How ICT in education initiatives contribute to the MDGs
How do ICT in education initiatives contribute to the Millennium Development Goals?
Educators and policymakers alike agree that information and communication technologies are of paramount importance to the future of education. ICT in education initiatives that focus on the following areas are most likely to successfully contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals:
Increasing access through distance learning
ICTs can provide new and innovative means to bring educational opportunities to greater numbers of people of all ages, especially those who have historically been excluded, such as populations in rural areas, women facing social barriers, and students with disabilities.
Enabling a knowledge network for students
With knowledge as the crucial input for productive processes within today’s economy, the efficiency by which knowledge is acquired and applied determines economic success. Effective use of ICTs can contribute to the timely transmission of information and knowledge, thereby helping education systems meet this challenge.
Training teachers
Large numbers of school teachers will be needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals for education. The use of ICTs can help in meeting teacher training targets. Moreover, ICTs provide opportunities to complement on the job training and continuing education for teachers.
Broadening the availability of quality education materials
Network technologies have the potential to increase the availability of quality educational materials. Their interactivity and global reach allow for customized sharing of knowledge, materials, and databases, quickly and cheaply over long geographic distances. Furthermore, online resources offer teachers access to a vast and diverse collection of educational materials, enabling them to design curricula that best meet the needs of their students.
Enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of educational administration and policy
New technologies can help improve the quality of administrative activities and processes, including human resource management, student registration, and monitoring of student enrollment and achievement.
For more information see ICT and MDGs: A World Bank Group Perspective (2003).