Summary of Unit 5

In this unit, we examined aspects of successful ICT implementation, and in that extension, the role of ICT diffusion in everyday lives. ICT policy planning takes on the role of a roadmap that directs and informs the systematic admittance of ICT into other areas of professional practice such as education, social and banking. We also discussed some of the potential advantages and challenges that are commonly associated with ICT policy planning and implementation - one of which is diversity and inclusion. In the Malaysian educational landscape, students come from multi ethnic and multi racial society, and this brings about concerns of diversity including socio-economic status, religion, language and in that connection, learning styles and prior knowledge, just to name a few. Accordingly, inclusion emerges as a viable alternative to minimize this disparity of diversity through active participation in learning, culture, society and promotion of multiple intelligence. In this context, ICT is looked upon as a tool to realize these outcomes in attempt to minimize the disparity and in reaching out to learners in remote locations. Over the years, it becomes apparent that learners in remote locations are enormously deprived of learning experiences and exposure to current curriculum, and this transpired into serious concerns to both political and community leaders, as well as international development agencies such as UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Bank. In this effect, we explored some possible and impending strategies to reach learners in remote communities using ICT through relevant Malaysian case studies. In the following unit, we examined the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) as a key role in the management and allocation of educational resources on students and teachers. Subsequently, we considered some challenges and issues related to the development and experiences of the Educational Management Information System which led to notions of emerging trends in education. In this final section of the unit, discussion on emerging trends in education centers on the learners, teachers, classrooms and schools of the future as stakeholders to the promising exponential growth of ICT in education.

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