The evolving roles of ICT in education: comments

on the educative experiences of students

There have been a number of theoretical undertakings to initiate frameworks for the roles
of ICT in educational settings. Taylors model of tutor, tool and tutee (cited in Bull, 2009),
emphasised the classification potential for software to be utilised in more pedagogical ways
in the classroom. His later revision addressed 4 areas of implication for 21st century learners;
access, collaborat[ion], communicat[ion] and experience (p91). These four elements are
evidently ingrained into the educative experience of students, however do not provide an
exhaustive representation of the many varied roles that ICT plays in the classroom.
Further to Taylors research, Jonassens concept of mindtools (cited in Finger, Russell,
Jamieson-Proctor, & Russell, 2007, p 12) envisioned ICTs as tools that encouraged deeper
levels of cognition and learning. In a sense a dichotomy emerged between the productive
functions of ICTs and tasks requiring students to engage at a deeper intellectual level
(Finger et.al.). From the research it is clear that approaches to the roles of ICT in education
continue to expand as new technologies extend learning experiences in and out of the
classroom.
A reflection on significant change to students educative experience is demonstrated by ICT
integration statements in the NSW syllabus for the Australian curriculum (NSWBOS
website). Amongst other ICT outcomes for learning it emphasises the roles of:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Motivation and engagement

Access to information, resources and knowledge
Local and global collaboration
Promotion of critical and creative thinking skills

The inclusion of such elements is indicative of the varied roles played by ICT in the
classroom both locally and globally. As well as a model for ICT-curriculum integration, the
elements represent the changing experiences of of 21st century learners.
One of the initial key roles of ICT in the classroom has been to enhance student learning
through motivation and engagement. Van Dam (2013) claims that many research studies
suggest that active engagement is a prerequisite for changes in the brain (p32). Initially
ICTs were used mainly for drill and practise style rote learning, and information purposes
(Finger et.al., p 11). It had restrictions in the adaptation of deeper learning experiences for
higher order thinking skills, but did provide access to engaging ways of information
processing and rote learning. Studies on motivation and engagement suggest that highly
intrinsically motivated students self-regulate and individualise their own learning processes
(Hickey and Zuicker, 2005; Hardreh et.al. 2007; Miller and Brickman, 2004). The emergence
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of the wireless age initiated wider access to a range of multimedia and interactive learning
tools with higher potential for individualisation and metacognition. Many of these tools
encourage students to not only create, but publish their work online for others to
appreciate, giving a stronger sense of self efficacy and accomplishment.
There is evidence that engagement with ICTs has changed educational experiences for
students. Swan et.al (2005) found that use of PDAs increased student motivation in writing
tasks with a reciprocal effect on student results. More recently, studies in game based
learning (Huizenga 2009; Cheng et.al. 2013) have reported improvements in subject
knowledge and attitudes toward learning. For the English classroom, books can be accessed
in interactive and multimedia form with study tools that promote analytical and contextual
reading (such as ibard) and differentiate for various learning styles. The use of podcasts and
blogs for example, act as an extension of students inclination for interaction in social media
(Lacinda, 2008). They have the potential, if scaffolded, to assist reserved students to gain
the confidence needed to attempt future public speaking tasks.
ICT use in the classroom is particularly valued for its role in providing access to information,
knowledge and resources. Ainley et.al.s (2002) framework for the computer as a
knowledge tool discusses the aspects of information resourc[ing] and authoring ,
knowledge construction and knowledge reinforcement (p398). Recent developments in
wireless technologies have created immediate access to global knowledge, constructed and
authored by both academics and non-academics alike. As a consequence students have
become experts at information retrieval and Badke (2013) claims that students, fuelled by
their experience with the internet, live in their own information culture (p68). Along with
knowledge sharing communities, the internet has the potential to allow both cognitive and
social construction of knowledge. Information sites often use multimedia and interactive
formats to target engagement and differing learning styles.
Whilst students are quite adept at accessing information, there is evidence to suggest that
they struggle to process, evaluate and integrate the information as knowledge. A study by
van Deursen and van Diepen, (2012) found that 72% of students successfully completed
information skills tasks whilst only 56% completed the strategic skills tasks. Nevertheless,
students are engaging in more authentic information experiences through online and
interactive museums, tours and excursions. For the English student, contextual experiences
in relation to texts are more accessible (eg, virtual Globe Theatre tours), and discussions on
interpretations of texts are available for critical review in collaborative communities such as
wikis. As for the indiscriminate nature of Wikipedia, many teachers are now teaching
students how to critically examine the site as a tool for resourcing rather than a main
resource itself. Thus there is a necessity for students to be more critically connected
learners.
The concept of collaboration could be said to diverge into the two key elements of
communication and social interaction which actively work together to promote learning.
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Solomon and Schrum (2007) assert that communication is a key motivator for students and
drives their use of technology (p41). Certainly, students are engaged in active social
communication with over 600 million active users of Facebook per day (Facebook
newsroom). Traditional sociocultural approaches to collaboration emphasise the role of
both discussion and physical interaction between individuals and groups. As well as the
content of the discussion, non-verbal cues and interactionist connections to the physical
context (Williams and Sheridan, 2006, p86) are viewed with equal importance. Online
collaboration through social networking and web 2.0 tools have allowed various aspects of
communication at both local and global levels. Whilst still maintaining a context for the
social interaction, non-verbal cues have been lost or re-adapted into symbolic cues such as
emoticons.
In the educational environment, collaborative ICT technologies have taken on the roles of
administrative tools, forums for knowledge sharing and platforms for digital and virtual
interaction. Administrative software such as tassweb, sentral and iwise, along with learning
management systems such as moodle and blackboard, have changed the way that
administrators and teachers can communicate with parents and students. Whilst such
systems have been associated with student disempowerment (sclater, 2008), one study
found that university students value tools and activities for efficient communication more
than interactive tools for innovating existing practices (Lonn and Teasely, 2009, p686). It is
not clear whether this perception is reflected amongst secondary school students, however
HSC students might find the organisational and communication features more appealing.
Knowledge sharing as an aspect of collaboration is diverse in approach and can converge
social networking and web 2.0 tools to change students learning experiences. For English
classes, the use of blogs and wikis have created learning communities around contextual or
thematic studies of literature. One study reported that when using blogs for sharing
information, students applied themselves to editing their punctuation and spelling more
carefully as peers were quick to comment on inconsistencies (Handsfield et.al., 2009). In this
sense, positive peer pressure influenced their attitudes and sense of self-efficacy resulting in
behavioural changes in their application to the task.
Further to the use of blogs and wikis, Web 2.0 applications change the educative
experience through the use of more interactive and immediate digital and virtual
applications for learning. Multimedia presentation platforms such as Prezi integrate
collaborative construction tools that force students to engage in emergent, creative
collaboration (Zhang, 2009). The non-linear format encourages students to make ongoing
decisions in their correlation of ideas, knowledge, concepts and representation. In the
English classroom, collaborative representations of themes and interpretation of texts
encourages discussion and critical response to the ideas of others. Applications such as
Voicethread allow individuals to post tasks for collaborative feedback by peers. This

