International Journal of Academic Research and Development

International Journal of Academic Research and Development

ISSN: 2455-4197, Impact Factor: RJIF 5.22
www.academicsjournal.com
Volume 2; Issue 2; March 2017; Page No. 69-73

Role of ICT in higher education

Ruksana Saikia
Research Scholar, Department of Education, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India

Abstract
This paper attempts to highlight the role of ICT in higher education. ICT in higher education is not only a technique for
educational development but also a way of socio-economic development of the nation. The world is moving rapidly into digital
media and information, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to
grow and develop in the 21st century. Across the past twenty years the use of ICT has fundamentally changed the practices and
procedures of nearly all forms of endeavor within business and governance. Our higher education system need to improve the
quality of education through information technology. Technology has revolutionized the way we think, work, and play.
Technology when integrated into the curriculum, revolutionized the learning process.

Keywords: ICT, higher education

Introduction most fascinating phenomena characterizing the

The National Policy on Education 1986, as modified in Information Age. ICT powers our access to information,
1992, stressed upon employing educational technology to enables new forms of communication, and serves many
improve the quality of education. Information and on-line services in the spheres of commerce, culture,
Communication Technologies (ICTs) are referred to as entertainment and education. ICTs also allow for the
the varied collection of technological gear and resources creation of digital resources like digital libraries where
which are made use of to communicate. They are also the students, teachers and professionals can access
made use of to generate, distribute, collect and administer research material and course material from any place at
information. ICT is a force that has changed many any time. Such facilities allow the networking of
aspects of the way we live. Information and academics and researchers and hence sharing of scholarly
Communication Technologies consist of the hardware, material and leads to quality enhancement in teaching and
software, networks, and media for collection, storage, learning
processing, transmission and presentation of information Ensuring universal service and access to information and
(voice, data, text, images), as well as related services. communication technology is a top national objective in
ICTs can be divided into two components, Information many countries. Transfer of knowledge, which is one of
and Communication Infrastructure (ICI) which refers to the foundations of learning, is among the most
physical telecommunications systems and networks fundamental social achievements of human beings.
(cellular, broadcast, cable, satellite, postal) and the Building strong relationships with students is something
services that utilize those (Internet, voice, mail, radio, that frequently explains why faculty takes pleasure in the
and television), and Information Technology (IT) that challenge of working at a small university. The concept
refers to the hardware and software of information of moving the traditional classroom of desks, notebooks,
collection, storage, processing, and presentation. pencils, and blackboard to an online forum of computers,
Information technology can be simply defined as the software, and internet intimidates many teachers who are
interaction of human and machine which under human’s accustomed to the face-to-face interaction of the
control gathers data and disseminates information. The traditional classroom.
main objective of such a system is to provide information In view of ICT, education can be classified in three main
to its user. To accomplish this, data must be evaluated, categories:
analysed and processed to produce meaningful and useful
information. In the field of education, information 1. E-Learning
technology is widely used. E-Learning or Electronic Learning is a general term used
Higher education systems have grown exponentially in to refer to computer-enhanced learning. It is also known
the last five decades to meet the demands of quality as online learning. Distance education provided the base
education for all. This aspect has further gained for e-learning’s development. It overcomes timing,
momentum due to swift advancements in Information and attendance and travel difficulties. E-learning has the
Communication Technology (ICT). The last two decades following advantages-
have witnessed the inclusion of developments in ICTs in  Eliminating time and geographical barriers in
higher education systems around the world. The rapid education for learners as well as teachers.
development of Information and Communication  Enhanced group collaboration made possible via ICT.
Technology (ICT), particularly the Internet, is one of the  New educational approaches can be used.
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 It can provide speedy dissemination of education to what ICT can provide. They also need to be able to
target disadvantaged groups. critically evaluate and discriminate what (technological)
 It offers the combination of education while balancing resource to use and whether one should be used at all.
family and work life. They need to be able to understand conceptually and in
 It enhances the international dimension of educational pedagogically appropriate ways, how, where and why to
services. use computer related technologies. Thus, it is clear that
teachers need competencies for successful instructional
2. Blended Learning use of ICT. Realizing the importance of ICT in the
