I see the use of ICT’s as playing a valuable role in a student-centred approach to learning. Given that such a pedagogy is based on the assumption that "what the student does is actually more important in determining what is learned than what the teacher does" (T.J. Shuell, "Cognitive Conceptions of Learning" (1986), 429), it seems to me that the amount of things a student can “do”, particularly on their own, is greatly enhanced by their ability to use ICT’s: The more they can do on their own, and the more information they access, the more their interest in a particular topic is sparked, especially as they can come at any given topic from the angle that interests them the most. They can engage with topics in a way that is most relevant to their own lives. ICT’s allow students to not just learn, but also contribute to the learning of others, through the creation of video’s’ websites, blogs and commenting. Learners can become contributors to an ever-expanding pool of knowledge. If the use of ICT’s help create motivation, and a sense of excitement in learning, I am willing to let go of having tight control over what and how the students are learning. If we seek to control every aspect, students can develop an approach lacking in creativity, where they simply wait to be told what is important. A student-centred approach seeks to empower individuals to become active protagonists in society (Atweh, 2013), and the use of ICT’s can provide the tools for this. While I have some experiencing of learning using ICT’s in university, I don’t have much experience with using ICT’s as a teaching tool. Much of the emotions I have felt in dealing with this course were not so much about my ICT values being challenged, but rather my own disbelief in my ability to use them. For me, this implies a definite need to push the boundaries of my comfort zone, as will be explored further in Reflection 1.3.
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