Towards Successful Implementation of Ict in Education

With the advent of ICT, many countries have incorporated more technological tools in their educational system. Some research has suggested that using ICT in instruction enables students to take a more active role in their learning rather than their more traditional role of passive observer and listener. However, other research shows that changes in classroom practices will not occur simply because ICT is more available in the classroom unless it is used effectively. Facilitating the proper access to ICT resources in classrooms is only one step in the process. Thus, calls have been made to pay more attention to the way ICT has been implemented and how to achieve effective ICT implementation. This paper focuses on the issues educators may need to consider when pursuing effective implementation of ICT in education. It reviews relevant literature about the successful use of ICT, articulating the barriers and the requirements to the effective use of ICT. The findings indicate that ICT implementation should begin with the identification of an educational problem and deciding what students, teachers or schools want to achieve, not with the provision of technology. Effective ICT implementation requires using ICTs as knowledge construction tools rather than instructional tools. Furthermore, ICT becomes significant when its use is linked to teachers‟ visions and levels of knowledge.