Introduction
At present, the use of Information and Communication Technologies in Bogotá is in greater demand, due to the corporate programs of public and private communication and telephone companies. And also, a consequence of the strategic projects of the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, stipulated in the 2004 project, called "promotion and massification of broadband services in Colombia."
Those who, as the governing body, intend to expand citizens' access to the “information society”, through the massification of the use of computers and Internet access.
Due to these provisions, the District Government, through the District Secretary of Education, in agreement with Microsoft and ETB, began on February 6, 2008 the District “digital inclusion” program. Program through which the District intends to build a public education of excellence.
From these provisions, the Vista Bella IED School has benefited from the update of 2 "virtual classrooms", which are equipped with computers suitable for learning and connected to the Internet service by DSL and wireless.
Considering the importance of these strategies for the National and District Government, but above all the importance they have on society. This study aims to identify how ICTs favor the academic performance of 6th to 11th grade students at this institution.
Likewise, know what motivates the use of these technologies and how a more enjoyable and interactive education can be achieved, which allows achieving the quality objectives of the institution.
In this sense, eight (8) objectives are established that will allow us to introduce, advance and delimit the problem to which this concerns. The foregoing, to present at the end of the study the conclusions and solution alternatives that allow the institution to achieve its quality objectives.
Problematic
Due to the large amounts spent in the educational system of Bogota citizens, with a long-term investment philosophy, on the assumption that education is the most valuable investment, since this is the basis for the development and competitiveness of a society. Several questions arise due to the fact that we are immersed in an emerging information society, driven by a vertiginous scientific advance in a neoliberal-globalizing socio-economic framework and supported by the widespread use of powerful and versatile information and communication technologies (ICT), which leads to changes that reach all areas of human activity. Its effects are manifested in a very special way in work activities and in the educational world, where everything must be reviewed:from the reason for being of the school and other educational institutions, to the basic training that people need, the way of teaching and learning, the infrastructures and the means we use for it, the organizational structure of the centers and their culture.
Reasons that lead us to question:
What impact does the use of ICT have on the academic performance of high school graduates from Colegio Vista Bella?
1. What or what are the reasons that drive high school students from Vista Bella College to use ICT?
2. What conditions; social, cultural and economic restrictions and / or facilitate the use of ICT?
3. What problems does the use of the Internet present?
4. How does the use of ICT in the classroom affect learning?
5. Does the time of access to the use of the internet have any impact on the learning and behavior (sociability) of the individual?
6. What is the best way to include ICT in the classroom?
7. Is a change required in the current teaching scheme?
8. Are there significant differences in learning by students who use ICT in their academic training, with respect to what they are exposed to?
goals
General objective
Determine how ICTs affect and / or affect the academic performance of high school students at Vista Bella College.
Specific objectives
1. Identify what students use the internet for.
2. Identify the motivations that students have for using the internet for educational purposes.
3. Establish the degree of motivation Vs. Academic performance
4. Establish the degree of motivation Vs. the access and use of ICT.
5. Establish the level of internet use vs. socioeconomic level.
6. Know the best ways to use ICT to improve the learning of high school students.
Theoretical framework
We are all aware that technology came to advance every day, facilitating the development of the activities of the members of society. Education is no exception, which is why government, private and civil society entities make every day efforts to include their youngest members in the world of ICT.
There are debates present in which it is questioned, if it is more important to know or understand. Well, the internet is full of information, and it is available to everyone.
In this regard, Mario Barajas (1995) says: «Information is not itself knowledge; having access to all the information in the world does not guarantee at all to develop original thought processes. (…) The promise that is insistently made to us about global and easy access to large volumes of information is not going to be a guarantee of greater knowledge, greater education ”.
What are ICT
According to the American Information Technology Association (ITAA): es <>
The use and incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Basic Secondary Education, arises as a well-founded need, in the field of learning. In this way, the curricular reform of the Basic Secondary education level, has as one of its lines of development, to incorporate educational informatics as part of the process of implementation of the Curricular Bases, whose focus and emphasis is centered «on facilitation and complementation of the pedagogical work of educators »a process that is oriented according to the guidelines provided by the level's curricular reference, understanding educational informatics as another resource to support the learning of young people.
