Question

Form four groups in your class and have a group discussion on the following topic.

Role of ICT in education

Answer 1

Moderator:	You’ve all been given a few minutes to think on your topic for today’s group discussion, which is, ‘Role of ICT in education’. You may now begin the discussion. Who would like to start?
Vivek:	Hello, everyone. As we all know, we live in an era of technology. As with everything else, technology has also influenced the education sector. The use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in education has completely revolutionized the idea of a classroom and optimized the delivery of information. As opposed to an ordinary classroom, computer or internet equipped classrooms offer a large variety of tools and material to the student to help improve their understanding.
Nisha:	You’re absolutely right Vivek. Not only are classroom lectures enhanced with the use of presentations, videos or interactive tools, but the development of online lectures for students has also become a popular phenomenon, providing accessibility of education to a larger number of students who may not be able to reach their classrooms for myriad reasons.
Nazim:	That is an excellent point, Nisha. I would also like to add that besides the advantage of being able to access the lectures from their homes, children also have the added benefit of flexibility. Because of their ability to access study material and lectures any time they want, they can decide a study schedule best suited for their needs.
Avani:	Absolutely. Let’s not forget that even in a physical classroom, a learning management system can help conduct quizzes, grade papers and even give the teacher an analysis of how much the students have learnt, all at the tip of her fingers. In addition, such digital systems can eliminate the need to perform tasks like taking attendance or creating reports and leave more time for the teacher to focus on the content of his course.
Riya:	That’s a great point, Avani. Finally, I’d also like to add that in situations when a student is unable to attend his regular lectures for personal reasons, an ICT equipped classroom can help him bridge the divide by revising the material at home and then rejoining his classmates in the physical classroom.
Moderator:	Please conclude.
Nikita:	I think we can all agree that ICT has greatly transformed our outlook on education. To conclude, I’d like to say that technology in education helps facilitate universal access to learning, helps bridge learning gaps, optimizes time management, and improves overall administration, in addition to providing a wide variety of digital tools to aid learning.