Technology use in teachers
In the analysis regarding the teachers about their knowledge and use of technology, it was found that there is interest in the development of learning environments to improve their pedagogical practice. Likewise, they manifest not possessing abilities to handle ICT; they argue that they do not have much time left to be involved in such activities. Table 7 summarizes the information regarding the teacher’s attitude about incorporating technology in academic practice.
| Table 7:Teachers’ Participation | ||||
| Concept | Number of teachers | Percentage | ||
| Commitment to participate | 36 % | |||
| Not committed to participating | 14% | |||
| Reluctant to participate | 10% | |||
| No comments | 40% |
The information above shows that although 36% of teachers are willing to participate, there is still a majority that did not comment on the topic of technology integration. Participant professors commented that most communities in Chocу do not possess quality connectivity to the internet or the necessary infrastructure to carry out this type of project at their schools.
About the positive effects of teacher training on the use of ICT, it was observed that there were difficulties due to complicated schedule, they expressed that the majority of professors are not available or willing to work additional hours. Some other motives they mentioned were that the professors usually work in other schools.
It was observed that around 35% of teachers expressed they perform adequately in class with technological tools, but the majority of the participant professors do not have the necessary conditions at their schools.
Rural areas’ professors conveyed that before teaching through the use of information and communication technology, it is necessary to learn about computers, software, and the internet and its advantages. 34 out of 42 professors explained that whichever is the project planned to improve the education of quality, they are usually linked to internet use.
Results also show that for every 22 students, there is one computer, and only 30% of the educational institutions of Chocу have internet access. On this respect, it is noticeable that the department of Chocу has only one internet service provider whose service is not sufficient to cover the totality of the rural areas.
On a positive note, it was observed that 92% of teachers consider that incorporating activities that promote active learning allow to guide the students for autonomous and effective learning. On the contrary, only one teacher indicated that support activities based on the internet would allow to reach learning goals.
In the analysis with teachers regarding their knowledge and management of technological tools, it was found that they have a high interest in the development of learning environments to enhance their educational tasks. They also, manifested not having knowledge and skills in the
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management of ICT. Moreover, they argue they do not have much time left to be involved in these activities.
One of the inadequacies noted at this stage was the use of online tools, which represented a cornerstone in the development of this project as it will raise the quality of education because many of the isolated communities lack of adequate connectivity or do not possess it. Teachers noted that it is very difficult to organize work schedules that match with all teachers since they are not willing to dedicate additional hours for collaborate working or ICT training. On this regard, only 35% of teachers were able to achieve a favorable performance in the use of some ICT tools in the classroom, but most professors do not have the necessary tools for the development of an efficient educational activity.
Teachers report that before teaching through ICT, it is necessary to know more about the use of the computer, software, the Internet and its scope. Younger teachers reflect more desire to learn and be trained in the use of ICT than an older professor. 80 % of interviewed teachers stated that projects or programs for the improvement of the quality of education should be linked to Internet because nowadays, the entire educational community expects improvement in this field, and in some places of the community the Internet connectivity is very poor.
Through the observations, it was identified that five science teachers incorporated Internet educational resources, a strategy that allows them to strengthen the content of their lessons and identify instruments opportunity to develop them.
Regarding the use of open educational resources, 70% of teachers agree to incorporate them into their practice. On the other side, 20% of participants mentioned they them scarcely, and only 10 % do not agree with its continuous implementation. As for the students, they considered that the use of complementary educational web resources create an environment of trust for the development of teaching-learning process.
CONCLUSION
The study of the educational setting and characteristics of a remote and isolated community allowed to obtain a perspective of how, in today’s society, there is still much work to do regarding quality and equal education. In the isolated areas of Colombia, as in the department of Chocу, the advancements in technology are innovative project which implementation must be carried out with supervision and follow-up of the results, as suggested by Rogers (2003). All participants, including professors and students, agreed on the importance and prominence of the internet as a mean to expand and obtain knowledge, as signaled by De Haro (2005).
It is thought those technology aids that facilitate interactivity, which is vital for teaching and learning processes. In the case of the school of this research, located in a remote and isolated region, the most notable deficiency is the lack of technology equipment for the creation of new learning environments.
In Colombia, the growth in the telecommunications area is impending, the infrastructure in isolated areas is an obstacle to the educational advancement of the population. To reach the objectives of quality education in the school of this research, the following criteria must be followed: Training teachers for the use of ICT; Improving computer labs and infrastructure, Curriculum guidelines that support the teaching.
The majority of professors concluded that it is necessary to receive training and enhance the conditions of the computer room and connectivity. The training of teachers is a vital aspect in the
| Virtual educational model for remote communities |
unification of ICT planning classroom, as they are influential in the formation of students. Teachers acknowledged that there are plenty of ideal tools to improve the development of classroom activities and optimize the teaching process, that should be adopted in the curricula of institutions and organization of activities. Concerning the teaching methodology, it was observed that teachers differ in the way they see the educational curriculum because they all have different ways to develop their study and lessons plans. Teachers stated that the design of a strategy that includes the development of ICT in the planning activities requires the assessment of the curriculum.
On the main topic of research: Is it necessary to develop an educational environment adapted only for remote and isolated communities? Is it possible to implement an established strategy? It was found that one of the most significant shortcomings is that the institution lacks much of technological elements that would facilitate the creation of new environments. Teachers, mostly elderly, fear of training to help them contribute to the development of new workspaces, forcing qualified teachers to seek to create learning environments. Otherwise, the chances are that traditional education is still being imposed in the same way as before, and a new work environment would not provide assurance to improve the educational quality of the institution.
The current infrastructure on campus does not seem to be the ideal. Building a successful virtual education model depends on the analysis applied as to the requirements needed to achieve it if it comes to infrastructure. The institution is then obliged to provide an ideal access for environments that are constructed so as to ensure rapid and efficient community connecting computers to work environments.
It is important to make a change to renew the way of teaching in campus, and a new teaching methodology is constructed, where students can learn as independently as possible, without cares and according to their needs from any workplace, not necessarily in the institution , where they can develop tasks to test their knowledge and acquire new learning that will motivate them to continue the path of knowledge and learning and contributes to reducing the population that chooses to walk away from the classroom.
Therefore, it is necessary to improve the technology investment and provide facilities for the use of the same, to ensure a chance of life, personal and cultural growth, allowing our students to grow in the use of new information technologies and communication, contributing to the improvement of digital literacy in the region.
It is necessary to structure in an orderly manner the project of creation and implementation of new environments, according to inputs that exist within the institution and the budget, to maintaining the quality of education that develops there, or what is more ideal, improve it. Campuses must conduct studies regarding the financial situation and make the decision that best favors on creating virtual learning environments.
The study concludes that the global interest in the scope and benefits that the internet can provide, is immense. Education has been sheltered by all the favors offered by the Internet, the facilities provided by both the teachers and the students for their learning, its interactive way of working and independent learning. However, we cannot forget that the Internet alone does not solve the problems of education, it needs a pedagogical model that fits and enjoy its scope, and provide isolated communities with an opportunity to improve education quality.
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Original article at: http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=2065