The recent meta-reviews (Phase 1 and Phase 2)of ICT in Education produced for GeSCI (Global e-School and Communities Initiative) provide very instructive and sobering reading. The purpose of this post is to review a few of the highlights from it.
First, it is clear that contemporary experience provides frustratingly poor guidance for the difficult choices that must be made in developing countries to improve educational outcomes by means of ICTs, notably when the aim is to go to scale. Here are some points of reflection:
Educational paradigms
It is commonplace to claim that reform must take place in the context of a general rethinking of the overall educational process, and implementation of ICTs is not an exception. The reviews return to this point repeatedly. However, educational systems and many individuals within them are highly resistant to change, not always for bad reasons. Attempting to ignore this reality is to put belief ahead of evidence, and to court failure of innovation.
It is commonplace to claim that reform must take place in the context of a general rethinking of the overall educational process, and implementation of ICTs is not an exception. The reviews return to this point repeatedly. However, educational systems and many individuals within them are highly resistant to change, not always for bad reasons. Attempting to ignore this reality is to put belief ahead of evidence, and to court failure of innovation.
The value of research
Much research is so specific and limited in reach and scale that it does not provde good guidance for action in different contexts. Classroom practice does not easily lend itself to “pure” research that can single out a particular set of factors influencing educational outcomes. Sometimes initial objectives are not clearly articulated, which enables satisfaction for a variety of outcomes.
Much research is so specific and limited in reach and scale that it does not provde good guidance for action in different contexts. Classroom practice does not easily lend itself to “pure” research that can single out a particular set of factors influencing educational outcomes. Sometimes initial objectives are not clearly articulated, which enables satisfaction for a variety of outcomes.
The cost of reform
A variety of policy changes are suggested to improve results (e.g., better harmonization of initiatives, more training, better and more focused curriculum development). However, it is pointed out that “…credible measures for calculating costs and assessing benefits of ICT are yet to be developed” (p. 6). This is a key finding: total cost of ownership is rarely if ever calculated for ICT implementation, either initially or even post-implementation. While costs are important to assess in every context, they are crucially important in poor countries. Mistakes come with a higher relative cost.
A variety of policy changes are suggested to improve results (e.g., better harmonization of initiatives, more training, better and more focused curriculum development). However, it is pointed out that “…credible measures for calculating costs and assessing benefits of ICT are yet to be developed” (p. 6). This is a key finding: total cost of ownership is rarely if ever calculated for ICT implementation, either initially or even post-implementation. While costs are important to assess in every context, they are crucially important in poor countries. Mistakes come with a higher relative cost.
Infrastructure
The clearest infrastructural conclusion emerging from the texts is that one-to-one computer infusion for students is not cost-effective, and in most cases not particularly effective at all. Some observers even question the validity of classroom computer use in resource-poor countries, either preferring older, less-expensive technologies (radio, for example) or assuming that handheld technologies will be the communication tools of choice in the future, bypassing laptop use. Furthermore, schools are conservative environments, not widely likely to embrace unfamiliar technology across the board.
The clearest infrastructural conclusion emerging from the texts is that one-to-one computer infusion for students is not cost-effective, and in most cases not particularly effective at all. Some observers even question the validity of classroom computer use in resource-poor countries, either preferring older, less-expensive technologies (radio, for example) or assuming that handheld technologies will be the communication tools of choice in the future, bypassing laptop use. Furthermore, schools are conservative environments, not widely likely to embrace unfamiliar technology across the board.
Educational outcomes
“The link between educational practice, particularly for ICT integration, and background theory is weak” (p. 25). This is very important statement, and one that bears deep thought. Whatever the enthusiasm for some technologies, it seems more preparation needs to be done to define expected outcomes of implementation and then monitor whether or not these are being achieved.
“The link between educational practice, particularly for ICT integration, and background theory is weak” (p. 25). This is very important statement, and one that bears deep thought. Whatever the enthusiasm for some technologies, it seems more preparation needs to be done to define expected outcomes of implementation and then monitor whether or not these are being achieved.
Teacher preparedness
Lack of teacher preparedness for using ICTs for learning, as well as insufficient attention to teacher preparation are companion themes that recur throughout the report. Yet, the actual research on what constitutes adequate teacher preparedness, on what kinds of training actually influence behaviour, and how innovation finds its way into classroom practice, is wanting. The report notes “research focusing on the particular needs of teacher education in the developing world seems to be particularly scant” (p. 33).
Lack of teacher preparedness for using ICTs for learning, as well as insufficient attention to teacher preparation are companion themes that recur throughout the report. Yet, the actual research on what constitutes adequate teacher preparedness, on what kinds of training actually influence behaviour, and how innovation finds its way into classroom practice, is wanting. The report notes “research focusing on the particular needs of teacher education in the developing world seems to be particularly scant” (p. 33).
Conclusions
Many of the conclusions in these very carefully-crafted reports are those one can find in general concerning overall educational reform. There are excellent summaries of good practice and tantalizing pointers to what works and what does not work.
Many of the conclusions in these very carefully-crafted reports are those one can find in general concerning overall educational reform. There are excellent summaries of good practice and tantalizing pointers to what works and what does not work.
Teacher practice is highly related to the interconnected factors of self-esteem and work conditions. School leadership is a key to success or failure of ICT initiatives, as it is in other areas. The belief in the need for major transformations of schooling is extremely widespread, as is the belief that ICTs can successfully accompany such transformations. The realization that education personnel have to be on board for such transformations is also shared, although solutions for achieving this are often ad hoc, and cause-effect relationships difficult to determine. The need for careful and prudent analysis of costs that goes beyond initial outlay to include other infrastructural requirements, human resources, maintenance, replacement, and displacement, is a recurring theme.
These two reports are well worth reading, both for the information they contain and for the refreshingly unideological synthesis of a very large body of research. A small regret is that they don’t include therecent study by Farrell and Isaacs commissioned by the World Bank, covering ICT in education in 53 countries in Africa.
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