Standard 7: ICT in the NPSTP

Standard 7 of the National Professional Standards for Teachers in Pakistan (NPSTP) is the standard most directly linked to ICT in education. Its full title is “Effective Communication and Proficient Use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs)”.

The standard joins two skills that work together. ICT helps a teacher only when the teacher can also explain, question, listen, and write clearly.

What the standard requires

Like every NPSTP standard, Standard 7 has three parts: Knowledge and Understanding, Dispositions, and Performance and Skills. The official document lists each as a set of items the teacher must demonstrate.

Knowledge and understanding

The teacher must know and understand:

1. The importance of verbal, nonverbal, and written communication in the teaching and learning process.
2. How to operate and integrate technologies in classroom and laboratory activities.
3. How to use an operating system and software for word processing, filing, research, data storage, and presentation of information.
4. How to use computers as an instructional, research, and evaluation tool.
5. How to use the diverse technical tools available (artwork, videos, cameras, phones, computers, and similar) in the classroom.

Dispositions

The teacher must value and be committed to:

1. The cultural dimension of communication, responding appropriately and fostering culturally sensitive communication among all students.
2. Being a thoughtful and responsive listener.
3. Fostering a diversity of opinions among students and celebrating it in the classroom.
4. Using all educational and informational technologies to enhance different aspects of teaching and learning.

Performance and skills

The teacher must be able to:

1. Communicate clearly in the local language, Urdu, or English, using appropriate oral and written expressions.
2. Read reflectively in the local language, Urdu, or English.
3. Model effective communication strategies and questioning techniques to convey ideas and stimulate critical thinking.
4. Communicate in a variety of ways that show sensitivity to cultural, linguistic, gender, and social differences.
5. Foster accurate reporting and sharing of facts, opinions, and beliefs.
6. Design and use student report cards.
7. Incorporate up-to-date information in lesson plans.
8. Use diverse databases to supplement textbooks.
9. Develop students’ portfolios, test items, assignments, and assessment through computers.

What this looks like in practice

The standard joins communication and ICT, so a teacher who meets it shows both skills together. A few examples:

1. Preparing a lesson plan with a digital projector slide, a printed worksheet, and a digital quiz. The teacher uses each format with a clear purpose.
2. Running a class discussion that calls on quiet students, listens to short answers, and uses good questions to extend thinking.
3. Designing a student report card on a computer that lists marks, attendance, and short written feedback.
4. Building a digital portfolio for each student using simple folder software, with samples of work and teacher comments.
5. Adding fresh news, photos, and short readings from online sources to the standard textbook.

A teacher who can use a computer but cannot speak clearly to students has not met Standard 7. A teacher who speaks well but never integrates a single digital tool has not met Standard 7 either. The standard asks for both.

How Standard 7 connects to other standards

Standard 7 does not stand alone. It supports several other NPSTP standards.

1. Standard 4 (Instructional Planning): ICT-supported lesson plans use up-to-date information from diverse digital sources.
2. Standard 5 (Assessment): digital portfolios, online quizzes, and computer-built test items give faster, fairer feedback.
3. Standard 6 (Learning Environment): culturally sensitive communication supports a respectful classroom.
4. Standard 8 (Collaboration and Partnerships): Standard 8 covers parent and community engagement; Standard 7’s communication skills and tools (email, school portals, messaging apps) are what make Standard 8 work day to day.
5. Standard 9 (Professional Development): online courses, professional networks, and digital action research support continuous learning.

A teacher who understands Standard 7 sees ICT and communication as a thread that runs through the whole job.

Working under real-world limits

Schools in Pakistan vary widely. Some classrooms have reliable internet and a device per student. