ICT (4E): Positioning ICT to develop basic science and mathematics education

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been proclaimed as the leading growing sector of the economy.

Different projects were initiated to support this growth. The Cyber Corridor project is one of them. It also highlights programs in education using ICT to improve the education system of the country through the Cyber Education project. The latter, despite the controversies born with it was still pushed by the government for implementation.

ICT and the development of SnT education

In our ongoing review of ICT usage in basic science and mathematics education, we listed 18 ICT-based education programs implemented by the different government agencies. Most of these initiatives were equated to an “Encyclopedia Britannica CD” by teachers we have initially interviewed.

The Department of Education (DepEd) defines ICT as the diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information, such as computers, the Internet, radio, television, telephones, and audiovisual equipment—can support the qualitative shift in the learning process, facilitate access to education, and improve administrative and instructional efficiency.
We would like to point out that positioning ICT as a the primary tool for basic education (Cyber Education Project) is a misguided notion . ICT however is an excellent supplement in developing creative ways in delivering basic education instructions.But before this can happen major obstacles should be cleared first. Resource deficiencies top the dilemma of most elementary and secondary schools. While government embark on investing computers in elementary schools and high schools, 65 per cent public schools all over the country still does not have electricity. Also, add to these deficiencies the limited access of public schools to the internet and the small percentage of the Philippine public schools which has phone lines.

According to the 2002 survey of ICT use in 100 Philippine public secondary schools, the majority of high schools assessed revealed that only half or less of the teachers and students had been able to use the computer as an educational tool. Aside from the productivity tools (i.e. word processing, excel, slide presentations), computers in public high schools do not serve any other purposes. This then clearly defies the goal of the government for ICT to support the development of basic education, particularly that of science and mathematics.

Also, the teachers do not receive sufficient training to operate the programs which can be to supplement their instruction of science and mathematics. The costly training of proprietary softwares that were installed in the computers distributed in the public schools and the expensive upgrading of these softwares entail unsustainability and ineffectiveness of such technological integration in the educational system.
In addition, the availability and variety of subject-specified educational softwares or the computer-assisted instructions (CAI) are very limited. This inadequacy is very much related to the statement above, thus the maximization of ICT is nonetheless again curtailed. Furthermore, in the CAI available, the promotion of a scientific culture and the integration of science and mathematics concepts as parts of daily lives of Filipinos
remain to be very weak.

Conclusion

While ICT can help in improving basic education in science and mathematics, the government has to address the root causes of poor basic education in the country. Before ICT can be fully utilized, teachers, classrooms, books, and educational materials should be adequate. Education should be a right of every Filipino and the government should not be paying lip service to this reponsibility.

*** This article was submitted as a 1st Blog Entry to the IBOP-Asia Project on 23 March 2009.