The Status and the Way Forward of Ict Curriculum in Ethiopian Secondary Schools
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Date
2014-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In today‟s modern world, acquisition of computer skills is becoming necessary for employment, educational development, and leisure. Tomorrow‟s world is an ICT one where information handling skills will be needed to improve the standard of learning and living. So, ICT education is very essential to improve our lives. This thesis presents the research done to explore the status of ICT education curriculum in Ethiopian secondary schools and suggests the way forward to the future ICT contents by considering the experience of other countries in the world. Since the current ICT curriculum is in implementation, informally different educators commented as the contents are irrelevant to students at secondary school. Indeed, the contents were selected without need assessment study and without considering school readiness with resources and appropriate manpower. The study revealed that schools have no sufficient resources like hardware, software and Internet infrastructure to teach ICT contents. This implies that students are unable to learn most contents due to lack of resources and training for teachers. This indicated that ICT curriculum is not implemented properly. On one hand, the study concluded that, the teachers in most secondary schools of Ethiopia are not qualified for the level. Even there are schools which don‟t have enough ICT teachers. In addition ICT teachers don‟t obtain training with the current ICT curriculum and teach students only those simple contents and jump/leave others without covering with curriculum schedule. On the other hand, the study revealed that in the current syllabi few ICT contents are not appropriate according to the knowledge and skills students developed at secondary school. Even though some contents of the curriculum are in standard with respect to other countries experience. Schools ICT laboratories situation is in question. The teaching/learning materials such as textbooks and teachers guides were not developed in suitable way. They are simply full of unnecessary details and leave some topics without clear guide to use software. Therefore, the research recommends feasible ICT contents by analyzing educators‟ opinion and experience of other countries that ICT knowledge and skills students can again and develop at secondary school. Suggested ICT contents to secondary schools are computer systems, computer care and safety, computer and its application, computer and information ethics, basic computer troubleshooting (assembly and upgrading), Information system and social media tools, Networks and communication, Exploring the Internet, Basic application of ICT in real life, and Problem solving and basic programming concepts using web page design. Moreover, concerned bodies should give serious attention and supervision to fulfill schools ICT resources, to revise current ICT curriculum with relevant contents and provide in-service training for ICT teachers intensively.
Keywords:-ICT, ICT teaching in secondary school, ICT teaching resources, Ethiopian ICT Curriculum, Standard ICT contents, National ICT policy, ICT teachers knowledge & skills
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Keywords
ICT; ICT Teaching in Secondary School; ICT Teaching Resources; Ethiopian ICT Curriculum; Standard ICT Contents; National ICT Policy; ICT Teachers Knowledge & Skills