InformationCommunicationTechnologies

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Technical Vocational Educationand Training in the Philippines

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES:NEW TOOLS FOR LEARNING AMONG FILIPINOS

By

Felix Librero, PhDProfessor of Education and Development Communication

University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU)

Introduction

Principles of Learning

Theres a very thick scientific literature on principles of learning. What many call principlesof learning, however, are also referred to as theories of learning. They deal with the sameelements and components. We shall refer to these in this paper as principles of learning.

Learning has a long history, and there are many experts who have undertaken serious anduseful research on how people learn. There are far too many pronouncements regardinghow humans learn, but we shall consider summaries of these scientific studies.

According to learning experts from the Carnegie Mellon University, learning principles maybe summarized into seven general statements or principles.

General Principle 1. Students prior knowledge can help or hinder learning. Studentsare not entirely devoid of knowledge when they begin to learn new things. In fact, they havegained knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes in their previous learning experiences and fromdaily life. This knowledge influences how the student filters new information and knowledgethat comes through his senses. Whats the advantage of this existing knowledge? When a ___________________________________ Outline of lecture-discussion, Strategic Management Training Program for Vocational School Administrators, DepEd-Tech-Voc Education Task Force, Royal Palm Resort, Bay, Laguna, 27 October 2009.


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student starts learning new things and his stock knowledge enhances his ability tounderstand the new information or knowledge, then such stock knowledge becomes anadvantage. However, when such stock knowledge hinders the students ability tounderstand more quickly and efficiently how a new concept, for example, works, then suchstock knowledge becomes a disadvantage. Therefore, the stock knowledge of a student willdefinitely affect his ability to learn new things.

General Principle 2. How students organize knowledge influences how they learnand apply what they know. Learners, by and large, differ widely in how they organizetheir stock knowledge. How a student organizes his stock knowledge affects his ability tolearn new information and knowledge, and add these into his stock knowledge. Learnersnormally make some kind of relationships or connections between new information or knowledge and stock knowledge to make sense out of the new knowledge. When they areable to establish this connection, such condition enhances the learners ability to learn the

new knowledge faster and more meaningfully. If, on the other hand, the learner has beenunable to make an accurate connection, he/she would eventually forget the new knowledge.

General Principle 3. Students motivation determines, directs, and sustains what they do to learn. The higher the motivation level is of learners, the more they are focusedon learning. In other words, the direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of learningbehaviour in which a learner engages in is directly influenced by his/her level of motivationto learn. This is made possible when the learner sees value in what he/she is learning.When the learner sees positive value in learning something and sees that he is going tosucceed in learning the desired outcome especially with support from the environment,he/she is likely to have strong motivation to learn what he is learning.

General Principle 4. To develop mastery, students must acquire component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply what they have learned. This dealswith the learners being able to develop the appropriate skills required, practice such skillsand integrate them into his behavioural pattern. When a learner has successfully integratedthe knowledge and skills into his behavioural pattern, it means that he is able to integratesuch new knowledge and skills into his stock knowledge and skills and become part of hisrepertoire of knowledge and skills that he knows to apply when it is needed.

General Principle 5. Goal-directed practice coupled with targeted feedback enhancesthe quality of students learning. Learning and performance are greatest when thelearner engages in practice that focuses on specific objectives, has learning targets thatprovide the appropriate level of challenge, and is done with sufficient frequency to meet theperformance criteria. This means that the practice component must be performed by thelearner relative to specific targets, and must be accompanied by appropriate feedback or


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information about the learners performance levels and progress in meeting the challenges.These feedback information must be provided the learner as frequently as possible in order to give the learner an opportunity to make adjustments.

General Principle 6. Students current level of development interacts with the social,emotional, and intellectual climate of the course to impact learning. This principlemeans that the development process of the learner is beyond our control. However, we areable to provide the environment or learning climate under which the student can learn. Thisclimate involves the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical aspects of the classroom,which must suit appropriately the current development stage of the learner. The nature of the classroom or learning climate has very serious implications for the learner. For example, a classroom climate that has negative effects on the individual will hinder hislearning, while one that has positive effects will enhance his learning.

