Article,
Information Technology and the Curriculum Process in Developed and Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis and the Changed Role of the North American Teacher
(0901 1998)LV: Available online; EM: 1999.
Abstract
This paper critically analyzes the interrelationships among information technology, the curriculum process, student exposure to information technology, and the role of the teacher in developing countries and in the developed world. The paper provides highlights about the tremendous amounts of information readily available in, and accessible through, computer networks around the world (e.g., the Internet). Students' exposure to information technology and computer networks varies, ranging from little or none in developing countries (e.g., Tanzania) to everyday use in most parts of developed countries (e.g., the United States). However, the education industry appears to be globally lagging behind in utilizing information technology to enrich school learning. North American teachers are urged to take the lead as facilitators of structures for synthesizing the information students access and gearing it toward a higher quality of learning. The paper discusses the changed role of North American teachers, and it draws implications for classroom practices and teacher qualities. Finally, it suggests a collaboration between teachers in the developed world and the developing world to reduce the ever-widening gap with regard to information technology. (SM)
Tags
- computer
- countries;
- curriculum
- developed
- developing
- development;
- education;
- educational
- elementary
- foreign
- higher
- in
- information
- internet;
- materials;
- multimedia
- nations;
- networks;
- role;
- secondary
- teacher
- teachers
- technology;
- uses
