Information Technology and Education in the Caribbean
Date
1999-04-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CTU
Abstract
This study sought to: 1) ascertain the information technology (IT) trends in education in the Caribbean; 2) highlight the challenges, lessons and opportunities of specific experiences in the countries of the region; 3) use the data obtained to advise government policy makers on the measures that may be adopted to promote the effective development and application of IT in education; and 4) highlight the extent of IT usage. The study found that 1) there is a high and unsatisfied demand for IT professionals; 2) the use of IT in education is predominantly for meeting the requirements of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) syllabus and similar examinations; there is little or no emphasis placed on the teaching of skills required for software development and maintenance; 3) the countries in the region have been experiencing difficulty in adapting to new age technologies because of problems of high cost, ease of access and upgrades, and re-skilling of the labor force to manage and operate such technologies; 4) there is recognition that computers and IT should be introduced at the primary level of education; and 5) there is absence of any structured facility to deal with the issue of sufficient supply with the region.
Description
Table of Contents
Keywords
Information technology