WORKSHOP 6
Narrowing the gap between the information rich and the information poor: new technologies and the future of education

Introductory video document: "Internet mobile unit" (Malaysia)

Summary: In order to make the Malaysian pupils and teachers familiar with new information technologies the MIU (Mobile Internet Unit) project has been created. A bus has been converted into an Internet learning vehicle equipped with all the necessary installations which visits remote rural regions of the country providing children with an opportunity to have their first contact with computers.

 

WORKSHOP 6 DISCUSSION PAPER

Introduction

Technology offers enormous potential to improve learning, teaching, access, quality, management and delivery. However, the promise of such potential is still a subject of rigorous debate and testing.

The envisaged role of ICT must be seen within the context of globalization. More and more the elements of globalization (increased movement of people, goods and capital, liberalization of markets, increased pervasiveness of technology) are impacting on how governments are interpreting the `Education for all` goals, and planning for it. In wanting to implement the goals, many governments are seeing the need for greater equity, quality and efficiency in the education system as the top priority.

As the demand grows for more education with less and less money becoming available to governments to meet the demands, there is a drive to greater efficiency. Technology has traditionally been seen as the promised tool that can enable greater efficiencies in the education system. Today, the area of efficiency is not only seen in the education management and administration, but also in the quality of the learning and teaching process. This workshop, in attempting to address the information and technology divide within the education context, would need to focus on the following and other related issues.

Creating enabling policies to address inequalities related to ICT

The use of ICT within the education and training system is dependent on having access to the information and telecommunication infrastructure within the country.

Many myths have emerged about the technology. A classic example of how technology has impacted on the notions of information is to create a divide between the information rich and information poor. The issue of the information divide is clearly who is determining what constitutes information rich and what constitutes information poor. At present there is an explosion of information from mainly the developed world.

Integrating the people and the technology into the education system

While needing the hardware and software to address the information divide, perhaps the most important requirement is the needs of the `warm- ware`, the people involved in applying the technology to support the education and training system. This includes the learners, educators, education managers, and parents.

The teachers are another vital group within the education and training system that requires support in their efforts to embrace ICT.

Some would argue that technology is more likely to support and enhance learning in certain subjects. Subjects like Science, Math, electronics, health and support areas like laboratories and libraries are likely to benefit from the use of ICT.

Choosing technologies that enhance learning and teaching

The process to make decisions on the need for technology is a difficult one. This, coupled with the wide selection of choices and options available to support and deliver learning, has made such decisions more difficult. While noting that personal computers were first introduced into the USA and Canadian secondary school system in 1982 and into the primary school system in 1983, one issue is what is the evidence that it has added value to the education and training system in countries and within institutions.

Distance Education

All countries face demands for more education either as a part of lifelong education or for more primary-schools places, for the expansion of junior- secondary schools, and for more and better qualified teachers. Several countries have committed themselves to using distance education as one means of addressing these needs.

Distance education can use a range of technologies. For much of the twentieth century it was dominated by print and this remains central to many developing countries distance education efforts. A second wave included extensive use of broadcasting, including an era of large- scale television projects. But today, countries are beginning to use more advanced technologies, like videoconferences for teachers, while computer-based technologies have been used in distance education at tertiary level and at times within the school system.

Two words of caution are, however, necessary. First, the more sophisticated and the more interactive the technology, the higher the unit cost is likely to be. Second, the greatest educational problems are often found in the most remote areas, where electricity supplies may be irregular or non-existent, telephones scarce and lines difficult to maintain. In such areas, the servicing of electronic equipment tends to be difficult, costly and slow. Sensible choices between technologies need to reflect both geography and economics.

Economic opportunity, educational demand, and strong political will are necessary for the establishment of distance education. One important problem is to what extent are distance education institutions able to become part of the regular education system and are accepted as such. As for the different types of distance education, most of them spring from different views about the role and functions of the state. There are countries with a tradition which leaves opportunities for non- governmental organisations and the private sector to play a significant role in education. These differences in culture and in organisational structure have a bearing on the audience that can be reached through distance education.

Two main questions are always present in the field of distance education: its outcomes and its cost. Even when there are few reliable figures about distance education costs, the evidence is consistent that, given adequately large numbers, the cost of distance education is likely to compare favourably with those of conventional education, provided the unit is cost per student. Large numbers bring down unit costs but, if we measure in terms of the cost per successful student, it is more difficult to establish the economic case for distance education.

Last update:10-08-2001