Module 5 helps in finding information but also in organizing

information making it easier to share with others.

Evaluating ICT Resources
Internet: Internet tools like Email, social networks,
Lesson 1: Characteristics of ICT Resources in Teaching newsgroups and video transmission have connected the
world like never before. Students can now communicate
How can you identify sound ICT resources for your
using emails and social networking groups that provide
lessons? How can you say that the technology you use suit
knowledge based information. Distance learning, online
to your lessons and to the types of learners you have in the learning is also enabled through the internet. Students can
classroom? Below are the roles of technology/ICT resources learn online and also talk to experts online. Notes,
towards teaching-learning process. readings, tutorials, assignments can be received by
students from anywhere. The Internet provides major
Remember this!
information in texts, audios, videos and graphics which can
be accessed by the individual. Online learning allows
“Smart technology”
students to interact with each other and faculty to interact
is the familiar terminology
with students.
that is widely being used in
every being’s life.
Classroom Learning: With the introduction of ICT
Smartphones, tablets,
in education, classroom learning is one attribute that
gadgets, smart televisions,
makes learning experiential and experimental to
etc., are the products of smart technology that have made
students. Students can listen to the instructor or teacher,
human life smarter, easier and accessible. Smart
receive visual cues through PowerPoint images, handouts
technology has not only enhanced the way of living but
or whiteboard lists and participate actively. This helps in
also became an integrated part of everyone’s life.
immediate interaction and students have opportunities to
The Information and Communication technology to be
ask questions and participate in live discussions. This
precise has become a driving force behind economic
school communication software module further benefits in
growth and a developmental tool as well.
building and maintaining personal and professional
relationships as classrooms offer greater personal contact
ICT is an extended term for Information
with other students and teachers.
technology which is a technological source to make
information available at the right time, right place in the
Video conferencing: This is yet another medium of
right form to the right user. Earlier, one had to wait for the
communication wherein students can communicate with
newspapers to get the information across the world. Now
other students or instructors online. It enables students
with the smarter technology, information can be accessed
to become active participants in their own learning. Video
from anywhere using smartphones and gadgets. All this is
Conferencing is a powerful communication tool that has
made possible with the help of Information and
the potential to change the way we deliver information to
Communication Technology. Information technology has
students.  It is just one of the today’s integrative
been influencing our lives in the recent years in the fields
technologies that empower students to prepare for a
of education, healthcare, and business. Going an extra
better future.
mile, Information and communication technology in
schools has had a major impact.
Here are few characteristics that make ICT in education a
prominent school communication tool.
Information and communication technology in
 It offers the wide variety of services.
schools can be used as a school communication tool to
 It is reliable and provides interactive learning
improve student learning and better teaching techniques.
experiences.
With the advancement of technology in education, schools
 It is flexible and provides comfortable learning.
adopt school communication software to transmit, store,
 It motivates students to learn.
share or exchange information. In this technological era,
 It facilitates communication and promotes
ICT in education has compelled many schools to get
creativity.
accustomed to smart technology. This school
 It also provides access to the digital library where
communication software uses computers, the internet, and
information can be retrieved and stored beyond
multimedia as the medium of communication.
textbooks.
Computer-based learning: Computer-based
The use of ICT in education adds value to teaching
learning is one of the modules of school communication
and learning, by enhancing the effectiveness of learning.
tool that helps students to enhance their learning skills
It added a dimension to learning that was not previously
through computer aided education. It imparts computer
available. After the inception of ICT in schools, students
knowledge in students and enables them to obtain large
found learning in a technology-enhanced environment
amounts of information from various websites. After two
more stimulating and engaging than in a traditional
decades of introducing computers to schools, education
classroom environment.
has been revolutionized ever since then. It reduces time
spent on mechanical tasks such as rewriting, producing
MyClassboard is yet another school communication
graphs and increases the scope of searching. It not only
tool that bridges the gap between teachers, parents, and

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students by using its school messenger module. Parents
and teachers can interact with each other using this
module emphasizing on transparency between the duo.
Become a partner with us and build the communication
between your teachers and parents with effectiveness and
ease.
Roles of Technology for Teaching
According to Stosic (2015), educational technology has
three domains:
1. Technology as a tutor. Together with the teacher,
technology can support the teacher to teach
another person or technology when programmed
by the teacher can be a tutor on its own. The
teacher will simply switch on or switch off radio
programs, television programs or play DVDs, or
CDs that contain educational programs. There are
on-line tutorial educational programs, too.
