Basic Inputs

Basic inputs for learning are an important element of school quality. While having certain materials and equipment does not necessarily lead to more learning, they serve as teaching aids for the teacher and help create an environment conducive to learning. Functional blackboards and chalk may promote learning because students learn better by having information presented through multiple modalities, especially through visual means (Mayer 2003). Pens, pencils, textbooks, and exercise books provide students with the opportunity to engage with the material in a way that enhances learning. On this point, there is literature outlining the relationship between opportunities for practice (which require these inputs) and learning outcomes. Similarly, while research connecting classroom furniture to learning is limited, it is reasonable to assume that lack of basic furniture could hinder learning—and that in any event, in the minds of stakeholders, any education system should provide basic furniture for students and teachers. Over the past decades, with the tremendous growth in ICT, many studies have investigated the effects of integrating ICT into teaching and learning. When used by well-prepared teachers, technologies can create opportunities for learning because they allow learners to access, extend, transform and share ideas and information in multimodal communication styles and formats. They help the learner to share learning resources and spaces, promote learner-centered and collaborative learning principles and enhance critical thinking, creative thinking and problem-solving skills (Majumdar 2013).