ICT in Education – A Caribbean Forum to address more effective use of technology in education

ICT in Education will provide a forum for the sharing of information on mutual objectives with respect to technology and education, and encourage greater regional collaboration amongst key stakeholders. It will also facilitate networking opportunities with technology providers and look at possible solutions to support the implementation of practical policies.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditional classroom, forcing schools to turn to technology platforms and other modes of online learning. Regional governments have grappled with developing sound policies as many students are still unable to access either the internet or devices to participate effectively. There is also a growing concern that many teachers have not been adequately trained to  teach effectively in the digital classroom. This Forum will address the current challenges and develop policy recommendations on the way forward,” stated Mr. Rodney Taylor, CTU Secretary General.

UNESCO is supporting the first day of the Forum on 26th January by providing technical expertise on ICT in Education, such as the UNESCO Framework for Teachers' ICT Competencies and Institutional Capacity Building of Teaching Institutions.

"The rapid transition to online teaching we have witnessed in the past two years required teachers, students and parents to acquire ICT skills in a very short time, often without sufficient guidance, training or resources. This Caribbean Forum will highlight the efforts needed to address this transition. Among others, the Forum will focus on the pedagogical use of technologies and the transformations in teacher education and professional development needed, as exemplified by UNESCO's ICT Competency Framework for Teachers and the capacity development carried out with teacher education institutions. A most valuable lesson learned from the most recent digital turn is that teachers must be supported to help students grow into collaborative, problem-solving and creative learners, who can utilize ICTs to participate in society and build the future.” explained Carlos Vargas Tamez, Chief of Section for Teacher Development, UNESCO and Head of Secretariat for the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030.

In supporting the CTU in the event, ITU Area Office in Bridgetown stated “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the digital divide and the issue of connectivity into stark focus – in particular in the education sector. As communities with good connectivity are able to continue to work and learn, those communities with minimal connectivity or without, or who depend fully on the analogue world, are left out.  ITU is leveraging its strategic partnership with UNICEF, Government and the Private Sector in the OECS through its GIGA Initiative to map every school's connectivity, finance connectivity, connect every school, and empower young people.”

“Through the GIGA Initiative, the ITU supports COVID-19 responses in the region with connectivity and remote learning solutions in order to connect every school to the internet, and every young person to information, opportunity and choice. The ITU is pleased to partner with the CTU as indeed, this important ICT in Education Forum will certainly help to address the social and moral imperative of connectivity and ICT in the education sector,” added the ITU Area Office in Bridgetown.

Registration is open to representatives of the major stakeholders in the fields of education and technology in the Caribbean. This includes policy makers, regulators, operators, academia and other users.

For more information and registration, please visit:

https://ctu.int/event/ict-in-education-a-caribbean-forum/

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The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting the development of the Caribbean information and communications technologies (ICT) sector. The CTU also promotes coordination of ICT at the regional level, identifies and removes roadblocks to ICT development, keeps track of industry progress and responds to the needs of the ICT sector, all with the aim of creating a cohesive regional approach to an ICT agenda which embraces the needs of all stakeholders. The CTU is committed to ICT development that reaches the citizens of the region, creating affordable access to ICT and helping citizens to use ICT effectively to transform their lives. 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations with a mandate to build peace and sustainable development through international cooperation and intercultural dialogue. UNESCO's programmes in the fields of education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNESCO shares knowledge about the many ways technology can facilitate universal access to education, bridge learning divides, support the development of teachers, enhance the quality and relevance of learning, strengthen inclusion, and improve education administration and governance. The Organization scans the world for evidence of successful ICT in education practices – whether in low-resource primary schools, universities in high-income countries, or vocational centres – to formulate policy guidance.

For further information, please contact:

Michelle Garcia

Communications Specialist

Caribbean Telecommunications Union

E-mail: michelle.garcia@ctu.int

Website: http://www.ctu.int/

Tel: 1 (868) 628-0281, ext. 246

Cell: 1 (868) 759-4438

Fax: 1 (868) 622-6523

UNESCO

Catherina Schӧnhammer

Public Information and Liaison Officer for National Commissions for UNESCO

UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean

United Nations House, 3rd Floor

14-20 Port Royal Street

Kingston, Jamaica

Tel.: +1 876 630-5300

Email: c.schonhammer@unesco.org

Website: en.unesco.org/fieldoffice/kingston

Twitter: @CaribbeanUnesco

Facebook: @unescocaribbean

Instagram: @unesco_caribbean