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approach correlates with the co-constructivist model of feedback (Askew, 2000), with both
creator and responder conducting productive dialogue for critical discussion.
Perhaps the most significant role of education in the Australian curriculum is to develop
Independent, critically aware thinkers who both evaluate and create shared knowledge.
According to Starkey (2011) the secondary school context appears to be slowly evolving
from a focus on prescribed knowledge towards a focus on critical thinking skills,
knowledge creation and learning through connections (p19). Critical and creative thinkers
in an ICT environment tend to draw together the previously explored elements. In essence
they:

Individualise the learning process through engagement and motivation

Are able to make educationally valuable decisions when accessing resources and
knowledge
Collaborate in socially constructive ways to analyse and create knowledge

The utilisation of such skills envisions a deeper application of life-long learning in a global
knowledge economy.
In terms of the classroom experience, there is evidence to suggest correlation between
technology rich classrooms and highly developed critical thinking skills. McMahon (2009)
reported that students with better developed programming skills, developed within a
technology-rich environment, score higher on critical thinking exercises (p269). Critical
thinking skills were not specifically taught on this occasion, however it was suggested that
the higher order processing required may have stimulated areas of cognition that unlock
critical thinking skills. For the English teacher, student creation of websites based around
thematic studies has been used to demonstrate their understanding and interpretation.
Students are required to consider mechanical functions of website design and layout and
the deeper metaphorical connections they wish to communicate. The end result is a
multimodal representation of their critical understanding of key elements of the topic.
The role of ICTs in the classroom is constantly developing as new technologies and
applications emerge. The varied applications are consistently being emphasised in
curriculum changes and application of theoretical frameworks. There is significant evidence
that ICT has changed the educative experience of students in a number of ways through
increased motivation and engagement, global access to resources, collaborative learning
experiences and enhanced emphasis on critical thinking.

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Other references
Blackboard www.blackboard.com
iBard. Apple corporation. https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/ibard-romeo/id540455463?mt=11
iwise. http://www.iwise.com.au/
Moodle. www.moodle.com
Sentral. www.sentraledu.asia/
Tassweb www.tassweb.com.au
Voicethread. www.voicethread.com
Wikipedia www.wikipedia.com

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