"What are the
implications of the ICT revolution for Technical and Vocational Education and
Training?" This question attracted 247 participants from 74 countries to
come together online for 2 weeks on the UNEVOC e-Forum, and some of them also joined a
one-hour live conference and thought of ways to share promising practices to
improve access to vocational education as well as quality.
The
virtual conference, organized by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for
TVET (Bonn, Germany) from 14 to 28 May 2013 was moderated by Nik Kafka, CEO and
founder of Teach A Man
to Fish
,
an international non-governmental organization supporting schools across the
developing world, and aimed at opening up dialogue and facilitate the sharing
of promising practices on integrating ICTs into TVET. The conversations focused
on identifying what ICTs can do to enhance the reach and impact of TVET; which
tools are available and how they improve learning outcomes; what ICT skills
should young people have to enhance their employability; and which are the common
challenges faced by TVET providers, teachers and policy makers in widening
access to ICT in all regions of the world.
,
an international non-governmental organization supporting schools across the
developing world, and aimed at opening up dialogue and facilitate the sharing
of promising practices on integrating ICTs into TVET. The conversations focused
on identifying what ICTs can do to enhance the reach and impact of TVET; which
tools are available and how they improve learning outcomes; what ICT skills
should young people have to enhance their employability; and which are the common
challenges faced by TVET providers, teachers and policy makers in widening
access to ICT in all regions of the world.
The
virtual conference highlighted that ICTs can greatly contribute to improving
the quality of education if used appropriately and has the potential to not
only enhance people’s technical skills, but also helps to develop
‘transferrable’ or soft skills supporting lifelong learning. Participants
expressed how ICTs in TVET can also enhance the perception of TVET, a form of
education that is often regarded as second-class. The discussion further
highlighted the need for a flexible and blended approach in incorporating ICTs
into TVET, recognizing the crucial role of the teacher in its delivery.
Concerns were raised that teachers may not always be prepared to use ICTs in
their teaching. Participants recommended investing in on-going training and
support for teachers and instructors to ensure the optimal use of ICT tools.
Similarly, it was raised that teachers and students should be encouraged to
share knowledge and resources online to boost the quality and availability of
open educational resources (OER). Concerns were raised that if not addressed
appropriately, the ‘digital divide’ is likely to widen, thus deepening existing
inequalities. Participants from different parts of the world advocated for
reducing the digital divide by providing basic literacy training and involving
local communities in utilizing ICT in education. The challenge is to make sure
the tools are inclusive and adapted to the local context, recognizing
limitations in terms of access and quality.
See full report at:
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/up/2013eForum_virtual%20conferenceICTs%20for%20TVET.pdf
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