ICTs are defined as a “diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information”. Technologies are tools students use to create knowledge and to create personal and social change, these technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony.
21st Century Competencies were defined as the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be competitive in the 21st century workforce. A 21st century skill includes digital age, inventive thinking, higher-order thinking and sound reasoning, effective communication, and high productivity.
The potential of ICTs to promote the acquisition of these skills is tied to its use as a tool for raising educational quality, including promoting the shift to a learner-centered environment, extending educational opportunities, one of the most commonly cited reasons for using ICTs in the classroom has been to better prepare the current generation of students for a workplace where ICTs, particularly computers, the Internet and related technologies, are becoming more and more ubiquitous. Schools need to teach these competencies to help students to face many emerging issues such as global warming, famine, poverty, health issues, a global population explosion and other environmental and social issues, they need to learn how to participate appropriately in an increasingly diverse society, use new technologies, be able to communicate, function and create change personally, socially, economically and politically on local, national and global levels. Technology allows students to become much more engaged in constructing their own knowledge and cognitive studies show that ability is key to learning success
The potential of each technology varies according to how it is used. Radio and television have for over forty years been used for open and distance learning, although print remains the cheapest, most accessible and therefore most dominant delivery mechanism in both developed and developing countries, have a much greater penetration than the Internet throughout much of the developing world, and this substantial gap is not expected to be closed soon.
The use of computers and the Internet is still in its infancy in developing countries, if these are used at all, due to limited infrastructure and the attendant high costs of access, a computer is never autonomous but, rather, connected to a growing number of electronic digital devices, aggregations and networks for data and information acquisition, storage, processing, distribution and multimedia delivery. All these entities are subsumed under the generic name of ICT.
Television has been utilized successfully as a mechanism for reaching out-of-school youth in a number of countries, especially in Latin America and China, and the results of such projects have been widely disseminated.
Based on two years of study, the engage 21st Century skills represent the fresh, new perspective required in light of recent historical events, globalization, and the idiosyncrasies of the digital Age. The following skills clusters, when considered within the context of rigorous academic standers, are intended to provide the public, business and industry, and educators with a common understanding of and language for discussing what is needed by students, citizens, and workers in the digital age. The engage 21st century was developed through a process that included literature reviews, research on emerging characteristics of the Net Generation, a review of current reports on workface trends from business and industry, analysis of nationally recognized skills sets, input from educators, data from educator’s surveys, and reactions from constituent groups, many of these groups. Many of these important works in particular the nationality recognized skill sets are cross-matched to the engage 21st century skills. As society changes, thes kill needed to negotiate the complexities of life also change. In the early 1900s a person who had acquired simple reading, writing, and calculating skills was considered literate. Only in recent years has the public education system expected all students to build on those basics, developing a broader range of illiteracies (international ICT literacy panel 2002) to achieve success in the 21st century. Students also need to attain proficiency in science, technology, a culture, as well as gain a thorough understanding of information in all its ways. According to leading researchers, caution should be exercised when attempting to link high-stakes testing and high standards to the creation of a productive workforce.
Today’s students must prepare for the reality of 21st century work and develop deeper levels of initiative and self-direction skills as they progress through school, it is necessary to prepare the leading generation in education to become a good professional to perform an excellent job in a global race in the central economic competitiveness for the next decade. In an economy in constant renewal, in a world of many opportunities and risks, we need to notice that 21st century education is the base of competitiveness. Fundamental changes in the economy, jobs and businesses are the reasons why we need to act now. New distinct skill demands, advanced economies require more educated workers to respond to complex situations. Two achievement gaps in the previous decade, the U.s has focused nationally on closing achievement gaps between the lowest and highest performing students. What we need to do now the nation needs to do a better job teaching for competitiveness in the global economy. The time is now to make a change in the history of education and competitiveness. The fundamental change in the economy demands strong and creative policies. To make the connection between education and skills recognize and support by society.
Conclusion
The educational effectiveness of ICTs depends on how they are used and for what purpose. And like any other educational tool or mode of educational delivery, ICTs do not work for everyone, everywhere in the same way.
