Education in the Information Age

By Claudio de Moura Castro (04/98, En, Es)

Technology is not a magic solution. Not everything works and nothing is easy. There are no "push-button" solutions. To be effective, specific technology must be carefully matched to the need and the environment. These two principles -- the promise of technology and the need for caution in its application -- were the topics of a 1997 seminar sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Global Information Infrastructure Commission.

Education in the Information Age brings together the experience of academics, school officials, and representatives from business and government who participated in the seminar. Their presentations are not about new ideas or theoretical formulations, but rather about the more pedestrian but often more arduous task of finding out what works in putting information technology to use in education.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The following is excerpted from "Lessons from the Seminar," by Stephen A. Quick and Claudio de Moura Castro, pages 9-13.

This book reports the experience of practitioners who have put information technology to use in education. They have learned lessons and are practicing the art in many parts of the world. The seminar in which this book originated was not about new ideas or theoretical formulations but rather about the more pedestrian but often more arduous task of asking what works and what does not work. Some common threads emerge, and the present essay tries to capture them.

The global economy is currently undergoing an information revolution whose significance will equal that of the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. At that moment, having coal and iron ore and the ability to harness them in steel mills was the critical step. Using this raw material to build better looms and spinning machines established the comparative advantages which put some European countries ahead of the rest of the world.

At present (in the words of Peter Drucker), "the comparative advantage that counts is the application of knowledge....This means, however, that developing countries can no longer expect to base their development on low wages. They, too, must learn to base development on applying knowledge."

Clearly, applying knowledge to everyday business means that the people working in this business must understand and master the requisite technologies. This requires creating a labor force that is capable of dealing with information technology.

Points of Consensus at the Seminar

The seminar participants were in agreement about the following points:

1. It is imperative to transform the nature of education toward building higher-order cognitive skills, more inquiry and project-focused modes of operation, and more collaborative working styles, and toward creating "smart learners."

2. Information technology can play an important role in the process of educational change: by opening access to a wealth of information, by facilitating the process and by engaging the interest and attention of the learner.

3. "Technological fluency" may stand alongside reading and mathematics as one of the essential skills for a successful life. Word processors become the paper and pencil of the information age. Spreadsheets replace the slide rule of engineers and the calculating machines of office workers. Data bases replace cabinets full of papers. Those unable to operate these new tools are handicapped in the modern world.

4. Yet, technology provides no "magic bullet." Indeed, the introduction of technology on a large scale often creates new problems to be addressed. There is a price to be paid. The ticket for admission to information technology is expensive. In addition to resources, it requires concerted effort on the part of many actors in society. This is no minor challenge.

5. The goal should be the "mindful introduction" of technology into education, not flooding the mind and the school system with everything that technology can offer.

The cemetery of failed experiments is large. Supply-driven initiatives, the result of enthusiastic salesmanship on the part of technology zealots, do not work. Not all things work in all contexts. Selectivity is essential. Understanding what the new media can offer in each case is vital. Successful experiments start with a well-identified need, for which new technologies may be the appropriate answer.

Most experiments to introduce information technology have taken place in mature and rich economies, where the resources are ample and the teachers well qualified. But the path for developing countries, which lack those resources, remains largely uncharted.

Developing countries should focus first on areas where technology has been clearly shown to be cost effective in education. Several countries have had ample experience with the use of interactive radio, with broadcast television and with satellites. Indeed, broadcast radio and television have respectable and predictable cost-effectiveness in many areas of basic education. They have been shown to be effective at early ages (e.g., "Sesame Street"). They tend to enhance equity, since they can reach a large pool of students and youth at modest per-participant costs. In several cases, these initiatives have been created and supported by the private sector, unburdening the State from their everyday operations and their costs. However, these solutions work best when integrated into national educational strategies.

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Last updated: 04/06/07