Group 1B4 Activity 6: Role of the teacher

This activity contained quite a lot of new ideas for how ICT is changing the teaching learning process. It is clear that the introduction of ICT into the teaching learning process has brought widespread changes to the way teachers teach and how children learn.  Old ways of teaching and learning have lost their relevance and students are now becoming more autonomous and are using technology to do independent and collaborative learning; and this is happening even at a very young age.

Teachers are now therefore forced to change not only the way they teach and engage their students, but also the way they monitor and assess them. Truly ICT is changing the face of teaching and learning and teachers have to adjust to the new roles of facilitator, moderator and guide rather than conductor or director of learning.

With the introduction of ICT into the teaching learning process the role of the teacher will undoubtedly change.   The teacher in an ICT saturated classroom will not be the main constructor or director of learning but instead will assume the role of moderator/facilitator, guiding students to use the technology to construct their own knowledge. In this setting, teachers will no longer be using a computer for the sake of the novelty, but instead will be using it as a tool for teaching and learning. e.g. networked computers where several groups of students can be instructed at the same time and students and teachers can collaborate with each other.Because traditional methods of teaching and learning are becoming outmoded teachers have to ensure that they remain up to date with the new and emerging ICT especially since classrooms are changing.  Teachers can no longer be purveyors of knowledge, but instead will have to allow students to use the resources of ICT, such as the internet to gather information for projects, to connect and collaborate with other students and teachers in and outside their geographical sphere and  avail themselves of other and learning and research opportunities