- Advancements in information and communication technology have not only benefited education, but also continue to shape the way the field itself develops. With more powerful software and applications, along with mobile devices such as tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptops becoming more prevalent in the classroom, information technology offers many benefits to all aspects of education.
Connectivity
- By using information technology, teachers and students are more connected in and out of the classroom. For example, Seton Hill University's program "The Griffin Technology Advantage," which supplies each student with a laptop and a tablet computer for school and personal use, aims to encourage "creative literacy" by connecting students and staff to a wider community outside of school, along with allowing students to work with a technology they may very well need in the workforce.
Lessons
- Information technology provides teachers an endless choice of multimedia, software, applications and devices with which to create more exciting, interactive lessons. The traditional lecture-based lesson, while effective to a point, does not stimulate every type of learner. By adding a dimension to their lessons, teachers have the opportunity to engage more students and lead a more involved, energetic class.
Resources
- Advancements in networking within information technology have connected more institutions and their staffs and students, and therefore made a greater amount of information and resources available. For example, a thesis written by a professor at one university previously may have been shelved or archived only at that university's library. Now, it becomes easy for a student in a university on the other side of the world to have access to that thesis with a simple download.
Distance Learning Courses
- Online courses and web-based training have improved in quality as information and communication technology has advanced. Some universities offer accredited courses that may be taken entirely on the Internet, creating more educational opportunities. These courses not only provide students with access to the same resources as students in traditional classes, but they also typically offer more flexibility, allowing students to complete the work on their own schedules. For those who wish to continue their educations but are reluctant to give up their jobs, distance learning courses can be the answer.
Information Technology in Education
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Elizabeth is an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in California. She has extensive experience in developing and writing curriculum and is a presenter on many topics related to K-12 education. She is an alumnus of UCLA and has Master's degrees in Ed. Technology and Psychology and a PhD in British Literature.
By Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, eHow Contributor
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Information technology deals with the use of computers and software to store, protect, convert, process and transmit information securely. Information technology, or IT, is used in education at all levels from the school site to the district office to the state and even federal levels. IT has allowed for a more accurate tracking, transport and storage of information and continues to evolve. IT has become an integral and necessary part of education.
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School Database Systems
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School database systems are often ASCII-based and allow information on students to be stored and updated instantaneously. Programs such as Aeries process and track student grades, medical information, IEP status, discipline, state and local testing records, ethnic and race information, parent contacts and other student status information. Additional school, teacher and student schedules are tracked. School database systems track attendance, drop-out data and socioeconomic data as well.
District Database Systems
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District database systems interface with school systems and then incorporate teacher and other employee data, such as certification status, federal highly qualified teacher status, salary and personnel data. Teacher data is linked to school-site master-schedule data to determine if the right students are being taught by highly qualified and certificated teachers and such things as which students should have access to free and reduced meals and who should receive special services via IDEA or 504 accommodations.
State Database Systems
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Under the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, states were required to integrate all school districts databases into one massive site for federal reporting. Thus, information technology has become an essential part of operations. The California educational database system, for example, is called CALPADS. All school site, district teacher and student data is tracked, monitored and used to oversee teacher qualification status and student achievement. Schools receive most of their funding based on enrollment and average daily attendance, which is processed through IT. Gone are the days of tallying numbers and self-reporting. With the advent and sophistication of information technology, every detail can be tracked for compliance, and schools are sanctioned if students aren't taught by the appropriate teachers or students are not receiving prescribed services.
Benefits
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Information technology is more accurate and is instantaneously updated. If data is entered correctly, the numbers portion of reporting can be done instantly and over the Internet. No more paper, pens and stamps. Student tracking also is easier. Students get a statewide identifier number that can move from school to school with them and will eventually move up to the college level, making transcript requests obsolete.
Limitations
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IT systems are time-consuming to maintain and extremely costly. In a district of only 4,000 students, the equivalent of five classroom teachers are needed to man the system, which pulls money directly from classrooms. Likewise, there is no margin for interpretation. Take teacher certification for example: A veteran teacher, who is extremely effective but has a credential processed before 2002 and who did not take the steps necessary to become Federally Highly Qualified can put a school out of compliance and at risk of losing federal funds, including Title I and Title II. This teacher could be properly certified under state laws but not under federal guidelines.
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