Role of Technological Gadget on the Tribal Culture and Education with Special Reference to the Attitude and Usage of Mobile Phone by IGNOU B. Ed Students of Mizoram

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology offers great opportunity to raise educational standards and qualities. It is believed that ICTs can empower teachers and learners by facilitating communication and interaction, offering new modes of delivery, and generally transforming teaching and learning processes Digital learning is any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student's learning experience. It can provide a more individualized approach to teaching and help more students reach their full potential. Mobile phones as a symbol of electronic century and digital world has spared worldwide especially in youth. Mobile devices are used in a variety of teaching and learning environments. The concept of mobile learning (m-Learning)-understood for the purposes of this article as learning facilitated by mobile devices-is gaining traction in the developing world. Through mobile phone, teacher can communicate and impart knowledge to the students. Geographically, the Northeast is a compact unit covering an area of 2, 550, 825 Sq. Km. The region has a high concentration of tribal population. Each tribe has its own distinct tradition of art, language, culture, dance, music and life styles. The State of Mizoram is one of the eight states of the North East in which there is imbalance in educational development in the state. Inequalities in access to education continue to pose major barriers, and the delivery of cost-effective and quality education remains a persistent problem. The present study was conducted among IGNOU B. Ed Students of Mizoram to find out the ICT tools for teachers and general attitude and usage of mobile phoneusing the descriptive survey techniques. The subjects are further differentiated into four categories namely Post graduate rural, urban and graduate rural, urban student teachers. From the study, it is found out that urban teachers utilize mobile phone and its features more effectively than the rural teachers for educational purpose as well as day to day life.