“Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformation” – This statement has been correctly said by the famous author George Couros. The persons who choose the profession of teaching only wants the rewards of the happiness and success of their students whom they have taught once and also a little amount of respect from their students . The teacher feels proud in solving the problems of their students. To make the teachers computer literate we have to have patience because this will not happen within few hours or few weeks. It is not amazing to see one computer in every classroom, sometimes there are more than one. The students want to use that computer but the teacher might not know how to use it properly, when and where to start its use in a pedagogically proper way. The reason behind it, may be the fear of using the computer so that it will not get any kind of damage. If we are one of those teacher who hesitate to use the computers in – spite of knowing its importance. Then the time has come to take our initialstep because with our every single step our fear will decrease and a confidence will develop which helps us to become an effective teacher in this Age of ICT. The main aim of this is to make the teacher competent in incorporating computer based technology with the traditional instructional methodology in the curriculum. This knowledge of computer based technology given during the Teacher Education Program helps the would be teachers to give their best in the classroom in the near future, because this cannot happen only by the use of books. For the better teaching – learning process technology is very essential. This era of twenty – first century is the age of Educational Technology (ET) which is fully based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In recent times each and every student must be made aware of the future opportunities and the process of taking advantages from those golden chances using their knowledge , understanding , skills , attitude and behavior . They should also be made capable enough to adjust themselves into various adverse conditions surrounding them. In this second decade of third millennium, a lot of development and enhancement in the Teacher Education Program has already been taken place to improve and upgrade the teaching – learning process for making a better World by undergoing proper all round development of each and every individual and a lot more has to be done.
Change in Teacher Education Programme through technology to meet the need of this 21st century
There has been different school of thoughts regarding the use of computer as a tool for teaching . But the teachers are demurred about this new advent of technology . However change is something which all of us has to accept . The most basic constituent in education is change. So learning requires change. Education as a process must proceed or move ahead. Stagnation at any place at any time is directly against the education. It is the fundamental evil for education. Thus from the above we can conclude that change is very essential in education . Change, of any kind always has to face criticism , no one is ready to accept the change easily if it is better then also. As said by Machiavelli :”It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones” . So the educational process must be changed because the only weapon to make a better world and to make everyone aware about their present and future is education . Technology is very much needed to do this change . And for educating the children the teacher itself has to modify themselves first . The awareness about the new technologies can only be given to the teacher through the Teacher Education Programme , which has been done by the implication of technology in the curriculum of Teacher Education Programme .When a teacher becomes Technology Literate they will have the ability to effectively use technology to access, evaluate, integrate, create and communicate information to enhance the teaching – learning process through problem- solving and critical thinking method . Technology Literacy helps the individual to communicate, solve problems, and enhance life-long learning skills for future progress and development . Technology Skills are computer skills that one must have to utilize technology effectively in any of the academic or non-academic setting.
Objectives for incorporating Technology in Teacher Education Programme
- · To promote the use of computers in the classroom by the teachers unhesitatingly: Most of the teachers resist the use computers in their classrooms because they are afraid of technology and hesitates to use it . For this very reason, the most important objective of Teacher Education Programme is to remove the thought of fear and hesitations of those teachers . In this programme the teachers are given information about the hardware and software of digital computers at such a level that will help them to understand about technology and make them prepare for using those technologies .They will also be made aware about those various important communications and audio- visual innovations, such as networks, scanners, smart boards, overhead projection systems, interactive video, and multimedia systems in general, that all are depended on computer technology.
- To incorporate the principles of educational theory with the use of computer and other technological devices in the classroom :The second important objective is to help the teachers at all levels of education, particularly to recognize the quality educational software from the different types of packages available today in the market , which will be properly applicable to our educational theory during the teaching learning process.Since thousands of years, many great philosophers and educationists have discussed upon the various theories of learning, from mental discipline to constructivism. Through this technology the teachers will be able to apply those theories in their professional life. The teachers will become more aware in the selection of computer-based materials for their classroom use, as per the objectives of the learning experience of e-class room of National Curriculum Framework For Teacher Education ( NCFTE ) ,2009 . It is observed that the knowledge of learning theory, associated with a deep understanding of how the children learn, follows and support the use of any technology in the classroom. As said by Caftori (1994) puts it so well: The teacher should come bundled with the software Children need teachers. There are those in the teaching profession who fear that computers in schools will bring about a reduction in the number of teachers in the workforce. But here , we will show, the opposite is more likely to be true because computers will promote individualized instruction. Individuals have unique needs that are difficult to diagnose. The teachers of tomorrow’s , working closely with fewer students than ever, will be given the opportunity to help each of their students select from a rich variety of multimedia material to sew together a tailor- made learning experience for their future .
- To provide a real life computer experience : It is not an easy task to gist up the importance of computer based technology for developing real life experience . Soft- wares like – Microsoft’s Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007 are designed to help the pre-service and in-service teacher to learn, step-by-step, the various classroom-relevant functions. The more time we spend physically and mentally interacting with the computer the more familiarity with the technology and our competence in its use will be increased .
- To make the teachers understand and aware about the immense effect of the computers and communication technology on the society , where their students resides : This modern time is being considered as “ The Computer Age, The Information Age and The Age of Technology ”. There is no doubt that the last fifteen to twenty-five years in our country, India have brought about a dramatic transformation in the very infrastructure of almost every society on the planet, some more than others. Technological advancements has penetrated into so many areas of our lives—in the home, in medical care, in travel, in communications, in government, in finance, in industry, in recreational activities everywhere and specially in schools. Children growing up in these societies have a different notion of reference from those of the previous generations. Marshall McLuhan pointed out that The medium is the message – the very technological transformation that is taking place will have an impact on the culture that adopts it, and those most likely to experience the acculturation at its deepest level will be the children of the culture. As a teacher, we must at least keep a broad vision on the ever-changing world of our students experience, and it is better if we can integrate the changes into our own experience . This is not to say that teachers should shift gears into the era of classroom computerization just for the sake of it, just because it is there. There must be a rationale, a firm belief has born from research and experience, which makes the adjustment part of their general predisposition to provide the best possible educational opportunity for the children in their care.
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