ICT, a tool to improve and enhance teaching and learning

There are many ways to make what you do in the classroom worthwhile for your pupils and to make what they learn, matter. Pupils love challenges and giving their work meaning will motivate them to want more of it. This is a proven fact and it works both ways. It allows the pupils to be the focal point in the learning process and it gives you, the teacher, recognition. You must remember that everything you do in the classroom with your pupils can go beyond. One way of making this happen is by using ICT as a tool in the learning process. However, when using the computer, it is important to be fully aware of its limitations. Let's remember some of its drawbacks. The computer is unable to judge the mood or feel of the pupils; it lacks the human touch; the feedback is limited; it cannot evaluate the level of pupils’ knowledge and it cannot reflect back. However, despite its negative side, the computer is becoming one of the most widely used pedagogical tools in education. Teachers are using ICT in their lessons because it motivates pupils to learn. There are no disciplinary problems. It gives immediate feedback and a wide access to information. It makes self-study possible. It is reliable and doesn’t have ‘off days’. As a tool it stretches the pupils’ knowledge beyond the classroom and gives it more meaning, because they can work with their peers from other institutions and countries. Teachers can make global participation possible. They can exchange ideas about their teaching practice and improve their already existing curricula. It enables them to design new teaching methods more easily and add their own ideas to the resource sites.