10.11.2013

Get online now
Lack of computer literacy among teachers is a reality. A multilateral initiative takes off in Pakistan to do the needful
By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed

With over 30 million Internet users and more than half of the Pakistani population covered by cellular networks and mobile phone connectivity, lack of Information Communications Technology (ICT) literacy amongst and school students and teachers is still a harsh reality.

A primary indicator of the state of computer literacy amongst school teachers in Pakistan is the condition of schools and the availability of learning tools, condition of computer labs and the skills of those operating them. This brings one to the issues of availability of both electricity and Internet connectivity. The discussion can further be divided between urban and rural or private and public sector schoolteachers.

Private sector schools in urban settings in Pakistan have more ICT literate schoolteachers and certain schools have integrated personal computing and Internet learning into the school learning. More expensive private sector educators have integrated smart learning and robotics introduction for students and thus the ICT literacy skills of teachers have also been upgraded.

Since personal and mobile computing tools like personal computers, laptops, smart phones and tablets are widely available at affordable prices in cities and larger towns, schoolteachers may have access to these devices both at their schools and at homes.

However, the situation in public sector schools is a bit different. In urban areas, they may have computer labs and Internet connectivity but there is no credible data on the usage rate and skill levels of computer literacy of both schoolchildren and schoolteachers. The rural area public schools on the other hand may have a lesser probability of receiving both electricity and Internet connectivity. Besides, availability of computer hardware labs and the security of the equipment may remain a very big challenge for them.

The above-stated situation calls for proper integration of ICT in early education and equipping teachers with modern pedagogical skills. The need for benefiting from the credible information available on the Internet was not as pressing as it is in the competitive world of today.

Educationists agree on the point that making students learn by rot and stick to one textbook, are outdated techniques of learning. They propose education model that promotes critical thinking, inquisitiveness and ability to find solutions by accessing multiple sources of information. What better source than Internet can one have to develop these skills?

The answer obviously is: none. The importance of ICT in improving quality of education can be gauged from the fact that United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Intel Pakistan to enable social change and build human capital in underserved communities in Pakistan through digital literacy and education interventions. Under the terms of this LOI, Unesco Islamabad will utilise Intel education content for pilot e-learning material used in schools; conduct pilot professional development courses for teachers which would be based on Intel Teach Program and so on.

Though this is not first such programme launched in Pakistan, it is unique in a sense that organisations like Unesco and Intel — a global leader in ICT systems — are partners in it. So what are these organisations aiming to achieve?

The answer comes from Intel Pakistan Country Manager Naveed Siraj. He tells TNS they want to improve public access to education and raise literacy levels through the innovative use of technology. He says Intel Teach Program offers K-12 (grade 1 to grade 12) teachers a curriculum designed specifically for their needs. Teachers learn how, when, and where to incorporate technology tools and resources into their teaching.

The history of Intel Teach Program in Pakistan dates back to 2001 when 350 teachers were trained in Punjab in a pilot project. To date, Intel has trained 330,000 teachers in ICT skills and most of them are from the public sector. The trainings, he says, are purely for teachers’ professional development and are done in collaboration with partners such as the Ministry of Education or provincial education departments.

He stresses the importance of ICT integration in education system, saying it can solve perennial issues right away. For example, online content delivery can rid people of issues related to late publishing and delivery of textbooks in different parts of the country. “Just imagine how digital textbooks could be sent anywhere in a split second and how easy it would to be make amendments if needed,” he adds.

ICT sector expert and global internet governance adviser, Fouad Bajwa, appreciates the initiative and calls for a National Education Policy to advise stakeholders. The policy, he says, should instruct provinces to incorporate ICT literacy in all public sector schools at any cost? In the private sector, ICT literacy is a matter of widespread common practice whereas within the public sector schools, ICT literacy has to be promoted by initiatives taken purely by the government or through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

This PPP model is followed by Intel Pakistan which provides trainers for schools free of cost, says Naveed. The content is also designed by Intel according to the modern day needs. It enables teachers to prepare lessons using ICT and Internet and interact with students through online tools. Imparting of these skills is crucial at this point as students learn to form online peer groups and develop collective study habits.

However, Fouad wants policymakers to be very specific and calls for a single course of action all over the country. His point is that the students should know how to operate personal computers, laptops and smart phones for that matter. He says teachers should be able to connect and browse the Internet, write emails, use Voip based services like skype and social media networking tools like facebook. They should be able to browse educational resources like open access knowledge and information or simply wikipedia and be able to operate office productivity programmes. If these skills are known to them, they can impart them to their students as well, he adds.

A positive development in this context is that Unesco Pakistan has decided to share Intel’s Easy Steps course on its website as well. The course offers content on how to create a simple website, conduct an Internet search, create a basic skype account, create an address book, create an email account, download files from the Internet, create a logo, how to use the help guide, manage your files and folders, create a presentation, create a resume, process digital images, use an external storage device, use mobile phone as a modem, search or surf the Internet, send an E-card, use a printer, use skype to make calls and share documents, use a scanner or use a webcam and perform other similar tasks.