Using ICT to Develop Literacy

From the Foreword: "This booklet aims to provide a concise overview of the literacy issue and explain how ICT [information and communication technology] can be used to enhance literacy education and contribute to achieving the Literacy Decade goals. The booklet will focus on five areas where ICT can be utilized in literacy education: enhancing learning; raising access to literacy education; training of teachers; localizing content; and creating a literacy-conducive environment. Examples of the use of ICT in literacy education will be provided, including examples drawn from the reports produced as a result of the “Study on Best Practices in ICT-based Education”, conducted by UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization] Islamabad in 2004. The study examined the use of ICT in education in seven of the E-9 countries, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, India, Mexico, Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China, and was carried out as part of the UNESCO “ICT for the Promotion of Literacy” project." It is a UNESCO ICT in Education Programme publication.

The authors argue that being able to read, write, and calculate in today’s world is often not enough. They state that developments in technology are changing what it means to be a literate person. They offer examples from literacy and technology programmes that show how literacy and ICT education can be mutually enhancing.

Findings related to the case studies include the following:

1. Successful literacy projects take an integrated approach, for example: tackling teacher training needs; providing technical support; producing inexpensive, locally relevant literacy materials such as software in local languages (CD-ROMs of local language nursery rhymes was one example); and involving more of the community when possible, including involving parents in children's literacy education.
   
2. Several studies found that when subject matter is determined by the learners themselves this leads to increased interest and motivation to participate and learn. It increases the relevancy of the subject matter to the lives of the learners.
3. Teachers can be trained in learner-centred methodologies and how to incorporate ICT into teaching and learning that is relevant to the learner group. Television can be used for teacher training or refresher courses or for offering high school completion courses for adult learners. Because the fixed times of broadcast can be problematic for learners, audio cassettes, videos, video-compact-discs (VCDs), digital video discs (DVDs), and compact discs (CD-ROMs) can help overcome the issues of lesson times and convenience.
   
4. Cultural factors that need to be addressed include: Will men accept women as teachers? Can scheduling of class meetings accommodate work, religious, and event-centred commitments? Is cost preventing attendance? Are basic needs being met first?
   
5. Affordability may be addressed by innovation. Examples include: using open source software to create local materials; using digital cameras to illustrate locally written, early literacy, learner-developed texts; using the short message service (SMS) mobile phone function to enhance basic literacy skills; subtitling television in local languages; and posting printed local language information from the internet on bulletin boards to increase available printed information.

Policy recommendations include the following:

• Ensuring Better Planning and Programme Design - Community participation, including stakeholders in partnerships and using mother-tongue materials, enhances learning. Coordination of efforts by the various institutions, ministries, and organisations, along with public-private partnerships and built-in monitoring and evaluation, can help ensure "effective and affordable ways of bringing ICT expertise and experience into educational activities."
• Supporting the Creation of a Literacy-Conducive Environment - Community learning centres can support literacy in terms of the benefits literacy brings for individual and community development through addressing locally-relevant skills.
  
• Enhancing Professional Development - ICT can be used for creating distance learning, developing materials, enhancing information retention by trainee teachers, networking, and knowledge sharing in order to offer professional development to administrators, directors, educators, and other literacy personnel.
  
• Developing Literacy Programmes that are Learner-Centred - Programmes can be tailored to address the specific needs of groups using culturally and linguistically appropriate materials with relevant information and skill-building opportunities.
  
• Formulating a Policy for Integrating ICT in Adult Literacy Programmes - Include ICT in existing literacy programmes and literacy in ICT training programmes.
  
• Providing Infrastructure - Ensure that the ICT infrastructure and technical support are set up - for example, phone lines, reliable electricity supply, and internet connectivity.