My advice to the Minister of Education

ICT is everywhere these days. It communicates for us and makes everything more simple. Though it is a great tool that is constantly being used by everyone, its field of utilization could be vastly improved. Imagine an educational system where responses, help, feedback and tasks are shared from all over the world, or an interface that helps to automatically find your weaknesses and the best ways to improve those for you specifically. With today's technology, everything is possible.

At the High School I go to, Sandvika Videregående Skole, we are encouraged to use ICT as much as possible. Before starting 1st grade everyone is offered a deal with an electronic company, giving us a lower price so that most people are able to afford a computer for their attendance. We are also offered a scholarship which is enough to pay for the cheapest of the computers. This helps everyone afford a computer. Besides this, Sandvika uses many online tools to communicate with students from other countries. In our English class, we are using blogs, twitter and previously Skype. Personally, I have received comments on my blog from a Chinese student from Australia. We have used twitter to communicate with an astronaut and we are attempting to incorporate it as much as possible with our work. Sandvika is on a great path, not only by using ICT to convey with foreigners but also in the classroom, making learner more efficient. With amazing tools like Quizlet, Kahoot, Duolingo and the simplest of things like facebook, we at Sandvika experience a different learning platform. However, it can be improved. Not every teacher is as fluent with using technology and there is always room for improvement.

The technology we have today is a major aid for all students, even though not everyone uses it as much. Using technological devices like Kahoot improves a student's spirit towards learning. Kahoot is a quiz game like Quizlet.live. Making a quiz is simple and it is an awesome way of interacting with your students. In addition to simply being a simple, yet efficient aid for every teacher, it is also great for the students. Getting competitive is a fun way of learning and is also a coherent way to make everyone eager to do more.

Although ICT aids seem like all-around amazing add on to our education it has its flaws. It is great for aiding the learning process, but when it comes to concentration it is quite the opposite. With so many opportunities on a computer, you might never be certain what your students are doing on their computer. With distractions such as Facebook, Netflix and so on, us, the students, often get tempted. Now, there are ways to prohibit us from using such websites. The teachers are able to define our browser capability or just stand in the back, making it easier for them to spot whether or not a student is paying attention. But, is that really the point of using ICT? Having to force students to participate? Not at all. With ICT there are so many options that make learning so much more fun. I am aware that learning is not always possible to make fun, but it is possible to motivate the students enough for them to still be eager to take a part.

With all the technology we have today, a big issue is that the teachers are unaware of the possibilities and that they are inexperienced. Some teachers do not even know how to operate some of the programs that we are suggested to be using. Teachers should be fluent users of the technological devices, programs, and tools that are available specifically for learning. Update yourself, try something new! I am not suggested "classes" for the teachers, but more of a trial and error period where they have the opportunity to experience the program's, device's or tools' options. Most of the time nowadays, students are very aware of how these options work and how to operate them, and so should the teachers. Not only can it be confusing for the student if the teacher is unacquainted with its functions, but also embarrassing for the teacher. Hopefully, something will be done.

Looking at the schools' developments since I was a kid a lot has changed. So imagining how far we will have come within the next ten years is almost impossible. But I have hope. I hope that we have had yet another technological breakthrough within Artificial Intelligence or that we have discovered something better. Because I believe that that is the route to go. Something that can help the students figure out what they are not learning and how THEY, specifically that student, can improve themselves. A system that will know that Tom learns best if he is preparing for a presentation, that Julia learns best from watching a movie and that Henrik learns best from writing a blog post. That is the future that I believe is worth putting resources in. A future where everyone can be helped.