Lesson 1
ICT National or International Policies That are
Applicable to Teaching and Learning
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Understand ICT in Education
• Define basic concepts in understanding ICT in Education
• Enumerate the national ICT policies affecting classroom practices
Time Frame 2 days
Introduction
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can impact student learning
when teachers are digitally literate and understand how to integrate it into the curriculum.
When you want every student to enumerate national ICT policies, each time you teach,
understanding the existing and planned national policies related to ICT, may help you
achieve your goal. You will find the answers to this question in this lesson.
Activity
1. Write down the policies and suggest what to do to implement the ICT in
Education policy first at the national level (all schools) and then how to
implement the policy in our classroom.
2. Individuals prepare a presentation for class discussion.
Analysis
ICTs are not only an instructional means to provide prerequisite learning activities;
they offer an exploratory space where the learner is in charge. Write down a list of the
international and national ICTs as a learning tool you think can improve quality in
education.
Abstraction
The international policymakers join forces to successfully implement ICT in
educational practice to address the individual needs of students, the implications
of technology for student assessment, and teacher learning to successfully implement
technology (Voogt, 2013). A National ICT Policy is a policy put into place so that the
government and stakeholders can have access to information that is committed to
bringing digital technology to all individuals and communities.
The provision of ICT to academic staff and students is critical to recommend them
to more effective learning environments. By overcoming the needs and reinforcing the
functional aspects, it may help decision-makers to employ academic staff on an
investigation of the status of the developments of ICT in improving the teaching and
learning environment in educational institutions. (Alzahrani, 2017).
The ability of policymakers to innovate on related policy issues outperform
technological innovations because it changes and evolves. Different institutions in
different countries formulated and proposed policies in various forms. Lack of rigorous
and significant evidence complicates the attempts to outline impactful ICT/education
policies.
The World Bank’s Systems Assessment for Better Education Results (SABER)
initiative, as part of their work, attempts to document national educational technology
policies around the world and their evolution over time. Policymakers try to benchmark
their policies on ICT use in education against international norms, so a related SABER-
ICT policy framework has been developed. Likewise, those of comparator countries
around the world, identify key themes and characteristics, draw on an analysis of their
policy documents.
There are eight policy themes around the world that are commonly identified in
educational technology policies; (1) vision and planning; (2) ICT infrastructure; (3)
teachers; (4) skills and competencies; (5) learning resources; (6) EMIS; (7) monitoring
and evaluation; and (8) equity, inclusion, and safety. The framework only considers
policy intent but not the extent to which policies are realized in practice, nor the impact
of such policies. The policymakers are challenged to offer useful related policy guidance
for rapid developments and innovations in the technology sector (Trucano, 2016).
SABER-ICT policy framework may find useful by policymakers as a means to help
their country benchmark the current state of related policy development. It can look
forward to potential future policy directions and gain inspiration from other countries.
There are two official documents wherein Policy on the use of ICTs in the
Philippine basic education system is articulated. The Medium-Term Development Plan
of the Philippines (MTPDP) 2004-2010. The MTPDP states:
“ICT will be harnessed as a powerful enabler of capacity development. It will,
therefore, be targeted directly towards specific development goals like ensuring basic
education for all and lifelong learning, among others” (National Economic Development
Authority, 2004a, p. 2)
and the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), that stipulates the following goal of
Philippine primary education:
“We must educate our Filipino learners to filter information critically, seek credible
sources of knowledge, and use data and facts creatively so that they can survive,
overcome poverty, raise their personal and national esteem, and realize a gracious life in
our risky new world.” (p. i)
The Philippine government, especially the Department of Education and
Department of Science and Technology, has forwarded ICT educations through policies
and projects. The Restructured Basic Education Curriculum launched in 2002 aimed to
implement an interactive curriculum and to integrate technology in instruction and
education, with computer literacy much emphasis. The Act of 1998 (R.A. 8484) was
passed to generate the participation of companies and to engage the private sector. There
are programs with DepEd through streamline data collection to improve ICT education.
To help schools to participate in ICT-related programs, the DepEd Computerization
Program (DCP) was implemented.
According to Arinto (2006), policy statements on ICT integration in Philippine
primary education reflect a human development perspective. However, critical ICTs for
schools’ programs tend to be informed by a human capital approach. The human
development perspective joined the mainstream of education and development in the
1990s, and it now reinforces the international consensus on Education for All and the
Millennium Development Goals, However, many educational reform efforts. It continues
to influence the human capital perspective (Avalos, 2003).
Application
As a whole class, you plan to organize a forum inviting a resource speaker to
talk on ICT on national and international policies applied to teaching and learning
Well done! You have just finished Lesson 1 of this module. Should there be some
parts of the lesson which you need clarification, please ask your teacher during your
online interactions.
Closure
Now if you are ready, please proceed to Lesson 2 of this module
which will discuss safety issues in ICT