ICT IN EDUCATION

What are ICTs and what types of ICTs are commonly used in education?

ICTs stand for information and communication technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a “diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.”

What is e-learning?

Although most commonly associated with higher education and corporate training, e-learning encompasses learning at all levels,both formal and non-formal, that uses an information network—the Internet, an intranet (LAN) or extranet (WAN)—whether wholly or in part, for course delivery, interaction and/or facilitation. Others prefer the term online learning. Web-based learning is a subset of elearning and refers to learning using an Internet browser (such as Netscape or Internet Explorer).

What is blended learning?

Another term that is gaining currency is blended learning.This refers to learning models that combine traditional classroom practice with e-learning solutions.For example, students in a traditional class can be assigned both print-based and online materials, have online mentoring sessions with their teacher through chat, and are subscribed to a class email list. Or a Web-based training course can be enhanced
by periodic face-to-face instruction.“Blending”was prompted by the recognition that not all learning is best achieved in an electronically-mediated environment, particularly one that dispenses with a live instructor altogether. Instead, consideration must be given to the subject matter, the learning objectives
and outcomes, the characteristics of the learners, and the learning context in order to arrive at the optimum mix of instructional and delivery methods.

What is open and distance learning?

Open and distance learning is defined by the Commonwealth of Learning as “a way of providing learning opportunities that is characterized by the separation of teacher and learner in time or place, or both time and place; learning that is certified in some way by an institution or agency; the use of a variety of media, including print and electronic; two-way communications that allow learners and tutors to interact; the possibility of occasional face-to-face meetings; and a specialized division of labour in the production and delivery of courses.”

COMPUTER MAINTENENCE

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE

Computer Maintenance Tips

1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down. The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to..

2. I highly recommend that you purchase an UPS (uninteruptable power supply) for your computer. This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from low and high voltage occurrences.An UPS is far superior to a surge protector and will save your computer from almost any type of power disaster. (See #1 above for what happens when your computer crashes.)

3. Backup, backup, backup, any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives. So backup data to external hard drives, Zip disks, CD-RWs etc.The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.

SCAN DISK

Scanning your hard drive using Error Checking can help diagnose and even correct a wide range of hard drive errors. Error checking will check for various hard drive issues, including bad sectors. Error Checking replaces older Windows hard drive diagnostics such as "scandisk" and "chkdsk".

DISK CLEANUP

Manually Clean Out The Temp Folder In Windows Vista.Manually cleaning out the Temp folder in Window Vista is often a necessary maintenance step when the Windows Vista Disk Cleanup utility fails to completely clean out the Temp folder. Removing temporary files is a quick and easy task that can help save disk space and keep your PC clean of file clutter. Just follow the step by step directions below to manually clean out the Temp folder.

DISK FRAGMENTED

Fragmentation occurs on a hard drive, a memory module, or other media when data is not written close enough physically on the drive. When the hard drive, for example, has to read pieces of data from multiple different areas on the drive, it can not access the whole of the data as fast as it could if it had all been written together in the same area of the drive.

SCAN VIRUSES

Properly Scan Your Computer for Viruses, Trojans, and other Malware.Completely and correctly scanning your computer for malware like viruses, trojan horses, rootkits, spyware, adware, worms, etc. is often a very important troubleshooting step. A simple virus scan will no longer do.

SPYWARE AND HARDWARE

Adware/spyware: more than an annoyance

· Adware is software that creates popup advertisements without your permission. Adware usually gets installed by being a component of free software. Besides being irritating, adware can significantly decrease computer performance.

· Spyware is software that collects information from your computer without your knowledge. Free software is notorious for having spyware as a payload, so reading the user agreement is important. The Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal is probably the most notable example of spyware.

Most quality anti-spyware programs will quickly find unwanted adware/spyware and remove it from the computer. It’s also not a bad idea to regularly remove temp files, cookies, and browsing history from the Web browser program as preventative maintenance.