Information and communication technologies are not a panacea or magic formula, but they can improve the lives of everyone on the planet. The tools are available to reach the Millennium Development Goals, instruments that will advance the cause of freedom and democracy, and the means to spread knowledge and facilitate mutual understanding ”(Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN, inaugural address of the first phase of the WSIS, Geneva 2003).
Relationship between learning and ICT:
Many authors, students of the cognitive development of young people, argue that they have a great desire to learn and the intellectual capacity to do so, when they are in an affective, rich and stimulating pedagogical environment.
The development of intelligence and curiosity occur and grow depending on the diversity of experiences in which they participate, since they respond sensitively to the influences of the environment. Vygotsky (1925 and 1934).
ICTs are not separated from real life, because they are part of it, as well as the family and social environment. Its value comes from being an instrument of culture. The key to proper use is in its integration into a wide range of learning resources, and in the organization of collaborative learning environments.
UNESCO (1998) in its world report on education, points out that virtual learning environments constitute a totally new form of educational technology and offer a complex series of opportunities and tasks to educational institutions around the world, the environment of Virtual learning defines it as an interactive pedagogical computer program that has an integrated communication capacity.
If only the medium is valued as the main element in the learning process, the resource would be valued based on the products it offers, focusing these on the stimuli it delivers and the responses it requires from the learner, omitting the process itself.
The blended Learning method is the way of learning that combines face-to-face teaching with non-face-to-face technology: “which combines face-to-face and virtual teaching” (COATEN, 2003; MARSH, 2003).
Young (2002) says: "Hybrid models seem to generate less controversy among teachers than fully online courses… some teachers disagree with any change in an educational system that has worked for centuries."
Resources for Blended Learning
If the key to Blended learning is the selection of the most appropriate resources in each learning action, the study of these resources, their functionalities and possibilities is the key to the model. But what resources to introduce?
Obviously, we can choose between all the eLearning resources. However, here the comparison between face-to-face and non-face-to-face resources takes on special importance. Thus Marsh indicates how learning situations are improved through different techniques according to the experience of different institutions (MARSH, 2003). It is interesting to note how face-to-face and non-face-to-face techniques are “mixed”, with more or less presence of devices, depending on the objectives. Note that these do not refer to techniques used all at the same time but to different experiences. The following table, built from Marsh's article, gives us an idea of the review of techniques that that author did.
Design of the investigation
To evaluate the impact of ICTs on academic performance, it is necessary to evaluate the learning acquired through the two forms of education; the traditional one and the one that relies on ICT ', S (Blended Learning method). The aspects to evaluate are:
- Behaviorism: multimedia exercise and practice, visual presentations with continuous feedback (quantitative). Cognitivism: information presentations, software that helps the student to explore, web. (Quantitative). Humanism: attention to individual differences and skills for work. Collaborative. (Qualitative).
Of type:
Qualitative:
1. Uses ICT as a tool that frees him from routine processes in such a way that he can enhance his mental processes.
2. Take advantage of new sources of information to explore, analyze, store, value and apply information.
3. Acts autonomously, knows how to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty and ambiguity.
4. Observe your surroundings in a way that harmonizes concept with practice.
5. Use ICT to communicate.
6. Work both individually and collaboratively, and in person or virtually.
7. Is creative and open to change.
8. Take advantage of the new training environments, to build their own learning, through various learning techniques, be self-motivated and have a constant desire to improve.
Quantitative:
1. Learn by research, whether bibliographic, or by area project, meaningful and relevant content closely related to their daily lives.
2. Ability in terms of reading comprehension (handling a large volume of information).
3. Work collaboratively.
4. The student develops the critical spirit (handling of argumentative and propositional competences).
5. Ability to synthesize through graphic schemes for the presentation of ideas.
6. Study discipline.
It is necessary to know the expectations of the students and teachers, the perception of ICTs and their skill in handling the tools found in their environment, in the development of their academic activities.
