BLOG BY HITESHWARI D. PATIL

 
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has an important role in the world since we are now in the information age era. With ICT, the company can make the business easier to happen with the client, supplier and the distributor. It is also very important in our daily lives. The lack of appropriate information at the right time will result in low productivity, low quality research works, and waste of time to pursue information and even to do research which actually others had done or in other countries. Nowadays ICT cannot be separated with our daily needs.

ICT has a great impact in our daily lives. For example, we can read our local newspaper using the online newspaper. Another example is we still can get connected with our family, relatives, or colleagues even if we are abroad by using the electronic mail, yahoo messenger, call conference, or video conference.
ICT is one of the economic development pillars to gain national competitive advantage. It can improve the quality of human life because it can be used as a learning and education media, the mass communication media in promoting and campaigning practical and important issues, such as the health and social area. It provides wider knowledge and can help in gaining and accessing information.
ICT has become an integral part of everyday life for many people. It increases its importance in people’s lives and it is expected that this trend will continue, to the extent that ICT literacy will become a functional requirement for people’s work, social, and personal lives.
The use of ICT in education add value in teaching and learning, by enhancing the effectiveness of learning, or by adding a dimension to learning that was not previously available. ICT may also be a significant motivational factor in students’ learning, and can support students’ engagement with collaborative learning.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is basically our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, software that operates them, applications that run on them and systems that are built with them.

Need and Importance of ICT in Education

“Smart technology” is the familiar terminology that is widely being used in every being’s life. Smartphones, tablets, gadgets, smart televisions, etc., are the products of smart technology that have made human life smarter, easier and accessible. Smart technology has not only enhanced the way of living but also became an integrated part of everyone’s life. The Information and Communication technology to be precise has become a driving force behind economic growth and a developmental tool as well.
ICT is an extended term for Information technology which is a technological source to make information available at the right time, right place in the right form to the right user. Earlier, one had to wait for the newspapers to get the information across the world. Now with the smarter technology, information can be accessed from anywhere using smartphones and gadgets. All this is made possible with the help of Information and Communication Technology. Information technology has been influencing our lives in the recent years in the fields of education, healthcare, and business. Going an extra mile, Information and communication technology in schools has had a major impact.
Information and communication technology in schools can be used as a school communication tool to improve student learning and better teaching techniques. With the advancement of technology in education, schools adopt school communication software to transmit, store, share or exchange information. In this technological era, ICT in education has compelled many schools to get accustomed to smart technology. This school communication software uses computers, the internet, and multimedia as the medium of communication.
Computer-based learning: Computer-based learning is one of the modules of school communication tool that helps students to enhance their learning skills through computer aided education. It imparts computer knowledge in students and enables them to obtain large amounts of information from various websites. After two decades of introducing computers to schools, education has been revolutionized ever since then. It reduces time spent on mechanical tasks such as rewriting, producing graphs and increases the scope of searching. It not only helps in finding information but also in organizing information making it easier to share with others.
Internet: Internet tools like Email, social networks, newsgroups and video transmission have connected the world like never before. Students can now communicate using emails and social networking groups that provide knowledge based information. Distance learning, online learning is also enabled through the internet. Students can learn online and also talk to experts online. Notes, readings, tutorials, assignments can be received by students from anywhere. The Internet provides major information in texts, audios, videos and graphics which can be accessed by the individual. Online learning allows students to interact with each other and faculty to interact with students.
Classroom Learning: With the introduction of ICT in education, classroom learning is one attribute that makes learning experiential and experimental to students. Students can listen to the instructor or teacher, receive visual cues through PowerPoint images, handouts or whiteboard lists and participate actively. This helps in immediate interaction and students have opportunities to ask questions and participate in live discussions. This school communication software module further benefits in building and maintaining personal and professional relationships as classrooms offer greater personal contact with other students and teachers.
Video conferencing: This is yet another medium of communication wherein students can communicate with other students or instructors online. It enables students to become active participants in their own learning. Video Conferencing is a powerful communication tool that has the potential to change the way we deliver information to students.  It is just one of the today’s integrative technologies that empower students to prepare for a better future.
Here are few characteristics that make ICT in education a prominent school communication tool.

• It offers the wide variety of services.
• It is reliable and provides interactive learning experiences.
• It is flexible and provides comfortable learning.
• It motivates students to learn.
• It facilitates communication and promotes creativity.
• It also provides access to the digital library where information can be retrieved and stored beyond textbooks.

The use of ICT in education adds value to teaching and learning, by enhancing the effectiveness of learning. It added a dimension to learning that was not previously available. After the inception of ICT in schools, students found learning in a technology-enhanced environment more stimulating and engaging than in a traditional classroom environment.
MyClassboard is yet another school communication tool that bridges the gap between teachers, parents, and students by using its school messenger module. Parents and teachers can interact with each other using this module emphasizing on transparency between the duo. Become a partner with us and build the communication between your teachers and parents with effectiveness and ease.