Information Technology (IT) for teaching and learning

Abstract

The present research discusses the challenges to learning and its methodological principles posed by the new technologies. It will be argued that the integration of new media into learning is a necessary step ensuring the acquisition of the kind of teaching and learning needed for living and working in the knowledge society. In response to a growing dependency on IT technology, learning how to use the IT has become part of many public educational curricula. However, not all people receive their IT training in public schools. In recent years there has been increasing emphasis on IT training, often through community education programs or in-service training. In recent years, attitude towards Information Technology has been the subject of many studies, within different theoretical frameworks and methods. Information Technology (IT) is one for the issues that divides the world. The digital divide raises the imperative to set educational priorities for the use of IT in schools and to understand its efficacy in teaching and learning. It is essential to establish best practice worldwide so that scarce resources are used effectively. While the IT benefits include increased productivity, professional presentation of students' work, and an enriched learning environment, the implementation of IT does not constitute a panacea for all educational woes, and, if poorly instituted, can add to a school's problems and introduce a spate of new woes. New information and communication technologies and their role in learning processes are the topic of this paper, but constructivism as the appropriate paradigm for learning and teaching in the coming millennium will also be discussed. In addition, the paper proposes a typology and an evaluation of technology-enhanced materials for language learning. Key words: IT, Information Technology, teaching, learning.