THE USE OF ICT IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Nadia W

Schools, Universities and Colleges

ICT systems are being used more and more in educational institutions. ICT systems are

especially helpful in the learning of the disabled. Students with disabilities tend to

progress at a slower pace than their more able counterparts.

One of the benefits of using computers in teaching and learning the disabled is that

computers don’t criticize the students, being very patient regardless of the speed of

learning the student demonstrates. Computers can be programmed to vary the speed at

which students go through materials and also alter the level of difficulty based on

previous responses. Students can repeat sections over and over again which would not

be otherwise possible except with the most patient of teachers.

Computer-aided assessment and Record Keeping

Teachers are able to monitor the progress of each students using computer-aided

assessment as well as providing students with feedback. Progress can also be recorded

for teachers to examine them whenever they way. This impacts society because data can

be transferred from school to different schools.

Antisocial use of ICT

There is a risk of students hacking into systems and amending results or question

papers, so precautions are essential.

Examination Boards

Examination boards now use online marking systems to mark examination papers. The

papers are scanned by workers at the examination board and then put onto a server –

this is accessed by the examiner using special marking software. The computer adds the

marks together to arrive at the total.

Antisocial use of ICT

Hackers could get into the system and access student records. However, since all marks

are encrypted and the systems are equipped with firewall, it should be impossible to

gain access to the marks in anything other than an unintelligible form.