2. Technology as a teaching tool. Like a tutor,
technology is a teaching tool, but can never replace
a teacher. This is like the handyman, which is just
there to be reached. Like any other tool, it is being
used to facilitate and lighten the work of the
teacher. It will be good if the teacher can also
create or develop technology tools that are needed
in the classroom.
3. Technology as a learning tool. While the teacher
utilizes technology as the tool for teaching, likewise
it is an effective tool for learning. As a learning
tool, it makes learning easy and effective. It can
produce learning outcomes that call for
technology-assisted teaching. As a learning tool, it
is very interesting that even the elderly use these
tools for learning for life.
A. For Teachers and Teaching
1. Technology provides enormous support to the
teacher as the facilitator of learning.
2. Technology has modernized the teaching-learning
environment.
3. Technology improves teaching-learning process
and ways of teaching.
4. Technology opens new fields in educational
research.
5. Technology as to the competence of teachers and
inculcates scientific outlook.
6. Technology supports teacher professional
development.
B. For Learners and Learning
1. Support learners to learn how to learn on their
own.
2. Technology enhances learners’ communication
skills through social interactions.
3. Technology upgrades learners’ higher-order-
thinking skills: critical thinking, problem solving and
creativity.
Lesson 2: Assessment Tools for Selecting Relevant and
Appropriate Digital and Non-Digital Resources
Description of the different sections and criteria
Product identification
This section identifies and presents a digital
educational resource. In this part, we provide general
information about the product. We indicate the name or
title of the product and we identify the name of the
authors or those responsible for the production. This
section also identifies the target audience and specifies
whether the objectives or targeted skills are shown.
1. Academic quality aspect. The objective of this
section is to evaluate the quality of information
presented in the digital learning resource. Indeed,
the quality of information presented is an essential
component of the experience the learners will be
living by checking the product. There are two
essential criteria to define the concept of quality
applied to information:
I. Information reliability. Information reliability lies
in credibility and accuracy. To evaluate this
criterion, we start questioning whether the
information is reliable, accurate and error-free. Is
this accuracy sustainable over time? Is information
security guaranteed? Is there any correspondence
between the perceived reliability and the actual
reliability of information?
II. Information relevance. This criterion is related to
the effectiveness of information. We wonder if the
information transmitted will trigger desirable
behaviors for the learner Is the information
workable and usable?
These two elements (reliability and relevance)
of academic quality are highly interdependent: the
mechanisms implemented to ensure information reliability
will obviously affect its relevance if the perceived reliability
is good.
2. Pedagogical quality aspect. The
evaluation of pedagogical quality is
of paramount importance. To
enhance learning and enable the
learner to construct his/her
knowledge, a digital learning
resource must refer to a
differentiated pedagogy, active and
learner-centered which promotes
the development of skills.
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The evaluation of the instructional design of the resource
involves an examination of its goals, objectives, teaching
strategies, and assessment provisions. This section
examines therefore the various facets of the educational
dimension brought by the digital learning resource.
The main criteria that will face each product
during the evaluation are:
Pedagogical formulation
Pedagogical formulation represents a concern of
comprehension by learners who use digital educational
resources for learning. This formulation is
characterized by the quality of simplification of content,
explanation of acronyms, glossary provided, the presence
of summaries or abstracts as well as the use of diagrams,
figures and illustrations.
Pedagogical construction
Pedagogical construction evaluates whether the structure
of the digital learning resource promotes its use in a
pedagogical context through the presence of appropriate
interactivity, logic of organization, ease of orientation (e.g.
summary, site plan), ease of browsing (back-forward, back
to home page, scroll box) and readability of pages (internal
summary, back buttons).
Pedagogical strategies
This criterion evaluates the teaching
strategies adopted. Developing an
appropriate instructional strategy lies in
designing and organizing learning activities
based on techniques, methods, approaches
and diverse educational models to handle
different learning styles.
Teaching strategies should be based on
active teaching approaches (constructivism,
socio-constructivism) to build meaningful
and motivating situations for learners and
engage them actively in learning.
The main sub criteria that will face each
product during the evaluation of pedagogical
strategies are:
 Instructional goals and learner objectives
are clearly stated:
Is the overall purpose of the resource
concisely stated, if appropriate, with specific
objectives stated for specific components?
Based on their experience, evaluators must
judge whether the resource would fulfill its
intended purpose and meet the learning
objectives.