General Principle 7. To become self-directed learners, students must learn tomonitor and adjust their approaches to learning. Ideally, the learner must know how tomonitor and control his/her learning experience. That is to say, he should assess the taskhe is doing at the moment, he must evaluate his own strengths and weaknesses, he mustplan his approach, apply and monitor different stages of the activity, and reflect on thedegree to which his approach is working. Unfortunately, the student frequently tends not toundertake these activities. When he does, and develops the skills to engage in theseprocesses, he gains intellectual habits that usually improves his performance and learningabilities.

Learning and the Senses

Common knowledge tells us that we have five senses with which we experience our world.These senses are seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling, and hearing. Many learning experts callthese modalities of learning.

Modality generally refers to how our nervous system brings information in, links this

information with what we already know and allows us to bring the stock knowledge out anduse it.

In general, these are what we are referring to:

Visual modality refers to what we see and images we remember. You know youre visuallearner if you need pictures to gain better understanding of ideas and concepts. For these


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kinds of learners, we normally use what experts have always referred to as picture words, or sets of pictures, drawing, illustrations, maps, and any visual materials.

Auditory modality refers to our sense of hearing. There are those who find it easier tolearn ideas and concepts that are verbally explained or perhaps presented in rhythms suchas songs or poems recited. Some find it easier to learn new information and knowledgethrough lectures, discussions, and the like. Auditory people would learn faster when whattheyre learning is expressed with some form of rhythm, pace, tone and pitch.

Kinesthetic modality refers to knowing through touch or by doing. For many, learning bydoing is necessary. Some of us find it easier to learn things when we do the actionrequired. Kinesthetic people speak slowly. They usually say I get it when theyunderstand, and would also say that doesnt fit when they dont understand.

Olfactory modality indicates smell, which is our most acute but least used sense. All of ushave very sensitive sense of smell, but the problem is that many of the things that we needto learn probably do not have any smell at all. For example, the concept of speed is difficultto demonstrate in terms of smell. This is probably the reason why our sense of smell is theleast used sense when it comes to learning. Interestingly, the sense of smell is the onesense that connects with long-term memory. This may be one good reason why gourmetsuse liberal amounts of herbs and spices.

Gustatory modality refers to taste. Children learn faster through taste, but since wenormally prohibit babies from putting anything in their mouths, they also learn quickly todepend on their other senses such as sight and hearing. In any case, the sense of tasteusually combines well with the sense of smell. When these two go together, we can becertain that we would remember the combination especially when we like the result of suchcombination.

ICTs as Learning Tools

Whats ICT? Lets borrow the definition offered by UNESCO. Accordingly,

The term information and Communication technologies (ICT), refers toforms of technology that are used to transmit, store, create, display, shareor exchange information by electronic means. This broad definition of ICT includes such technologies are radio, television, video, DVD, telephone(both fixed line and mobile phones), satellite systems, computer and network hardware and software) as well as the equipment and services


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associated with these technologies, such as videoconferencing, e-mail and blogs.

Traditional Views on ICTs. In the not-so-distant past, the term information andcommunication technologies referred to traditional communication technologies such asradio, television, video, film, and any form of communication media that were used to storeand transmit information. For a long time, therefore, when ICTs were on the discussiontable, people were fully aware that they were referring to traditional media.

Among the traditional media, radio, television, film, and newspapers were invariably referredto as the big media, while communication media like sound slide sets, pictures, bulletinboards, display boards and even bill boards were usually referred to as the small media.

ICTs in Education in the Digitization Age. Roughly, we can identify focal periods or

phases in the use of information and communication technologies for specific purposes inthe field of education. UNESCO has specified, for example, that the period from the early70s to the early 80s was known largely as the period of he use of ICTs for programming anddrill practice. Thats probably one reason why in those times there were numerousinstructional materials in audio format stored in magnetic audio tapes which could belistened to by those learning language and the like. From the late 80s to the early 90s,however, computer-based training with use of multimedia materials and techniques becamepopular in education and training circles. Hence, in those times there were differentprograms associated with computers such as PLATO, CBI, CMI, and the like.

In the early 90s, Internet-based training began, and in the late 90s to the early 2000 e-Learning became the vogue among educators. Starting in late 2000 technologies such associal software like wikis, blogs, and the like became popular. They have continued to bepopular and their use among education and training professionals has increasedsubstantially, particularly because more and more software have become accessible asfreeware.

