The lecturers of our college are quite hardworking and devoted to the task which is very essential to achieve high standard of education we look forward to acquire. Further the management methods have been considerably changed and improved throughout the past three years. My desire as a student who love the college is far beyond even I can anticipate. Thus let us leave behind my final desires for our college and try to achieve some progress for our college step by step.
It is certain that use of ICT is in practice in our college. However, unlike the way it is implemented in most universities and colleges elsewhere in the world, it is mostly used for purposes which may not be directly connected to teaching and learning. I agree that computer education and use of internet is taught as a subject but the required implementation lacks as most of our staff and students may still not be ready to accept such a change.
However, to meet the required standards of the present world and to produce competitive human beings for the future we have got to make an effort to accept the change though it would be hard in the beginning.
ICTs stand for information and communication technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a “diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.” These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony.(Wikibooks,2010)
We as staff have the fear that students may copy and paste what is on the WebPages in the assignments and also we are not ready to accept the modern views on different subjects and topics on the internet. However, it is high time that we learn the techniques of eliminating the fear and implementing the use of ICT in education, as to challenge the modern world we cannot be attacking them with 18th century weapons when they have the means and expertise to invent a new type of robot each year.
Learning with the technology means focusing on how the technology can be the means to learning ends across the curriculum. It includes:
· Presentation, demonstration, and the manipulation of data using productivity tools
· Use of curriculum-specific applications types such as educational games, drill and practice, simulations, tutorials, virtual laboratories, visualizations and graphical representations of abstract concepts, musical composition, and expert systems
· Use of information and resources on CD-ROM or online such as encyclopedia, interactive maps and atlases, electronic journals and other references.(Wikibooks,2010)
We don’t have to fear our students searching the internet for study materials when we can blend the searching techniques, presentation methods and supervisory methods and marking criteria with the need of the subjects. The use of ICT can open a gate for all these difficulties we address in implementing the new technology in education.
Let us first highlight implementing ICT for the assignments.
The steps which could be taken in this regard:
1. Lecturers and management accepting the change (Use of internet for assignments and preparations for the examinations)
2. Providing free internet Wi-Fi facility within the college campus
3. Training students to search academic articles and researches using the internet
4. Deciding the format of citation to be utilized (Commonly used citation methods are APA and MLA)
5. Formulating citation guidelines
6. Teaching students to do proper citation
.
7. Preparing rules and regulations to eliminate plagiarism
8. Teaching students to use citation software (Endnote) and making it available
9. Make the Stylewriter (The Windows-based program checks word-processed documents against 35,000+ language problems and shows how to clarify the style. ) and Turnitin Software (Turnitin is the leading academic plagiarism detector, utilized by teachers and students to avoid plagiarism and ensure academic integrity. ) available for use al least for lecturers.
10. Install at least 20 more computer systems for free use for students.
11. Make the library books accessible for students without any barriers within the library boundaries.
12. Increase the number of library books
Though the points mentioning training is focused on students , I suggest that all lecturers and information technology staff be thorough with the software suggested.
I understand that the management has to spend a high amount to implement such a change and the lecturers and the students would find the old method more convenient. However, if we are to bring our college to the current day platform we need to sacrifice. Moreover, once the system is properly implemented students will value the work they do and lecturers would find their work more appropriate and a lot of time can be saved for profitable communication which enhances teaching and learning within the campus. The price of the sacrifice will certainly be paid for the management .lecturers and students.
Though this might sound rather difficult at the moment this is not something we cannot achieve together. This is one of my dreams for our beloved college.
