Minimizing Barrier of 'Teacher Training' for Optimal utilization of ICT in classroom.

Hope everyone is good and benefiting learners with your expertise.In relation to a article: "Barriers to the Successful Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning Environment: A Review of the Literature".
Indeed it was a good read and helped in nourishing my ideas, but in respect of the professional development of the faculty there is a quotation mentioned on page 239 of this article that, " Providing pedagogical training for teachers, rather than simply training them to use ICT tools, is an important issue (Becta, 2004)."
I am a bit concerned about the difference between that 'Pedagogical Training' and 'Training ICT Tools'. I am working to design a frame work about the training of teachers in relation to ICT, as this is a barrier that continuously effecting the optimal utilization of ICT in our classrooms.

Please comment and recommend suggestions on how that barrier could be handled ?

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Permalink Reply by Ejaz Ahmad on June 27, 2014 at 12:07am

Teachers are sometimes unable to make full use of technology bec

ause they lack the

time needed to fully prepare and research materi

als for lessons, particularly where this

involv

es online or multimedia content. Time

is also needed for teachers to become better

acquainted with hardware and software

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Permalink Reply by Hina Rao on June 29, 2014 at 1:48am

I want to share the four biggest barriers that we the Pakistani teachers are facing those are internet speed, electrical fluctuations, lab bookings and biggest of all limited resources which hinders better learning and teaching. We the teachers not only get distracted but students also get distracted and loose their motivation and interest as they most of the time do not get equal opps and if their work is not saved they have to start well over again. It becomes difficult for teachers to again get students interest and motivation especially at my level.

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Permalink Reply by Fouzia Mumtaz on June 29, 2014 at 6:47am

I totally agree with Hina Rao. Using tools in lessons is a two fold problem for teachers. First understanding and getting acquainted with tools and then over coming the technological hurdles. In my experience the second part is a major bottle neck for many teachers. The " pedagogical training " might involve enabling and motivating teachers up to the level where they overcome these hurdles.
Whereas " teaching them to use ICT tools" only caters for the first part.

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Permalink Reply by Endrew Simon on June 29, 2014 at 8:57am

I do agree with Hina and Fouzia that the barriers are different as per the geographical locations. But one thing which i would like to share and indeed wanted you all to reflect upon is the missing links across curriculum when you are embedding technology in your classrooms. As it is evident from the fact that if teacher have no input at the developmental time of the curriculum they will just follow it as a holistic code without even knowing the rationale behind its evolution. Than comes the phase of technical expertise and ICT tools awareness programs. When teachers are following curriculum documents as a mean of just following and acting accordingly than how could they inculcate the values and creativity. So the technical training and the rationale of embedding ICT across curriculum should be treated separately and training sessions were designed accordingly.