How ICT Will Complement, Enrich and Transform Education for the Better?

The term ‘Information and Communication Technologies’ (ICT) refers to a broad range of technological resources and techniques that are used to create, transfer, store, share, and exchange information. Computers, the Internet (websites, blogs, and emails), live broadcasting media (radio, television, and webcasting), recorded broadcasting media (podcasting, audio and video players, and storage devices), and telephony (fixed or mobile, satellite, visio/video-conferencing, etc.) are some examples of these technological tools and resources.

The way individuals go about their daily lives—living, working, and communicating—has altered as a result of information and communication technology. These technological advancements have taken over a number of tasks that people would never have thought a machine could perform, such as taking phone calls and responding in a way that sounds human or speaking into a gadget to have it compose a message for us.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education is a method of instruction that supports, improves, and optimizes the dissemination of knowledge.

International studies have demonstrated that ICT can enhance student learning and lead to more effective teaching strategies.

The question of ‘how can we extend the reach of our institution to a wider number of students?’ can be answered by integrating ICT into education. A growing trend in e-learning is mobile learning (m-learning), where education has moved beyond the physical confines of the classroom and acquired mobility. The number of universities offering such cutting-edge technology environments is growing daily, and students can access knowledge whenever and wherever they want.

Measuring ICT in education is crucial, says UNESCO, because it helps policymakers determine national objectives and create ICT in education policies.

The functioning of contemporary civilization is heavily influenced by technology. As a result, everything has altered. All aspects of life, including education, have been impacted by technology, which is widespread. The resources used in the classroom and the way we instruct pupils as a result have both been greatly impacted. Some of the key components bolstering and expanding the IT industry's future expansion include the internet of things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud services, blockchain, and other emerging trends and advances in information technology (IT). Additionally, a focus should be placed on creating technologically oriented curricula to inspire kids to study and advance in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), robotics, and AI.

By being a part of a competent workforce and promoting social mobility, ICT in education can help students compete in the global market:

• By enhancing learning opportunities and offering fresh skill sets,
• Massive Open Online Courses: Expanding the Student Base (MOOCs),
• By making faculty training easier,
• Automating routine daily chores, cutting the time and expenses associated with delivering information,
• Enhancing institutional management to improve the effectiveness and quality of service delivery.

In conclusion, using technology in education and using ICT in education produces a manageable learning environment where knowledge transmission is a lot smoother and learning is much easier.

Additionally, ICT is unquestionably the way forward for institutions, particularly in nations like ours, as our development is closely tied to technology, and the sector of education is no exception. And whether the institution should survive or move forward will depend on how well-quality education is provided to its students.