Name: Jonathan Chalon

Student number: 315100585

Course: EDTK 2030

E-Tutor: D.D.M Stuart

Assignment:
Assignment 2 (option 2) - 600-900 words.
Assume that you are an administrator who has received instructions to introduce ICT-mediated
instruction in your school. Prepare a well-organized plan to guide how the following issues will
be addressed:
a)

Justify the introduction of ICT-mediated instruction in schools.

b)

Describe how you will guide the development of school-based policies to guide the initiative.

c)

Describe how, and in what areas you will prepare the staff for the initiative.

d)

Explain your provisions for students with physical or mental disabilities.

e)

Reveal the overall provisions that you will make to monitor and evaluate the initiative

Date due: 11/12/2016

Date submitted: 11/12/2016

Justification for ICT mediated Instruction

ICT mediated instruction is the future of pedagogical practice and refers to the utilization of
various ICT tools that enables the successful attainment of the objectives of the curriculum
According to Jo Shan Fu (2010), increasingly, ICT is being applied successfully in instruction,
learning, and assessment and is considered a powerful tool for educational change and reform.
Studies show that appropriate use of ICT can raise educational quality and connect learning to
real-life situations (Weert and Tatnall 2005). A wealth of innumerable resources are made
available through the use of ICT tools and the internet, that empower students, teachers and
stakeholders within the school community with a plethora of affordances and opportunities for
quality instruction. ICT- mediated instruction promotes active learning tasks, facilitated by a
student centered environment where construction of knowledge is built through a community of
practice where authentic learning practices and reflection are promoted by the use constructivist
approaches to pedagogy. Jo Shan Fu (2010) posits that ICT mediated instruction assists students
in accessing digital information efficiently and effectively, supports student-centered and selfdirected learning, produces a creative learning environment, offers more opportunities to develop
critical (higher-order) thinking skills and improves teaching and learning quality. There is
prodigious research and reason, to proficiently justify and support the introduction of ICTmediated instruction in schools.

Policy Development

ICT mediated instruction will generate many concerns and issues that require policy guidelines
that will effectively facilitate its implementation. There are a range of policy considerations that
a school community must rationalize; such as teacher readiness, infrastructure, safety and
security, curriculum design, instructional practice, professional development, ethical usage and
supportive legislation. To guide the development of such policies a team will be established to
develop, monitor and evaluate such a policy. This policy will be guided by best practices and
research emanating from a shared vision and understanding of teaching and learning through an
ongoing collaborative effort led by a formidable instructional leader. The first phase is to identify
potential problems and then formulate the various policies based on sound research and best
practices. The drafting of the policy will follow, with appropriate definitions of key terms, policy
statements and responsible actors. In the next phase, the buy-in of the policy from the relevant
authorities will be accomplished. Thereafter, the policy should be piloted and reviewed by a legal
entity and once all requirements are fulfilled, will be adopted. Subsequently, the policy is
implemented and then monitored and reviewed on an ongoing basis to fine-tune, modify and
improve.
Staff Development
Continuous professional development of staff is required. The initial phase will require buy-in
from the staff and the emphasis will initially be on technical skills and operating the equipment.
Pelgrum and Law (2003) suggested that staff should be introduced to productivity tools,
operations, and basic pedagogy but progressively they should learn to redesign and adapt
curricula, develop digital instructional materials and use ICT in pedagogically meaningful ways
to develop autonomous and self-directed learners. Staff will be trained in developing
appropriate learning environments, designing authentic learning tasks that develop higher order

thinking skills that meet the multiple learning needs of learners as well as in designing and
applying appropriate assessment tools and strategies. Staff will be duly educated on the use of
the worldwide web in communication and should develop an appreciation and understanding of
social, ethical legal issues related to ICT with a fervent commitment to lifelong learning in ICT.
Provisions for students with physical or mental disabilities.
It is critical that provisions be made for students with physical or mental disabilities. Accessing
special equipment, and easy access to classrooms is foremost. Teachers, students and family
members should be adequately sensitized about the students with disabilities. An understanding
of the issues and expectations by all involved will facilitate a trusting environment required for
students with disabilities. The curriculum should be adequately adapted and tailored programmes
prepared for students with disabilities. Disabled students will be afforded the same rights and
privileges as all students and adequate training shall be provided to both general and special
needs teachers, to respond to varying needs of the students in their care.
Monitoring and evaluation
On-going monitoring and evaluation is imperative in the development of the policy framework
and throughout the implementation phase. Ghavifekr, Hussin and Ghani (2011) posited that
monitoring may involve appraising the actual content of the policies, their implementation and
their effects when implemented. Data should be collected on an ongoing basis from students
tests, documents, feedback from teachers and parents, reflections from staff, observations, log
books and physical evidence. An evaluative policy will be articulated in the policy document that
indicates the forms of formative and summative assessment tools and relevant data that should be
accumulated and evaluated. Research projects will also be undertaken to monitor and evaluate

various aspects of the implementation on ICT mediated instruction. Teachers should be equipped
to adequately monitor and evaluate ICT based instruction within their classrooms and use this
information to improve pedagogical practice.
References
Fu, J. S. (2010). ICT in Education: A Critical Literature Review and Its Implications. Retrieved
November 12, 2016, from
http://www.academia.edu/4883264/ICT_in_Education_A_Critical_Literature_Review_and_Its_I
mplications
Ghavifekr, Hussin and Ghani. (2011, December). The Process of Malaysian Smart School Policy
Cycle: A ... Retrieved November 12, 2016, from http://ue.edu.pk/jrre/articles/52002.pdf
Pelgrum, W. and Law, N. (2003) ICT in Education around the World: Trends, Problems and
Prospects. UNESCO-IIEP, Paris.
The University of the West Indies Open Campus. EDTK 2030: Unit 1.
The University of the West Indies Open Campus. EDTK 2030: Unit 7.
The University of the West Indies Open Campus. EDTK 2030: Unit 8.
Weert, T. V. and Tatnall, A., (2005). Information and Communication Technologies and Real-Life
Learning: New Education for the New Knowledge Society, Springer, New York.