montuert_gm

There are so many obstacles that we encounter in our educational practices but most of the time we are challenged tom look for solutions. Just like in IT there are obstacles that hinders to better educational practices. The challenge of improving teachers' practice by Elmore. "the conditions under which teacher are asked to engage in new practices bear no relationship whatever the conditions required for learning, how to implement complex and new practice with success.
Another problem is that school improvement is not seen as a matter of refining teacher’s knowledge and skills. Professional development is after undervalued and when it’s done it is haphazard or detached from class room.
There are several conditions required to facilitate implementation of education technology into sustained practice. Educators must be dissatisfied with status qou. Passes technology knowledge and skills have access to technology resources, e provided with time and reward for achievements, to be directly involves with decision and committed to technology integration and supportive leadership to effectively implemented educational technologies into classroom. Unfortunately, much of today’s educational technology training tends to focus only on developing skills and knowledge to operate new equipment. But, there is hope. Many researches are reporting that adding reflection components to professional development programs helps educators attend to the conditions beyond skills development and move forward in technology adoption.

There are 5 progressive countries that are leading in using ICT. Each country has its own goal and policies as well as their strategies in using and improving the ICT.
The following are the 5 countries and its policies:

New Zealand
--- http://www1.american.edu/initeb/sf94129/national.htm ---
There are several public agencies responsible for leading New Zealand’s quest to “become a world leader in information technology”. What was exactly New Zealand means by “world leader in IT” is unclear. They compare themselves in this field mainly to the United States, Canada, and Australia, but have not defined “world leader in IT” in any of the literature this author has send.
The public agencies for this undefined quest include:
- E – government
- Ministry of Research, science and technology
- Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
- Ministry of Economic Development
- Ministry of Commerce
- Ministry of Communication

Hong Kong¬
--- http://www-shambles.net/pages/learning/ict/ictadmin --
There is a 5 year strategy which aims to harness the power of ict to turn schools into dynamic and innovative learening institutions, where student6s can become more motivated, inquisitive, creative, independent life long experience. The key components of strategy are teacher enablement; focus on curriculum and software, hardware provision and extension of infrastructure. Teachers will be trained at four different levels to become effective facilitators, guiding the students to play a more active role in learning. They focus ICT in schools and start to develop and maximize teachers potential to teach students the best strategy in using ICT that could make which undergone depth – training.

Singapore
http://www.ida.goo.sa/news%20and%20events/20061121172511.axpx?getpagetype=21
Beyond the classroom and research inside the university are the #1 policy/ strategy they made to see the important factors in society that ICT could be used. Its goal is to have an intensified development of ICT – related man power, an improved personal and community communications through ICT, an using it to establish a compititive advantage to both within and without island. The most popular strategy they have is through the superior business infrastructure, the R&D. it is for the development and utilization of ICT technology (intra country networking) and the positioning of Singapore as a regional hubby plugging international business networks(extra – country networking).

Malaysia
--- http://www.obi.giti.waseda.ac.jp/ITU/2001/Malaysia.pdf ---
Schools were equipped with state of the multimedia/ computing equipment and provided with comprehensive teaching learning materials for four subjects, namely, Malaysia language, English, Science and Math. ICT workers have rapid growth per annum. The undergraduate students will be enrolled in ICT and related engineering courses. This is the reason that Malaysia made the difference among the other. The choice of strategy is so good. The goal of this is to enhance human capital, so that every single citizen is empowered to be a responsible stakeholder.

Australia
--- http://www.edna.edu-au/edna/go/ictpolicy/cache/offonce;iscssionia=BB75EDEB07171053310/CCOCE9BF79C ---
Addressing development of online digital and service for the education and training.

Philippines
--- http://www.unescobkb.org/education/ict/themes/policy/regional-country-overviews/the-philippines/... ---
Has begun to conceptualize the policies, strategies of ICT in education towards lifer – long learning, in its information and communication strategy plan. With IT involved in education as an enabling productivity tool that will enhance learner performance, educational efforts will be re – focused on the requirements of the learners and the job market through ICT.

In generalization, ICT policies and strategies mainly started and developed in schools which are fully equipped institutions where students are the target to empower ICT through out the world.