There are two (2) groups of 7th grade students. One will be for control and another for study. Each group is made up of 35 students.
On the other hand, the performance and academic evolution that students have obtained with the use of ICTs must be evaluated. Students who follow traditional education.
Consequently, the study will have two (2) stages. The first; it will be an exploratory design (qualitative), while the second stage; evaluate performance, skills and knowledge (quantitative).
1st. Stage.
Research Design (study focus): Exploratory.
Technique: Unstructured observation, interview with users (students and teachers) and group session.
Sample: one (1) group session with (6) students from each course (2) and one (1) unstructured observation.
2nd. Stage.
Research design (study approach): Conclusive; descriptive.
Technique: periodic personal survey (computer-assisted) and structured observation.
Sample: 2 surveys and 3 observations (beginning of the program, intermediate and end)
Data Collection Instruments
We will use surveys in Excel format to record the responses of the object of study, video and audio recordings, and a field diary.
Sample Object of Study (target group)
From the Vista Bella IED School. Two high school courses, belonging to the 7th grade, will be selected tomorrow. Each group has 35 students:
Women are: 38
Men are: 32
The control group and the study group have the same number of students, to date, the same number of women (19) and men (16).
Demography:
The age of the subjects is 12 years on average.
They belong to the city of Bogotá, reside in locality 11 (Suba) and according to the latest Sisben survey they belong to NSE 2 and 3.
Physical characteristics
In this phase, children achieve greater psychomotor development, acquiring fine motor skills that allow them to practice different sports and perform different activities such as drawing, cutting and learning to write. Then there is an elongation of the limbs and they change teeth.
During these years a certain harmony and proportionality is achieved in the physical aspect that is maintained until adolescence. You can carry out increasingly strong and precise movements and more difficult physical activities.
Intellectual development
The progress in their learning is noticeable, as well as the use of language, the understanding of ideas and the knowledge of reality. This time has been called the "period of child maturity."
The child strengthens his thinking ability and looks for logical explanations. You can memorize large amounts of data and are deeply curious to know about unknown places, people and events.
You can keep your attention focused longer and longer.
This is the school stage, which greatly favors the intellectual development of the child and stimulates her desire to learn, which is extremely positive and must be permanently supported. Writing and reading are some of the essential tools in this regard.
Independence, creativity and critical sense grow progressively and must be appropriately channeled so that they contribute to making the child a self-confident person.
The adequate adaptation of the child to the school environment depends on a good interaction between the parents, the teacher and the child himself and the experience that he lives there will definitely influence his future development.
The family has an important task to fulfill with the child in terms of study habits, development of social skills, interest in learning and favoring conditions conducive to carrying out school tasks.
The emotional aspect
The development of language allows the child to express his emotions and feelings better and better, this favored by the approach and openness to other people, especially those his age.
The egocentricity of an early age disappears as we get more and more in contact with others; That is why one of the greatest difficulties of this stage is the acceptance of the other, which collides with the omnipotence of the first period, since the child has to accept that her peers have other desires and needs that do not always coincide with her own.
There is a struggle between the child's desire to assert himself at all costs and having to accept the self-assertion of others, first of all parents, then siblings, and then children his age and other people with whom he comes into contact.
In this process, the parents' guidance is essential to teach them, from this stage, the three laws that the therapist Bert Hellinger has identified as "indispensable in any family system" and that will help the child to live his life in order from the beginning.
These are:
- Belonging: All family members must be taken into account, no one can be excluded, forgotten, mistreated or neglected.
- The order: There is a hierarchy in the family that must be respected, that is, the grandparents come first, then the parents, then the children.
- Balance: Everyone in the family must give and receive in equal proportion, that is, everyone has equal duties and rights, which must be respected by everyone so that there are justice relationships.
Learning these fundamental laws will allow the child to have a harmonious coexistence with others.