Blended Learning is the combination of multiple present day context, the NCTE, in its new regulations (28
approaches to learning. It is usually used to define a NOV 2014), has given special emphasis on ICT in
situation where different delivery methods are combined Teacher Education programmes.
together to deliver a particular course. These methods Introducing ICT as a tool to support the education sector
may include a mixture of face-to-face learning, self- has initiated substantial discussions since the late 1990s.
paced learning and online classrooms. When looking at the integration of ICT to support the
Face to face Learning refers to learning that occurs in a achievement of educational objectives, it can be found
traditional classroom setting where a faculty member that after almost a decade of using ICT to stimulate
delivers instruction to a group of learners. This could development, it is not yet fully integrated in development
include lectures, workshops, presentation, tutoring, activities and awareness raising is still required.
conference and much more. Today the learners are diverse, want to get educated but
Self-paced Learning provides the flexibility to learn at their own time, place, pace and as per their own choice
according to the availability of learners’ own time and of modern learning resources. Today’s generation may be
pace, it occurs in a variety of ways such as: reading able to enjoy better educational facilities if, the
specific chapters from text book, studying course technologies behind the concept of Information and
material presented through web-based or CD based Communication Technology are appropriately integrated
course, attending pre-recorded classes or sessions, in the educational process.
reading articles referred by faculty member, working on
assignments & projects, and searching & browsing the Importance of ICT in Various Fields of Higher
internet. Education
Online Collaborative Learning involves interaction The application of ICTs as a tool for effective
between learners and faculty members through the web; enhancement of learning, teaching and education
this interaction can occur in one of the following modes: management covers the entire spectrum of education
Synchronous interaction: Synchronous, means ‘at the from early childhood development, primary, secondary to
same time’, it involves interacting with a faculty member higher education. Technology is about the ways things
and other learners via the web in real time using are done; the processes, tools and techniques that alter
technologies such as virtual classrooms and / or chat human activity. ICT is about the new ways in which
rooms. people can communicate, inquire, make decisions and
Asynchronous interaction: Asynchronous means ‘not at solve problems.
the same time’; it enables learners to interact with their ICTs can improve the quality of Higher Education in a
colleagues and faculty member at their own convenience, number of ways: By augmenting student enthusiasm and
such as interacting through email. commitment, by making possible the acquirement of
fundamental skills and by improving teacher training.
3. Distance Learning Tools of ICT commonly used in higher education are-
In order to increase the access to higher education and 1.Audio equipments like Radio, Mobile etc 2.Video
improving its reach to the remotest parts of the country, equipments like Digital board, Smart Board etc. 3.Audio-
contribution of open and distance learning facilities is on vidual gadgets like Computer, Television, Smart phone
the increase. It is a type of education, where students etc 4. Projection tools like LCD/LED projector etc. ICTs
work on their own at home or at the office and are also tools which enable and bring about
communicate with faculty and other students via e-mail, transformation which, when used properly, can encourage
electronic forums, videoconferencing, chat rooms, instant the shift an environment which is learner-centered. ICTs
messaging and other forms of computer-based which can be in the form of videos, television and also
communication. It is also known as open learning. Most computer multi -media software, that merges sound,
distance learning programs include a computer based transcripts and multicolored moving imagery, can be
training (CBT) system and communications tools to made use of so as to make available stimulating, thought
produce a vital classroom. Because the Internet and provoking and reliable content that will keep the student
World Wide Web are accessible from virtually all interested in the learning process. The Radio, on the other
computer platforms, they serve as the foundation for hand through its interactive programs utilizes songs,
many distance learning systems. sound effects, adaptations, satirical comedies and
supplementary collections of performances so as to
Need For the Study induce the students to listen and get drawn in to the
To create ICT-enabled teaching and learning training that is being provided. The use of online
environments, it is also necessary to provide ICT training pedagogy within universities and management institutes
for teachers. Teachers need to know about ICT and about is increasing. The introduction of the Wi-Fi system too
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has led to the growth of hi-tech education system, where  The application of ICTs in academic research has
accessibility and accountability of subject matter is made grown steadily in the past 10 to 15 years in both
readily available to the students. The students can now developing and developed countries, although there
study and comprehend the related information at their are wide variations in usage both within and between