 The resource is suitable for a wide range
of learning/teaching styles:
The resource uses a variety of approaches
(behaviorism, cognitivism,
constructivism, socio-constructivism)
and is flexible in its application (e.g.,
encourages teacher intervention, student
contributions, cooperative learning,
discovery learning, collaborative teaching).
Materials and suggested activities encourage
the use of a variety of learning styles and
strategies (e.g., concrete, abstract, oral,
written, multi-sensory, opportunities for
extension, inclusion of explicit aids for
retention).
 The resource promotes student
engagement:
Focusing techniques and cueing
devices, such as variations in typeface,
boxes, underlining, and spacing are included.
The resource incorporates aids to
accessibility (advance organizers,
summaries).Questions should encourage
reflection. Questions and activities within
the resource should attract attention and
increase understanding.
The methodology promotes active learning:
The methodology promotes critical thinking,
research skills, problem solving, group decision making,
etc. Students assume increased responsibility for learning.
For the decision-making actions, the number of decision
options should vary according to student needs.
 The resource encourages group interaction:
The resource uses group-based learning methods
such as crossability groups and co-operative learning.
 The resource encourages student creativity:
Use of the resource encourages students to
develop unique interpretations or solutions.
 Pedagogy is innovative:
The resource demonstrates a fresh approach.
Imagery, layout, presentation, pace, topics, suggested
activities, and instructional design all serve to promote
student interest in the content.
Assessment methods
The assessment methods are tools implemented for
evaluation, teaching monitoring and learners support,
such as exercises and tests. This criterion aims to evaluate
the assessment practices used. It also helps to ensure
whether the assessment is promoted or opposes the
emergence of learning.
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3.Didactic quality aspect. Didactics focuses on the central
role of learning activities, disciplinary content and
epistemology (the nature of knowledge to be taught).
This section examines the didactic quality of pedagogical
digital resources in education. We can define two key
criteria to evaluate the quality of this digital resource:
Veracity of learning activities .To enable the
learner to manipulate the presented digital learning
resource, the activities proposed in the product must be
appropriate. These activities must refer to real problems
that could possibly face the learner outside the
classroom.
Content of the educational tool . The single most
salient aspect of quality in many discussions of educational
materials is quality of content. Sanger M.J. and Greenbowe
T.J. (1999) demonstrated that biases and errors can easily
slip into educational materials and cause problems for
students. The content quality criteria asks reviewers to
consider the veracity and accuracy of learning resource, in
addition to assessing whether the product provides a
balanced presentation of ideas and contains an
appropriate level of detail.
Further, to achieve the learning objectives, the content
of digital learning resource must be in line with the
objectives and target audience. Knowledge conveyed must
undergo changes without minimizing, deviating or affecting
the concept.
4.Technical quality aspect. The technical quality of a
digital learning resource is paramount. In fact, it is not
acceptable that the learner will not be able to achieve an
educational activity because of usage problems.
As was the case with the educational criteria, we
must also evaluate the relevance of the technical
requirements and recommendations in regard to usage
area and distinctiveness. All the requirements must be
evaluated in light of the resource used, as not all
requirements and recommendations are relevant for all
resources.
The technical quality measures the resource
elaboration from the perspective:
Design
The content and organization of the visual product
should promote appropriate use of colors, interactivity,
graphic quality and pleasing aesthetic for the selected
images and illustrations.
The visual appearance and sounds presented by
digital learning resources, particularly as they relate to
information design, affect the resource’s aesthetic and
pedagogical impact. Decisions about presentation design
should be informed by instructional and cognitive
psychology, especially the theories and principles of
cognitive load, multimedia learning and information
visualization.
Browsing
The product design must facilitate browsing. While
manipulating the resource, the learner should be able to
find a plan, an index or a detailed table of contents. The
suggested choices should be clear and the groupings
within the menus should be consistent.
Technological ingenuity
Multimedia techniques aim to combine and exploit the
capacities of new technologies in education to enhance
knowledge transfer and assimilation of knowledge by
learners.
During product development, the
designer should use multimedia techniques
in favor of information and education such
as animations, flashing text, animated
images and multiple windows.
Lesson 3: Revisiting of PB Learning Plan: Integration of the
Use of Digital and Non-Digital Resources and Assessment
Tools in the LP Procedure
Problem-based Learning/Project-Based Learning
 Problem-based learning is a pedagogical method in
which students working as a team to solve
complicated, ill-structured problems rooted in the
real world.
 The role of the teacher is that of a manager and a
facilitator (this approach is student-centered).
 The teacher must consider the students ability to
work collaboratively, be self directed, and to think
critically (and be prepared to teach these skills
during the learning experience).
