TRAINING IN ICT INTEGRATION
Services / Training in ICT Integration
Why ICT integration
Information Communications Technology (ICT) is at the centre of the unit’s efforts to transform the teaching and learning process. The aim is to bridge the gap between education and technology and so provide technologically rich learning resources and learning environments that engage the learner and facilitator in an interactive experience that promote critical thinking and lifelong learning
Consequently the unit conducts continuous research to identify new and emerging technologies that will positively impact instructional delivery.
As such, we:
- Encourages a constructivist approach to learning in which learners are allowed to create their own understanding and work at their own pace within defined parameters. This constructivist environment is enhanced through the use of ICT integration to develop interactive learning resources that both motivate and empower the learner.
- Encourages facilitators to develop lesson plans that reflect the use of ICT integration.
- Assists institutions to develop technology plans that speak to how they will use various technologies to impact teaching and learning.
- Conducts professional development workshops for facilitators/managers in the use of technologies for ICT integration.
- Provides consultancy service to training institutions and other organizations in the development of electronic learning resources/facilities.
- Conducts ICT integration “Clinic” for facilitators in HEART/NSTA Trust and teachers in the formal education system.
ICT Clinic pods are designed to provide proficiency in the use of a range of softwares to create interactive learning resources. These include:
- Professional Video production
- Webpage development
- Creating Electronic Instructional Materials Using MS Word & Excel
- Video production using digital Movie maker
- Desktop Publishing
- Creating interactive resources using Power Point and Hot Potatoes
- MS Access
Distance learning a critical success factor
The HEART/NSTA Trust is now pursuing Distance Learning as a viable means of reaching a large number of adult learners who would not otherwise be able to achieve certification via the traditional classroom setting. The Educational Technology Management Unit shares the responsibility to prepare facilitators within HEART/NSTA Trust, and by extension those in the Community-Based Training institutions to deliver courses via distance. The Unit conducts on-going training workshops on how to develop content for the online environment along with packaging electronic learning resources. As such we assist facilitators in transposing their face-to-face learning materials into an online ready format. Facilitators are also trained in appropriate online etiquette. Facilitators are trained to deliver training asynchronously (in the first instance) via the organisation’s Learning Management System. (MOODLE) Formative and summative evaluations are conducted to identify performance gaps, course strengths/weaknesses, technical/delivery concerns and general review content areas to determine further training and development interventions.