own convenient time. countries and regions.
Higher education plays a pivotal role in the development  The most straightforward use of ICTs in research is in
of a country, as it is viewed as a powerful means to build data processing. The unprecedented growth in
knowledge based society. In India, higher education bandwidth and computing power provide
imparted by universities is facing challenges in terms of opportunities for analyzing/processing huge amounts
Access, Equity and Quality. The Indian Higher Education of data and performing complex computations on
System has established itself as the largest system in the them in a manner that is extremely fast, accurate and
world in terms of number of institutions and third largest reliable. Computer data processing not only frees
in terms of student enrollment (after China and USA). researchers from the cumbersome task of manually
The main governing body at the tertiary level is the analyzing data but more importantly facilitates quick
University Grants Commission, which enforces its and accurate analysis of huge amounts of data.
standards, advises the government, and helps to
coordinate between the center and the state. ICT in Teaching - Learning
The diagram below depicts the different councils of ICT contributes significantly to the classroom teaching-
Higher Education functioning under Ministry of HRD – learning process as it helps the teacher to motivate the
learners and to make the teaching- learning process more
dynamic. ICT can help the teachers to evaluate the
learners progress. It renews the learners’ enthusiasm
because it develops the ability of self-learning. It makes
learning experience more effective through its various
products. The learners can interact with the teachers,
peers, and experts on various issues outside the
classroom.
It is too early to say whether the role of ICTs in the
teaching function of higher education is truly
transformative, or whether it is simply a repackaging of
previous pedagogy. ICTs are a potentially powerful tool
for extending educational opportunities, both formal and
non-formal, to previously underserved constituencies—
scattered and rural populations, groups traditionally
excluded from education due to cultural or social reasons
such as ethnic minorities, girls and women, persons with
disabilities, and the elderly, as well as all others who for
reasons of cost or because of time constraints are unable
to enroll on campus.
ICTs make possible asynchronous learning, or learning
characterized by a time lag between the delivery of
instruction and its reception by learners. Online course
materials, for example, may be accessed 24 hours a day,
ICT in Research 7 days a week. Teachers and learners no longer have to
Applications of ICTs are particularly powerful and rely solely on printed books and other materials in
uncontroversial in higher education's research function. physical media housed in libraries (and available in
 Communication links make it possible for research limited quantities) for their educational needs. With the
teams to be spread across the world instead of Internet and the World Wide Web, a wealth of learning
concentrated in a single institution. materials in almost every subject and in a variety of
 The combination of communications and Digital /E- media can now be accessed from anywhere at any time of
libraries is equalizing access to academic resources, the day and by an unlimited number of people.
greatly enriching research possibilities for smaller Effectiveness, cost, equity, and sustainability are four
institutions and those outside the big cities. broad intertwined issues which must be addressed when
 Another important dimension of ICTs in research is considering the overall impact of the use of ICTs in
the use of online full text databases and online education. The educational effectiveness of ICTs depends
research libraries/virtual libraries which are the direct on how they are used and for what purpose.
outcome of the growth in telecommunications The growth of mass higher education has made large
networks and technology. These databases and classes an endemic feature of several courses at higher
libraries provide researchers with online access to the education institutions. Large class sizes make it difficult
contents of hundreds of thousands of books from for teachers to employ interactive teaching strategies or
major publishing houses, research reports, and peer- to gain insight into the difficulties experienced by
reviewed articles in electric journals. students. Large classes pose problems for all students but
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students who are under-prepared are particularly affected. and replacing ICTs. While potentially of great
It is in these contexts that provide useful opportunities importance, the integration of ICTs into teaching is
for educational technologies. still in its infancy.
 The other challenge faced is that in many higher
ICT in Administration/Management of Higher educational institutions, the basic requirements as
Education electricity, telephone networks, internet service are
ICTs are used for -Admissions, student flow, personnel, not available.
staff development, Storage and analysis of data, Policy  Also many colleges do not have proper rooms or
making, Curriculum preparation, Keeping record, Online buildings so as to accommodate the technology.
courses, Online admission, Online Examination, Online  Lack of training of the professionals of higher
payment, Online publishing of results etc. education about the use of ICT.
 Using unlicensed software can be very problematic,
Benefits of ICT not only legally but in the costs of maintenance,
 It motivates learners through hands-on activity, particularly if the pirated software varies in standard