Contexts in the Use of ICTs for Education

There are two general contexts in which ICTs may be employed in enhancing learning.These contexts are based on practical reasons.

Depth or vertical context. The depth context is a condition whereby one who hasexpertise in the use of ICTs is able to pursue further a deeper level of understanding and


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skills in using ICTs more efficiently and effectively in achieving learning objectives. For example, when one is able to employ a particular ICT technique such as videographybeyond large screen projection and redesign or perhaps install the material on MP4 gadgetsso that learners can access content anywhere, then that individual has ability to use ICTtechnology at a different depth.

Breadth or horizontal context. This context is a condition whereby one who has expertisein using ICTs for specific purposes such as enhancing learning specific content becomesable to employ the same ICT tool in enhancing another expertise or facilitating sharing of information or knowledge in order to influence the decision processes that the recipientsmay have to undertake. An example of this condition is when one has become expert inusing ICTs to improve learning specific content under training situations becomes able touse the same ICTs for effective and efficient risk communication in order to mitigate specificconditions that may need to be avoided. Specifically, one may be able to use ICT tools to

forewarn decision makers of one country about the potential spread of a disease in another country, or even facilitate the evacuation of people from danger zones during times of calamities.

Impact of ICTs on Learning

In an exhaustive review of numerous studies about the impact of ICTs on schools inEurope, Balanskat, Blamire, and Kefala (2006) reported eight general findings. These maybe classified into three groups:

Impact on learning and learners. Observations based on research may still be sub-classified into results based on quantitative and qualitative studies. Use of ICT have beenfound to have positive effects on educational performance of children in primary schoolsparticularly in English, but less on science, and not in math. Those using ICTs have beenobserved to have improved skills in subject-related performances like in calculation, readingand writing. As well, children considered academically strong benefit more from use of ICTs.

ICTs have been established to increase motivation levels and improved skills performanceof learners, and has enhanced abilities in independent learning as well as increased abilitiesfor teamwork.

Impact on teachers and teaching. There is considerable evidence on the impact of ICTson teachers and teaching, according to Balanskat, et al. (2006). Among the importantfindings include increased enthusiasm and increased efficiency and collaboration. By and


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large, the teachers basic skills in using ICTs have improved dramatically over the last fewyears. Found to be among the most intensive users of ICTs are teachers in science,mathematics, computer science, and vocational education. Still, the review of Europeanstudies also indicate that ICTs are still underexploited to improve teaching and learningexperiences, particularly in the area of generation of new knowledge as collaborative effortbetween teacher and learner.

Barriers to use of ICTs. The factors that impede successful use of ICTs in schools includethe following:

1. Teacher-level barriers include poor ICT competence, low motivation, and lack of confidence in use of new technologies. These directly affect the quality of trainingprogrammes.

2. School-level barriers include limited access to or lack of resources and poor organization of ICT resources, which may be reflected in poor maintenance of hardware and perhaps even unsuitable software. There is also a discernibleindication of absence of clear strategies for use of ICTs in the schools.

3. System-level barriers refer to educational systems in countries having rigidassessment structures or procedure that impede the integration of ICTs in thelearning process.

On the basis of the review of European studies on the use of ICTs in education, 12recommendations have been put forth by the team of Balanskat, et al (2006), as follows:

For policy-makers: plan for the effective use of ICTs; include ICT competencies in thecurricula and assessment schemes; implement continuous professional development of skills in the workplace for use of ICTs as part of the culture of lifelong learning and peer learning; build clear political will and invest in ICT consolidation into development programs;and motivate and reward teacher who use ICTs well.

For the schools: integrate use of ICT in the over-all strategies of the school, and transform

positive attitudes towards ICT into efficient widespread practice.

For research and development purposes: consider context-sensitive and process-orientedresearch methods; create closer links between research and practice; encourage qualitativetrans-national research into ICT impact; make national research results into ICT impactaccessible; rethink the approach to evidence and its relation to decision-making; and


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support both large and small scale studies on ICT impact and base decisions on bothquantitative and qualitative evidence.

