ICT in Thai Education Ideological and Structural Determinants that Support its Development, Introduction and Use

This 2005 article by Pote Sapianchai and Paul TJ James echoes the notion that the Thai education system is to undergo radical change because of the increasing importance of technology. Unesco is in agreement with this: " ..through ICT, disparities in educational access and quality can be reduced, and education systems can enhance the knowledge and skills of their learners and promote creativity, critical thinking, and learning how to learn." There are obstacles to "plugging" its usage into the curriculum; its unclear if it is the technology itself, teacher knowledge or the underlying tech. strategy.
Within society, there are vast disparities between those with access to ICT and those without: "South East Asian countries are struggling to come to terms with challeges of the digital divide, as the ...rapidity of ICT development also exacerbates the problems of those without access to ICT..."(Tipton, 2002).
In conclusion, it is essential to have teaching methods that are best suited to ICT instruction. Fundamentally what is required is an integrated ICT strategy for individual institutions. All individuals must be on the same page. Attitudes to technology should be pencilled in also. Locally, interactive teaching and learning strategies should be culturally specific. " However, acceptance of the use of such technology appears to reflect a set of ideological, political and cultural biases that narrow the field of socialisation to that invested in the technology." In the future, ICT installation will require serious consideration.