DR. SAJAD AHMAD MIR

Typically, ICT is the medium through which teachers can teach and learners can learn. It appears in many different forms, such as practice exercises, in simulations and educational networks. ICT is a popular tool for organization and management in institutions. Teachers must provide technological support to learn using motion pictures, animation, and simulation, which help students. If the teacher is highly equipped with technology, the student will also be equipped with technology. It removes the traditional method of teaching and prepares teachers to apply modern method of teaching.

In this technological era, based on our society's improved rate of change in needs, more stress is now placed on the different educational theories and new educational practices to meet the pace of changing needs. As a result, it becomes necessary to incorporate these theories and new practices in teacher education. But it is natural that teachers education must include new technology to be result-oriented with the required swiftness in responding to changing needs. However, apart from implementing technology, teachers should also know the right attitudes and values, besides being proficient in skills related to teaching through ICT. This way, students will excel both in academics and moral values.

Earlier, a minimum requirement of any training programme to impart training to teacher-trainees was that it should help the trainee to acquire the basic skills and competencies. Now, according to NEP-2020, new trends are evolving nowadays in teacher training based on an inter-disciplinary approach. Simulated-based teaching, microteaching, programmed instruction, and team teaching are also used in teacher education to encourage an inter-disciplinary approach to teaching. Moreover, action research is also included in teacher education. For this reason, ICT, known as the gateway to the world of information, helps teachers stay updated and provide awareness of innovative trends in teaching methodologies, evaluation mechanisms, etc.

For effective outcomes from ICT integration in teacher education, it is important to provide adequate infrastructure and technical support to teachers in the school/college. Use educational ICT applications in all subjects. Frame the new pre-service teacher education curriculum. Make use of software, multimedia, Internet e-mail, and system software. Once, these things are achieved in teacher education, ICT will be of much help.ICT aids teacher education in the following ways:

• It aids both pre-service and in-service teachers in their teacher training.
• It helps teachers interact with students.
• It helps teachers plan their lessons and provide feedback.
• It also helps teachers access institutions and universities (SCERT, NCERT, NAAC, NCTE, UGC, etc.).
• It also helps teachers make better use of ICT software and hardware in the classroom.
• It encourages innovative teaching and helps to improve teaching skills.
• It contributes to the effectiveness of the classroom.
• It promotes improving professional development and educational management.
• It is replacing the traditional teaching approach.
• It enables teachers to be as knowledgeable in their subject as is required in order to remain relevant to their students, who are constantly competitive.
• It helps teachers make use of different tools, such as word processing, databases, spreadsheets, etc.
• It helps teachers use their skills in a real classroom situation.
• It is used as an "assisting tool," such as when creating assignments, communicating, collecting data and documentation, and even conducting research.
• It plays an important role in student evaluation.
• It is the storehouse of educational institutions because all educational
• Information can be safely stored through ICT.
• It helps teachers communicate properly with their students. As a result, ICT bridges the gap between teachers and students.
• It helps teachers pass information to students within a very short time.
• It helps teachers design educational environments.
• It helps teachers identify creative children in educational institutions.
• It helps teachers motivate students and grow their interest in learning.
• It helps teachers with organizational preconditions (vision, policy, and culture).
• It also assists teachers with personnel support (knowledge, attitude, skills, and so on).
• It is useful in structured learning situations, which are required for both vocational education and teacher training.
• It supports teacher training institutes in developing their curricula.
• It helps teacher training institutes develop communication and networking skills.
• It helps teachers learn the most from their own networks.

In a nutshell, teaching holds a respectable position in society. ICT supports teachers to update their knowledge and improve their skills to use the new digital tools and educational resources. By making use of ICT, teachers will become effective teachers once they have acquired the necessary knowledge. ICT is one of the major factors that can change the nature of education and the roles of students and teachers in the teaching and learning process. Teachers in our country have now started operating technology in the classroom. Digital devices such as laptops, LCDs, projectors, desktops, EDUCOMs, and smart classrooms are becoming the common medium for teacher education institutions. Therefore, we should make use of ICT in teacher education. It is only because of teachers that a bright future is within students' grasp in the twenty-first century.

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(Author is Sr. Academic officer (Physics), Department of Education in Science & Mathematics, State Council of Educational Research Training (SCERT), Srinagar. E-mail: sajadphysics@gmail.com)