 Proponents of Problem-based learning point to
research that shows it promotes critical thinking
skills, communication skills, and cooperation.
Things the Teacher Should Consider
 What resources are available to students (e.g.
subject experts, technology, books)?
 What will the student produce at the end? How
will they represent their learning?
 What skills will students need to have in order to
successfully work in groups?
 How will students be assessed?
 What roles will students have when they are
working in groups?
 What common questions will students ask?
Roles
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  When students use technology as a tool to
communicate with others, they take on an active
role vs. a passive role of transmitting the
information by a teacher, a book, or broadcast. The
student is constantly making choices on how to
obtain, display, or manipulate information.
 Technology makes it possible for students to think
actively about the choices they make and execute.
Every student has the opportunity to get involved
either individually or as a group.
 Instructor role in Project Based Learning is that of a
facilitator. They do not relinquish control of the
collaborative classroom or student learning but
rather develop an atmosphere of shared
responsibility.
 The Instructor must structure the proposed
question/issue so as to direct the student’s
learning toward content-based materials. The
instructor must regulate student success with
intermittent, transitional goals to ensure student
projects remain focused and students have a deep
understanding of the concepts being investigated.
 The students are held accountable to these goals
through ongoing feedback and assessments. The
ongoing assessment and feedback are essential to
ensure the student stays within the scope of the
driving question and the core standards the project
is trying to unpack.
 According to Andrew Miller of the Buck Institute of
Education, formative assessments are used “in
order to be transparent to parents and students,
you need to be able to track and monitor ongoing
formative assessments, that show work toward
that standard.”
 The instructor uses these assessments to guide the
inquiry based learning process and ensure the
students have learned the required content. Once
the project is finished, the instructor evaluates the
finished product and learning that it demonstrates
Outcomes
 Students learn to work in a community, thereby
taking on social responsibilities. Some of the most
significant contributions of problem-based
learning have been in schools languishing in
poverty stricken areas; when students take
responsibility, or ownership, for their learning,
their self-esteem soars. It also helps to create
better work habits and attitudes toward learning.
Although students do work in groups, they also
become more independent because they are
receiving little instruction from the teacher. With
Problem-based learning students also learn skills
that are essential in higher education. The students
learn more than just finding answers,
 Problem-based learning allows them to expand
their minds and think beyond what they normally
would. Students have to find answers to questions
and combine them using critically thinking skills to
come up with answers.
 Opponents of Project Based Learning warn against
negative outcomes primarily in projects that
become unfocused and tangential arguing that
underdeveloped lessons can result in the wasting
of precious class time. No one teaching method has
been proven more effective than another.
 Opponents suggest that narratives and
presentation of anecdotal evidence included in
lecture-style instruction can convey the same
knowledge in less class time. Given that
disadvantaged students generally have fewer
opportunities to learn academic content outside of
school, wasted class time due to an unfocused
lesson presents a particular problem. Instructors
can be deluded into thinking that as long as a
student is engaged and doing, they are learning.
 Ultimately, it is cognitive activity that determines
the success of a lesson. If the project does not
remain on task and content driven the student will
not be successful in learning the material. The
lesson will be ineffective. A source of difficulty for
teachers includes, “Keeping these complex projects
on track while attending to students’ individual
learning needs requires artful teaching, as well as
industrial-strength project management. ” Like any
approach, Project Based Learning is only beneficial
when applied successfully.
Module Summary
Congratulations on completing the last lesson for Module
5: Evaluating ICT Resources. Here are some of the
important points covered in this module:
 The roles of technology for teaching include:
1)Technology as a tutor; 2) Technology as a
teaching tool; and 3) Technology as a learning tool.
 The following are the advantages of technology for
teachers and teaching:
 Technology provides enormous support to
the teacher as the facilitator of learning.
 Technology has modernized the teaching-
learning environment.
 Technology improves teaching-learning
process and ways of teaching.
 Technology opens new fields in
educational research.
 Technology ass to the competence of
teachers and inculcates scientific outlook.
 Technology supports teacher professional
development.
 The following are the advantages of technology for
learners and learning:
 Support learners to learn how to learn on
their own.
 Technology enhances learners’
communication skills through social
interactions.
 Technology upgrades learners’ higher-
order-thinking skills: critical thinking,
problem solving and creativity.
 The assessment criteria for selecting ICT resources
include: 1) Academic quality aspect; 2) Pedagogical
quality aspect; 3) Didactic quality aspect; and 4)
Technical quality aspect.
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