Theoretical Foundations, Standards and

Policies for ICT Integration in Education

Lecturers in Charge : Prof. Soetan A.K and Mr. Ibironke E.S

Department of Educational Technology, University of Ilorin.
Contents:

Theoretical Foundations (Learning Theories for the Digital Age)

UNESCO Teachers’ ICT Competency Standards
ISTE Teachers’ ICT Competency Standards
Policies for ICTs in Education (NP on ICT
Learning Outcomes :

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

i. define connectivism as a digital age learning theory

ii. highlight some principles of connectivism

iii. illustrate the importance of ICT –based teaching focus for

teachers

iv. enumerate five roles of teachers in ISTE standards

v. explain five objectives of ICT in education; and

vi. discuss four challenges of ICT in education
Learning Theories for the Digital Age

Connectivism which is regarded as the theory for the digital age was

developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes. Connectivism is the

orchestration of a complex disarray of ideas, networked to form specific

information sets.

It is characterized as a reflection of our society that is changing rapidly.

Society is more complex, connected socially, global, and mediated by

increasing advancements in technology.

Connectivism denounces boundaries of behaviorism,
cognitivism, and constructivism. Dede (2008) mentioned how
the nature of collaboration has changed. Throughout the years,
educators and technologists had to learn to incorporate these
changes in order to maximize learning. Engaged learning relies
on collaboration among the members of the learning
community (Conrad & Donaldson, 2004).
Principles of Connectivism:
 Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
 Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.
 Learning may reside in non-human appliances.
 Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
 Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual
learning.
 Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
 Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist
learning activities.
 Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the
meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting
reality.
Connectivism and the Use of Technology

Chittaro and Ranon (2007) opined that the combination of 3D

interactive graphics and web technologies (Web3D) will permit
instructors to create an interactive, realistic online environment for the
students. With increasing technological connection through the Internet,
digital cities that collaborate on a wide array of topics have become a
collective network that links communities both locally and globally.
This paradigm shift and proliferation of social networks have caused
educators to embrace this new option of knowledge for use in the
classroom.
In summary,
The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. Our
ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than
what we know today. A real challenge for any learning theory is to
put into action known knowledge at the point of application. When
knowledge is needed, but not known, the ability to plug into sources
to meet the requirements becomes a vital skill. As knowledge
continues to grow and evolve, access to what is needed is more
important than what the learner currently possesses. Connectivism
presents a model of learning that acknowledges shifts in society
where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity. It
provides insight into learning skills and tasks needed for learners to
flourish in a digital era.
 Teachers’ ICT Competency Standards

1. UNESCO Teachers’ ICT Competency Standards

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO) is an international organization that
provides support in education, science and culture to countries in the
world. Teachers use ICT to access data and information from a
range of primary and secondary sources when investigating
questions, topics or problems. Hence, according to UNESCO
standards, the digital skills teachers need have long moved on from
just being able to use word processing and spreadsheets software.
Digital skills that 21st Century teachers should have include cloud
storage and sharing solutions, social media, web editing, image
editing, presentation software, and general multimedia.
The UNESCO ICT-CFT highlights the role that technology can play in supporting six
major education focus areas identified in national ICT in Education policies (which
are; how ICT can support the curriculum, assessment strategies, pedagogy, school
and class organization, administration as well ongoing professional development)
across three phases of Knowledge Acquisition(technology literacy), enabling students
to use ICT in order to learn more efficiently. Knowledge Deepening, enabling
students to acquire in-depth knowledge of their school subjects and apply it to
complex, real-world problems. Thirdly, Knowledge Creation, enabling students,
citizens and the workforce they become, to create the new knowledge required for
more harmonious, fulfilling and prosperous societies.
The UNESCO ICT- Competency for Teachers
 Five usefulness of integration of ICT into teaching activities

Source:https://image.slidesharecdn.com/course106ictinclassroomteaching-150107070144-
conversion-gate01/95/ict-in-classroom-teaching-12-638.jpg?cb=1420614283
 Teachers ICT Competency Standards

2. ISTE Teachers ICT Competency Standards

• ISTE stands for International Society for Technology in

Education
• formerly known as the National Educational Technology
Standards (NETS),
• ISTE is a nonprofit membership association for educators
that focuses on educational technology

Note: “Educators” and “teachers” will be used interchangeably

 ISTE STANDARDS FOR EDUCATORS
ISTE standards are set for the use of technology in teaching and learning
(technology integration) for how students, teachers, administrators,
coaches, and computer educators should approach technology integration
in the classroom.
• These will help educators deepen practice, promote collaboration with
peers and challenge to rethink traditional approaches. They are a
framework for innovation in education
• It also prepares students to drive their own learning, as well help them
become empowered learners.
• ISTE teacher standards encourages teachers to communicate with one
another for better ideas on how to engage their students.
• ISTE-compliant teachers take an active, innovative role in the education
process to help students learn more effectively.
ISTE STANDARD ROLES FOR EDUCATORS / TEACHERS

ISTE specifies seven roles that a teacher must perform:

1. Learner
2. Leader
3. Citizen
4. Collaborator
5. Designer
6. Facilitator
7. Analyst
LEARNER
Each teacher must know how to be a learner.

Educators:
• Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical
approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their
effectiveness.

• Stay current with research that supports improved students

learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences.
LEADER

Teachers are leaders in and outside the classroom. They seek out
opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment, success and to
improve teaching and learning.

Educators:
• Advocate for equitable access to educational technology, digital
content and learning opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all
students.

• Model for colleagues to

identify, explore, evaluate, curate and adopt S new digital resources
and tools for learning.
CITIZEN
A good ISTE teacher is also a great citizen. Teachers inspire students to positively
contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world.
Educators:
• Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible
contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and
community.

• Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of

online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

• Mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and
the protection of intellectual property and the rights that go along with it.

• Model and promote management of personal data and digital identity and protect
student data privacy.
COLLABORATOR

Teachers collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve

practice, discover and share resources , ideas, and solve problems.

Educators:
• Dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to
create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology.

• Collaborate and co-learn with students to discover and use new digital
resources and diagnose and troubleshoot technology issues.

• Use collaborative tools to expand students' authentic, real-world

learning experiences by engaging virtually with experts, teams and
students, locally and globally.
DESIGNER
ISTE-approved educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and
environments that recognize and accommodate learners at different learning
levels.

Educators:
• Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning
experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner
differences and needs.

• Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards
and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning.

• Explore and apply instructional design principles to create innovative

digital learning environments that engage and support learning.
FACILITATOR
A teacher is considered a facilitator when he actively supports student
achievements.
Educators:
• Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning goals
and outcomes in both independent and group settings.

• Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital

platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.

• Create learning opportunities that challenge students to use a design

process and computational thinking to innovate and solve problems.

• Model and nurture creativity and creative expression to communicate

ideas, knowledge or connections.
ANALYST
Finally ISTE standard for teachers is called analyst. It requires teachers to
learn, understand, and apply data to students’ goals.

Educators:
• Provide alternative ways for students to demonstrate
competency and reflect on their learning using technology.

• Use technology to design and implement a variety

of formative and summative assessments that accommodate learner
needs, provide timely feedback to students and inform instruction.

• Use assessment data to guide progress and communicate with students,

parents and education stakeholders to build student self-direction.
ICT Teaching and Learning Policy Development
Information Communication Technology (ICT) encompasses all (equipment
including computational machinery - computers, hardware, software, firmware etc.,
tools, methods, practices, processes, procedures, concepts, principles and the sciences)
that come into play in the conduct of the information activities: acquisition,
representation, processing, presentation, security, interchange, transfer, management,
organization, storage and retrieval of data and information.
Teaching and Learning: Teaching has to do with the ability to impart knowledge,
while learning is the acquisition of that knowledge, using needed tools. The teacher
imparts knowledge based on the curriculum by putting the learner at the center of
learning as regards age, need, interest, ability, and the environment where learning
takes place. Student acquires the knowledge passed across.
The objectives of ICT in Education are:

• To facilitate the teaching and learning processes.

• To promote problem-solving, critical thinking and innovative
skills.
• To promote life-long learning and advance knowledge.
• To enhance the various teaching/learning strategies required
to meet the needs of the population.
• To foster research and development.
• To support effective and efficient education administration.
Contd.
• To enhance universal access to information.

• To widen access to education and the range of instructional options

and opportunities for any-where, any-time, any-pace and any path
learning.

• To promote commercialization of ICT in Education.

• To develop and support technical infrastructure that maximizes

digital creativity, sharing and innovation.

 POLICY THRUST

The Government shall:

• build and encourage the development, utilization and sustenance

of the ICT manpower required to achieve an ICT-enhanced

Education;

• establish and sustain a common ICT infrastructure platform for

education at all levels;

• ensure and encourage Research and Development (R&D) in ICT

Contd.
• engage in and encourage regular stakeholder consultations (including the Private
Sector), sensitization of the learning community, public awareness and inter-
governmental relations to achieve a broad-based consensus on ICT in education;

• provide appropriate legal, regulatory and security framework to ensure that ICT
in Education and the conduct of related activities are focused on achieving ICT-
enhanced Education

• adopt innovative and creative financing models for ICT in Education; and

• use M&E as a veritable tool in ICT in Education for tracking policy

implementation, efficient service delivery and compliance
CHALLENGES
(i) Policy: Inadequate policy implementation: ICT policies are not adequately
implemented by education stakeholders

(ii) Institutional and Administrative Capacity : Although, capacity- building of teachers

in ICT is being done, a good percentage of teachers are still not proficient in ICT. There is
also, an insufficient pool of ICT professionals in the sector. These weaknesses are
compounded by inadequate ICT infrastructure for teaching, learning, research and
educational administration in some institutions.

(iii) Regulation: IT Education, especially at the non-formal education sub-sector is still

largely non-standardized, uncoordinated and unsupervised. This has resulted in the
proliferation of computer training outfits which offer all sorts of certificates and
programmes based on curricula that are undefined.
(iv) Curriculum: There is generally lack of regular review and
updating of existing IT curricula, especially at the tertiary level, to
meet changing societal needs. There is also low capacity of curriculum
developers and implementers. The challenge of outdated curriculum is
even more pronounced in view of the dynamic nature of IT.
(v) Efficiency and Effectiveness: Teacher educators and teachers are
concerned more with efficiency rather than effectiveness when they
adopt ICT in education. Thus, ICT is used to make their jobs easier
instead of making learning more effective. As a result, the
teaching/learning process has not embraced current educational
paradigm which emphasizes student-centered instruction with the
teacher as the facilitator rather than teacher as the source of
knowledge.
(vi) Equity Issues: There is a great dichotomy between urban and rural
schools and between public and private schools with regards to
availability of ICT personnel and resources. Urban schools and private
schools tend to have more ICT personnel and resources as well as
power supply.
(vii) Research: There is low research on ICT in education. Thus,
policy-makers are not able to assess the impact of ICT on the education
system.
(viii) Funding: Although, funds are being provided for ICT in
education, they are largely inadequate to provide the drive necessary to
position the sector for the attainment of the national goals. The
foregoing reveals that the state of ICT in education in Nigeria falls
below global standards. This reinforces the need for focused
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