ICT in Education
ICT in Education What is ICT? ICT is a term that can be translated as "Information and Communication Technology" or "Information and Communication Technology". It is a word that is increasingly replacing Information Technology (IT). ICT is a word that is attracting a lot of attention. Some of you may not be familiar with it. However, if you look around the world, ICT is widely spread and the word "ICT" is commonly used instead of "IT. Let's learn together about "ICT in Education," which is attracting attention not only in the educational field but also in the IT industry. Table of Contents is here 1. What is ICT education? 2. Advantages of ICT Education 3. Disadvantages of ICT Education 4. Necessity and Prospects of ICT Education 1. What is ICT Education? ICT education refers to educational methods that utilize the Internet and other information and communication technologies, such as PCs, smartphones, and tablet terminals, etc. The history of ICT education began in 2005, when the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology developed it as a teaching method to realize "easy-to-understand classes" for students. This ICT education aims to improve children's independent and collaborative learning and academic skills through the effective use of ICT in educational instruction. In fact, many schools that have adopted this teaching method have reported improvements in students' motivation to learn and academic performance. Why is ICT education necessary now? The reason has to do with the rapid development of information and communication technology. In order to cope with the rapidly changing modern society, "the ability to utilize information" is becoming more and more important. The demand for "ICT education" has been attracting attention in recent years for the purpose of equipping children with "basic knowledge" so that they can independently select, utilize, and manage information and its means. Today, the Internet has become widespread and information is easily accessible. As technology advances in the future, it will become more important to know how to gather information efficiently, rather than to have knowledge as was done in conventional education. 2. Advantages of ICT Education ICT education is attracting attention because it has many advantages for both the children who receive education and the teachers. Easy-to-understand classes ➡Digital tools make it possible to conduct easy-to-understand classes that utilize images and videos for questions and explanations, thereby increasing students' interest and motivation for learning. ➡In addition, the ability to conduct proactive and cooperative classes using tablets, rather than one-way classes from the teacher, also increases students' motivation to learn. ➡It becomes easier for students to actively participate in class. ➡It is possible to appeal to the visual and auditory senses using ICT to convey information that is difficult to convey using textual information alone, making it possible to promote efficient learning while having fun. Even students who are reluctant to raise their hands and speak up can easily participate actively in collaborative editing using PCs. ➡Teachers can conduct classes efficiently. ➡Using PCs and tablets, teachers can expect to reduce the time spent on writing on the board and the time required to prepare handouts. ➡Because they will be dealing with electronic data instead of paper, they will be able to use information more easily, and by using the Internet, they will be able to purchase information faster, which will lead to time savings in their work. Since the data is electronic, it will be easier for faculty members to share information such as materials used. Become familiar with digital devices ➡Digital devices are now indispensable in business. Students will be able to use digital devices that are necessary in society at an early stage. 3. Disadvantages of ICT education As convenient as ICT equipment is, it must be managed and breakdowns must be handled. In addition, care must be taken to prevent information leaks, etc. These factors increase the burden on teachers. It is feared that these factors will increase the burden on teachers. ➡Burden of purchasing terminals ➡When introducing ICT education, it is necessary to purchase specialized equipment. If the equipment is purchased privately, it will be the responsibility of the parents. In addition, costs are also incurred for possible equipment problems that may occur during use, repairs in the event of breakdowns, and the purchase of replacement devices. ➡This may be a burden for teachers who are not familiar with electronic devices. For teachers, it is anticipated that they will be uncomfortable with electronic devices and will not know how to use them well. There is also concern that students' thinking and creativity will decline. ➡While using ICT devices improves learning efficiency, students develop a habit of using the Internet to quickly look up anything, which may lead to a decline in students' thinking and imagination. These are the typical disadvantages of ICT education. 4. Necessity and Prospects of ICT Education ICT education has many advantages, but it also has hidden disadvantages. However, as mentioned above, ICT can be expected to be an effective learning tool in terms of improving class understanding and motivating students to engage in class. So, in what situations will the introduction of ICT be useful for children in the future? As times change and technology advances, ICT will be indispensable in most jobs by the time today's children enter the workforce. Therefore, it is very important to provide opportunities to think about ICT by creating an educational environment that uses ICT. Because they grow up in an educational environment that is in tune with the times, they will be able to use the knowledge they acquire. The introduction of ICT is considered necessary to create an environment in which children will be happy to have received a Japanese education in the future. In the future, parents themselves will need to be flexible and adaptable to the changes of the times, rethinking the nature of education and the way they raise their children. The goal of ICT is not the digitization of education, but the development of an educational environment that makes use of digital technology. One of the objectives of education is to "foster creativity," and if this were the goal, ICT in education utilizing IT and the Internet might not be essential. However, it is very important to acquire knowledge and gain various experiences through the use of IT and the Internet, and if the power of the Internet is utilized to the maximum extent, the creativity of each student will be further enhanced. As the Internet will become commonplace in the information society of the future, I believe that the use of ICT as a tool is one of the skills that should be learned during the school education period. Conclusion ICT in education means sharing information and knowledge between "people and people" and "people and things" respectively, utilizing "information transmission technology" and "information and communication technology". While education offers unprecedented possibilities and efficiency in learning, it also presents many challenges. With the change from analog to digital technology, our daily life and learning environment are constantly changing into something new and more advanced and convenient. In order to survive in the coming era, the term "ICT" will become more familiar to us and will penetrate deeper into our lives. ICT in education can be thought of as "the maintenance, development, and operation of digital educational environments," rather than "the digitalization of education.