is also essential to identify the factors that motivate and support the use of information communication technology. Granger el al. (2002) conducted an Interview on the head teachers and teachers in four separate schools. There are several emerging conditions in that sense that were identified. The conditions gave support to successful ICT use in learning and teaching depending on the social perspectives. Barriers and challenges to the usage of ICT in Teaching. ICT barriers in relation to education policy could be either school related or teacher related. The most obvious and common barrier at teacher level is the attitude of teachers towards technology. Other barriers include lack of time, the resistance of the teacher to change, lack of proper skill and knowledge and final resistance to change. The most common and essential barriers that are of teacher level include the attitude of the teachers in reference to technology, the resistance of the teachers to change. Other challenges include lack of time, the lack of confidence of teachers, and the resistance of a teacher to change (Al-Khathlan, 2007). Conclusion The government of Saudi Arabia has over the years strived to see that ICT programs are incorporated within the education system of the kingdom. ICT is very essential in that it helps both the students and teachers o e advanced. The program, however, faces a number of barriers or challenges that affect the implementation of the project. References Al-Khathlan, M. (2007). The Extent of Achieving the Aims of ICT Introduction in Intermediate Curriculum Project from the View of Head teachers, Supervisors, and Teachers, MA, King Saud University. Al-Khathlan (2007). "The Effects of Attitudes, Pedagogical Practices and Teachers' Roles on the Incorporation of ICT into the School Curriculum," in Information and Communication Technology And the Teacher of the Future , C. Dowling & K. Lai, eds., Springer, pp. 145-158. Blamire, R. & Balanskat, A. (2005). Equipped, Trained...And Now What? Trends andissues in elearning in European school systems, European Schoolnet, 1.1 Cuckle, P. & Clarke, S. (2003). "Secondary School Teacher Mentors' and Student Teachers' Views on the Value of Information and Communications Technology in Teaching", Technology, Pedagogy and Education, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 377-391. Granger, C. A., Morbey, M. L., Lotherington, H., Owston, R. D., & Wideman, H. H. (2002). "Factors Contributing to Teachers' Successful Implementation of ICT", Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, vol. 18, pp. 480-488. Mulhim, E. (2014).The Barriers to the Use of ICT in Teaching in Saudi Arabia: A Review of Literature. Universal Journal of Educational Research2 (6): 487-493, 201. Oyaid, A. (2009) Education Policy in Saudi Arabia and its Relation to Secondary School Teachers’ ICT Use, Perceptions, and Views of the Future of ICT in Education. Retrieved April 6th, 2015. Read More