POTENTIAL THAT ICT PROVIDE TO EDUCATION

Abstract

ICTs in educational institutions have provided multiple advantages for students, aimed at strengthening learning, critical thinking, communication, the development of 21st-century skills, information organization, habits, and values. Through communication, they have facilitated the effective and agile exchange of ideas, participation in debates, forums, and various forms of interaction between teachers and students. This has promoted collaborative learning, the development of critical thinking, concentration, comprehension, discovery, and innovation. For teachers, ICTs represented an opportunity to transform and enrich the teaching-learning process, enabling them to systematize assessments, develop courses and programs, improve collaborative work, increase motivation, and stimulate communication. Thus, their integration in the classroom not only modernized education but also empowered new technologies. The objective of this study was to reflect on teachers' perceptions of the benefits of ICTs in education, investigating how they value their use and the impact these tools have on improving educational quality. The research was conducted using an interpretive approach, with a qualitative perspective and an epistemological method. To collect data, a semi-structured interview was conducted with three school administrators, five classroom teachers, and three students from San Pedro Claver Elementary School in the municipality of Puerto Boyacá. Among the most relevant findings, the interviewees' positive perception of the potential of information technology in education stands out.  In conclusion, ICTs offer great potential to improve education; however, it is also evident that there is a need to address existing challenges and ensure that all students have equitable access to the opportunities that technology provides.