Introduction

Many countries like Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and etc. try to integrate
ICT in education however implementation needs a lot of effort, such as ICT training
materials or desktop, internet and knowledge on computers in the end the progress of
implementation of ICT in education depends on how each country will respond it may or
may not make it easy to integrate these changes.

Thesis Statement

The progress of Implementation of ICT in education depends on how each country will
respond it may or may not make it easy to integrate these changes.

Details and Facts

Key Issues in the Implementation and Integration of ICT in Education System of

the Developing Countries

Attempts to enhance and reform education through ICT require clear and specific
objectives, guidelines and time-bound targets, the mobilization of required resources,
and the political commitment at all levels to see the initiative through.

Different studies reveal that the existence of a number of issues/factors that influence
the implementation and integration of ICT in education. The intended presentation
highlights these key issues/factors in brief.

Hoffman (2001) suggested that successful implementation of ICTs needs to address

five interlocking frameworks for change: the infrastructure, attitude, staff development,
support (technical and administrative) and also sustainability and transferability.

One of the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation and integration
of any program related to technology is the availability of resource. Countries with large
resource bases are obviously much better placed to take advantage of the educational
benefits arising from the utilisation of technology in teaching and learning than countries
with limited resources. However, even the countries with large resources experience
problems in this regard, as continual technological change, combined with public
education’s limited financial resources, results in deployed educational technology that
is often obsolete. This makes it difficult to use currently available resources to teach
students about technology (United States National Research Council, 2000).

Fisser (2001) in her study identified environmental pressures, technology

developments, institutional conditions, educational developments, cost reduction/cost-
effectiveness and support facilities as issues/factors influencing the implementation and
integration of ICT in education. Although Fisser’s study was focused on higher
education scenario, most of the factors/issues she identified/listed in her study are
relevant to school environment too. Almost all works examined in her study also
recognise the influence of environmental pressures on organisations.

2 Another study by Pelgrum (2001) qualifies insufficient infrastructure and lack of

knowledge/skill as obstacles affecting the implementation and integration of technology
in education. The former was confirmed by 70% respondents covered in the study;
whereas the latter by 66%. The number of obstacles identified/listed in Pelgrum’s work
goes up 30. This shows that the implementation and integration of technology in
education faces a lot of problems and challenges. Like Pelgrum, the work of Baldwin
(1998), also lists obstacles observed in the implementation and integration of technology in
education such as insufficient or obsolete hardware and software, inadequate facilities and
support services, lack of time and money, inappropriate reward system, lack of information
about good practice, and underestimation of the difficulty in adopting new information
technologies.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5ea7/c9f0c0f72fd5ca519ff5d129459e3b51ca91.pdf

For developing Asia to realize the potential of ICT in education, it must become an integral
part of the learning and teaching process.

In the last few decades, developing countries have witnessed remarkable improvements
in physical access to schools, particularly in Asia. The net primary education enrollment
rate in this region in 2016 was over 90%.

The problem is not access to education but rather its quality and relevance, as well as
students’ capacity for lifelong learning. These all remain significant challenges in
developing Asia. The good news is that information and communication technology
(ICT) has enormous potential to address those challenges.

ICT can enable students to manage and monitor their studies and promote lifelong
learning. Many ICT-enabled courses help students to develop soft skills, such as
creativity, discipline, decision-making, and cognitive flexibility, among others, that will
matter greatly for future jobs in the era of automation and artificial intelligence.

Both teachers and students need more opportunities for quality teaching and learning.
ICT’s impact is greater in remote and rural areas. Thanks to mobile internet
connectivity, teachers and students in hard-to-reach villages can now access quality
education materials such as massive open online courses.

Rightly recognizing ICT as an enabler for addressing education challenges, South Asian
countries have invested in various policies and plans to utilize ICT for education.
ICT yet to be adopted at scale for education in South Asia

However, a recent ADB report concludes that ICT has not had a significant impact in
South Asia, partly because it has not been adopted at scale. Students’ use of ICT is
often not an integral part of the teaching and learning process.

In Bangladesh and Nepal, ICT in education approaches are not always coherent at
national level. Utilization is low because most schools have limited ICT tools and
infrastructure, and teacher competency levels are basic. Besides professional
development on ICT in education teaching and learning strategies for the medium and
long term, teachers need technical, content and pedagogical support in the short to
medium term to optimize the potential of ICT for education.

https://blogs.adb.org/blog/6-ways-deploy-ict-quality-education

Conclusion

The scarcity of ICT resources, such as the limited number of computers and the
unavailability of Internet services, hinder the effective integration of ICT in education for
some countries. In order to make the implementation of ICT in education a success a
well-planned, responsive environment and the support of the country is needed.

References

Ping, L. C. (n.d.). 6 ways to deploy ICT for quality education. Retrieved from
https://blogs.adb.org/blog/6-ways-deploy-ict-quality-education

Educational Media Agency. (2004). Key Issues in the Implementation and Integration of
ICT in Education System of the Developing Countries [PDF FILE]. Retrieved from

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5ea7/c9f0c0f72fd5ca519ff5d129459e3b51ca91.pdf