Determining Approaches in the Use of ICTs

It is very important to keep in mind that the use of ICTs in the teaching-learning processdoes not have to mean working alone with a computer. In fact, those less literate in the useof computers, even if there may be only very few now, would appreciate being able to useICTs as part of face-to-face learning experiences. In view of this, therefore, here is asuggested sample matrix that indicate the potential positive relationship between learningexperiences according to the domains of learning and possible use of ICTs in support of such learning experiences at various levels (adopted from Ala-Mutka, et al, 2008):

PERSONAL LEVELSOCIAL/COMMUNITY

LEVEL WORKPLACE LEVELCOGNITIVE(Learn to Know)

ICT provides newinformation resourcesfrom sources other thanthe teacher on the topicto be learned;

ICT can provide flexibleand immediate accessto information

resources.

ICT helps to keep availableinformation on activities of members of other community of learners onsimilar subject matter.

ICT provides newpossibilities to findpersonally relevant (such as

online) other communities of learners.

ICT can provideopportunities to learn moreworking methods relevantto ones work.

ICT provides new means tosearch for informationabout work opportunities.

AFFECTIVE(Learning asActivity)

ICT-based brain traininggames combine learningand entertainment,making learningexperiences morepleasant.

ICT-based learning

resources providelearners opportunities tolearn new ways of achieving personaldevelopment.

ICT enhances learningpositive experiences throughactive interaction with other members of learningcommunities, particularlywith intergenerationalgroups.

ICT-based learning

experiences may lead toaccess to wider educationalopportunities in both formaland nonformal means,including higher-leveleducational opportunities.

Appropriate use of ICTenhances learning of other necessary skills leading tocertification anddemonstration of updatedprofessionalism.

Developing skills in use of

ICTs would lead towardslearning to teach othersproper use of ICT to learn.

PSYCHOMOTOR(Learn to Do)

ICTs can help onelearning to use other

ICTs help develop abilities toproduce media materials to

ICTs are useful tools tolearn other tasks and skills


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online services moreeffectively andefficiently.

ICTs can help one

learning to use other pieces of equipment andgadgets to improvesones ability to workindependently.

ICTs can help one tolearning more easily touse the Internet toaccess moreinformation and

resources.

communicate to others.

ICTs can help develop

abilities to participateactively in online learningcommunities.

When learning to use ICTstogether with others, oneshares in group learningefforts that lead to moreefficient learning among

members of the group.

needed in the performanceof still other tasks in theworkplace.

ICTs can enhance ones

ability to learnindependently about how touse ICTs for entrepreneurial activities.

Knowledge of use of ICTsleads to more exciting workexperiences with other members of the work force.

Concluding Statement

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Philippines can suffer aserious slowdown if trainers depend largely on traditional training strategies and tools. Onthe other hand, the use of ICTs will facilitate training processes and even enhance rate andlevel of learning among students. Perhaps the more important concern that TVET trainersneed to address is introducing innovative or cutting edge techniques in the use of ICTs astools to enhance learning among technical and vocational students in the country. For example, where possible, training materials and perhaps other learning objects may now bedesigned, digitized, and stored in miniaturized gadgets such as MP4 players so thatstudents may be able to access them at any time, anywhere, and at their own learningpace.

As we use ICTs in our technical and vocational education and training regimes, it may beworth bearing in mind that we must also continuously explore and design cutting edge

techniques that would help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our use of ICTs ineducation and training tasks. It is not only a question of being able to employ ICTs usingexisting techniques, but employing ICTs in more innovative ways.

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References

Ala-Mutka, Kirsti; Norbert Malanowski; Yves Punie; and Marcelino Cabrera. 2008. Active Ageing and the Potential of ICT for Learning. JRC Scientific and TGechnical Reports. JRCEuropean Commission. Retrieved fromhttp://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC45209.pdf

Balanskat, Anja; Roger Blamire; and Stella Kefala. 2006. The ICT Impact Report, AReview of ICT Impact on Schools in Europe. Retrieved fromhttp://ec.europe.eu/education/pdf/doc254_eu.pdf

Carnegie-Mellon University. n.d. Theory and research-based principles of learning.Retrieved fromhttp://www.cmu.edu/teaching/principles/learning.html

Massaro, Chance and Steve Wallis. 2004. Using your senses for fast learning. Retrievedfromhttp://www.selfgrowth.com/print/51992

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