International Research Journal of Education and Technology

This paper attempts to highlight the role of Information and Communication Technology in higher education. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become commonplace entities in all aspects of life. Across the past twenty years the use of ICT has fundamentally changed the practices and procedures of nearly all forms of endeavor within business and governance. Within education, ICT has begun to have a presence but the impact has not been as extensive as in other fields. Education is a very socially oriented activity and quality education has traditionally been associated with strong teachers having high degrees of personal contact with learners. It is evident from the study that use of ICT in education is increasing very rapidly in various states of India. One of the most common problems of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education is to base choices on technological possibilities rather than educational needs. In developing countries where higher education is fraught with serious challenges at multiple levels, there is increasing pressure to ensure that technological possibilities are viewed in the context of educational needs. The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student- centred learning settings and often this creates some tensions for some teachers and students. Thus, the paper suggests that ICT in higher education is not a technique for educational development but also a way of socio-economic development of the nation.

Keywords: Information and Communication Technology, Higher Education