“Those who can teach”- The pivotal role of the Teacher in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Learning Environment.

Technology gives us as teachers the ability to change our teaching methods from lecture oriented to an environment that is situation- specific (meaning where teachers can focus on individuals needs). Which is each Teacher can only dream of. They have the ability to focus on students individually instead of in a large group. So why are we then not encouraging technology in classrooms completely? Why are there negative attitudes towards it?

Lim & Barnes (2002) believe it may have to do with policy makers and administrators have come to believe that technology will and can replace teachers. We know this to be false as other forms of technology has been released such as television and radio and this has not replaced teachers yet. But some people believe the technology we have today could.

As a pre- service teacher I’m aware of the complex role of a teacher. Teaching asks you to do and facilitate a range of tasks such as:

•       Facilitate learning
•       Encourage learning and interactions between students
•       Motivate students
•       Set tasks and goals for students to complete
•       Address problems and problem makers
•       Evaluate process
•       Design classes and class structure

All of these tasks cannot be replaced by technology. Lim & Barnes (2002) conducted a case study which was based on WinEcon. WinEcon is an A-Level Economics course program that was conducted in England. The report examines how the teacher in an ICT controlled environment plays a broadened and enhanced role in mediating the learning of individual students.

WinEcon is a windows based hypermedia program in introductory economics. The program contains more than 100 hours of tutorial material and includes questions on the topics that the study. Students are encouraged to work though the modules that are inactive. Lim& Barnes (2002) believes that WinEcon offers economic teachers with more options to create a learning environment that allows students to think in an economics mind frame.

In this article they show a mediated learning model. It shows how when technology is introduced to the classroom, how the classroom is managed.

The mediated learning model has four main components teachers, students, non-ICT tools and ICT tools. These components are situated in a flexible learning environment which is student orientated. In this model the teacher is a mediator, which is to provide guidance, strategic support but the student takes charge of their own learning and how fast in which they learn.

Lim& Barnes (2002) found that when teachers were given the additional tool of WinEcon they were provided with more options of teaching and creating learning activities. Successful use of WinEcon depends on the role of the teacher in the learning environment. Most educators would agree that there is not one tool that is better than any other. There is not one tool that would be able to be successful for all students and learning types.

In this report Lim & Barnes do note that there are constraints on the use of such products and programs that is important to keep in mind. This being the institute funds, fixed curriculum and standardised testing discourages educational institutes to use these programs as they do not have control of the learning.  

Lim, C. & Barnes, S. (2002). “Those who can, teach”-The pivotal role of the teacher in the information and communication technologies (ICT) Learning Environment. Journal of Education Media, 27 (1/2), 19-40. dio:10.10801030549803200045430