ICTs for TVET. Report of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Online Conference, 14-28 May, 2013
Author: UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Germany)
Date: 2013-05-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Information Technology,Technical Education,Vocational Education,Educational Change,Educational Technology,Technological Advancement,Online Courses,Mass Instruction,Access to Education,Educational Quality,Computer Simulation,Conferences (Gatherings),Case Studies,Outcomes of Education,Barriers,Risk,Technology Integration,Teaching Methods,Futures (of Society),Educational Trends,International Organizations,Foreign Countries

Recent years have seen an explosion in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), which have come to play an increasingly important role in multiple aspects of daily lives. There is an unprecedented expansion of the information available online and existing in an ever more interconnected world; however, this change has been so rapid and exponential that traditional models of education are only just starting to catch up and seek ways to best use these technologies for the benefit of learners. From radio and video resources to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), high-quality educational materials from across the world are being made available for free to many thousands of users, often for the first time. While it is early to tell exactly what impact these trends will have on TVET in the long term, it is clear that ICTs are an emerging force in TVET, with the potential to transform technical and vocational education. In a context of increasing global interconnectedness, new technologies allow for ever easier access to education and information, both at the national level and across borders. While access to learning resources used to be limited and restricted, increasingly more materials are now available for free, anytime and anywhere. It is clear that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are starting to have an important impact on education and training, and now need to be harnessed in a way that is favourable for the poorest in order to provide more widespread access to good quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for all. It is against this background that the 2-week virtual conference was held, exploring the topic of &quot;The Implications of the ICT revolution for TVET&quot;. Contributors to the debate shared their experiences, questions and case studies as we aimed to identify how ICTs can complement or replace traditional models of TVET. The discussion was divided into 4 main topic areas: (1) ICTs as a tool: increasing the reach and impact of TVET through ICT; (2) ICTs in the classroom: how can ICTs be used to improve learning outcomes?; (3) ICTs as a goal of TVET: what are the ICTs skills needs in the workplace of tomorrow?; and (4) ICT challenges: the barriers, fears and risks of the wider use of ICTs in TVET This report aims to summarize the findings of the conference in order to help provide information and directions for future research as well as programme work in this field. A list of resources is included, along with a list of the conference participants. [The conference was moderated by Nik Kafka and co-written with Rachel Dale.]