Need for monitoring of ICT-enriched activities

This week, I attempt to present my thinking on the need of monitoring of school activity especially ICT-enriched activities which are a long term programs.

I believe in the need to constantly monitor evidence about learning of students supported by ICT and the efforts of teachers to improve such learning. Such monitoring can then allow continuous adjusting of our own decisions and actions in response to these evidences. But before there can be any monitoring, there is a need to unpack what constitutes as evidence about such learning and teaching supported by ICT.

Once such evidences about learning and teaching are established, the use of data will be a key factor in the improvement of teaching and learning. Through reviews of data, school leaders will be able to identify areas of ICT curriculum in which student baseline standards is below expectations, as well as areas of subject curriculum that need differentiated instructions supported by ICT for individual students. The evidences can then be refined or changed when necessary.

Reviewing data is also part of the department improvement planning process (AFI in the ICT Action Plan). These data served not only as means by which the various ICT practices in school demonstrate success and celebrate achievement, but also as indicators of how far these practices will likely progress with additional support and how student learning can be improved.

I hear often, too often of teachers claiming to do something based on their experience alone. I think that this is not sufficient. There should be emphasis on data-based decision making about instructions for teaching and learning. I believe that this new emphasis will give rise to increase vigilance at both heads and teachers level about the programs conducted, especially for students learning. For instance, at PLC meetings, data should be presented and looked at so as to figure out how to get our students to move to the next level. With data, we know where the current position is. Teachers then work together to ensure that teaching strategies supported by ICT to address specific learning challenges those students faced.