visual representations and improved modes of formats.
presentation;  Installing learning technology without reviewing
 Provides in depth understanding of the subject student needs and content availability;
matter.  Imposing technological systems from the top down
 Equalizes individual differences and has particularly without involving faculty and students;
dramatic effects for students with special needs;  Using inappropriate content from other regions of the
 Facilitates self-pacing with increased capacities to world without customizing it appropriately;
deal with individual learning styles as students can  Producing low quality content that has poor
work at the pace and intensity suitable to their needs; instructional design and is not adapted to the
 Enables collaborative learning technology in use (UNESCO, 2009).
 Encourages use of peer coaching and peer reviews;  High cost of content (e-journals, digital libraries)
 Develops communication skills and awareness of  Most of the computers are not functioning well.
different audiences;  Do not have budget to repair the broken computers.
 Has impact on resource–based learning and access to  Lack of proper provision in security system such as
real world information through the Web; CCTV monitoring, security guard etc.
 Students get opportunity to participate an
International Conference. Recommendations
 Students get a chance to interact with research 1. ICT should be a compulsory course in all teacher
scholars from all over the world. preparation institutions. Teacher preparation should
 Increases information reliability and accuracy adding not be based on training for "Computer Literacy" but
to authenticity of learning tasks, with realistic and should prepare teachers for using technologies to
up-to-date information; construct, represent and share knowledge in real life
 Encourages independent learning and individual authentic contexts.
preferences for process, layout, style and format; 2. On the basis of research, an innovative model of pre-
 Gives students more control; service teacher education should be developed that
 Allows students to produce high quality multimedia fulfill our present requirement. It should be
products; remembered that the model has the potential to equip
 Changes teacher practices, planning tools and that knowledge and skills and train our future
assessment rubrics; teachers that confidently provide knowledge and
 Has improved students’ quality of work and has instructions in the classroom with the help of modern
given them the confidence to perform enhanced technologies keeping in view the national and
learning tasks; international standards.
 Has allowed students to learn independently, which 3. Sufficient facilities and resources should be provided
has enabled more work to be completed, and to in-service and pre-service teachers to practices the
 Opportunity for Learner-centered approach, ICTs in teaching-learning process. They should be
 Higher-quality of education and new-ways of given environment in which they develop their ICT -
interaction. based competencies.
 High quality, cost effective professional development 4. Both theory and practice related to the technological,
in the workplace, pedagogical, didactical and social competencies
 Upgrading of employee skills, increased productivity, should be the compulsory course of the teacher
 Developing of a new learning culture, preparation programs.
 Sharing of costs and of training time with the 5. Computer, internet and electricity should be made
employees, available in all higher educational institutions so as
to provide access to ICT to both teachers and
Challenges of ICT learners.
 While using ICTs in teaching has some obvious 6. Compulsory training on the use of ICT should be
benefits, ICTs also bring challenges. First is the high provided to the Professionals of higher education
cost of acquiring, installing, operating, maintaining
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7. Administrators must be competent in the use of

technology, and they must have broad understanding
of the technical, curricular, administrative, financial
and social dimensions of ICT use in education.
8. Steps should be taken for the installation of CCTV,
employment of security guards etc in each higher
educational institutions.

Conclusion
The increasing use of information and communication
technologies has brought changes to teaching and
learning at all levels of higher education systems (HES)
leading to quality enhancements. Traditional forms of
teaching and learning are increasingly being converted to
online and virtual environments. There are endless
possibilities with the integration of ICT in the education
system. ICT enabled education will ultimately lead to the
democratization of education
A new era of education has been started which
necessarily demands a new role of teacher, pupils and
education system. In the era of ICT, it will be very
difficult for India to cross the digital divide, if concerted
efforts are not made to promote ICT education. One of
the strategies to be adopted in this regard is the
production of teachers who have developed competencies
for the successful instructional use of ICT in education.
Those teachers are called 21st century teachers who will
possess the technological, pedagogical, and social
competencies in them and they will shape the personality
of their pupils on constructivist level.
Thus ICT refers to the integration of computing
technology and communication. It allows us to get
information and to communicate with each other or to
have an effect on the environment using electronic or
digital equipment.

References
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