UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001562/156210E.pdf

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In 1993UNESCO commissioned a report to be drawn up on Education for the Twenty-fist Century, summarized in Learning: the Treasure Within. This report looked world issues, such as poverty, the rights of minorities and women, international co-operation to name but a few and how education can help overcome them. The findings of this report have been refined into The Four Pillars of Education. This report looks at the importance of creation of life-long learners, capable of moving from basic skills to great competence and working collaboratively to create active citizenry. UNESCO has identified the need for greater ICT skills for all educators if we are to meet the educational needs of young people for the 21st century.  To this end they have created a set of guidelines that read as follows:

• a common set of guidelines that can be used to identify, develop or evaluate learning materials or teacher training in the use of ICT in teaching and learning
• identify a basic set of qualifications that allows teachers to integrate ICT into their own teaching and learning that will help advance student learning and their own professional abilities
• advance teacher's skills in pedagogy, collaboration, leadership and innovative school development using ICT
• develop a common language for the use of ICT in teacher education (UNESCO, 2008, p. 5)

This UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers Project is based in a greater policy context to encourage educational reform and sustainable development internationally.  It endeavours to show that education should be a central function of all nations and should address the following goals:

• instilling core values and cultural heritage
• aiding the growth and development of all people
• encouraging democratic process and active citizenship especially for females and minority groups
• the promotion of cross-cultural understanding
• the peaceful resolution of conflict
• the improvement of health care and the welfare of individuals
• scaffolding the economic development of nations to reduce poverty and encourage general prosperity (UNESCO, 2008, p. 6)

Bibliography:

International Committee on Education for the 21st Century. (n.d.). Learning: the treasure within. UNESCO.

UNESCO. (1999). The four pillars of education. Retrieved from UNESCO task force on education for the twenty-first century: Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/delors/fourpil.htm

UNESCO. (2008). ICT competency standards for teachers. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/delors/delors_e.pdf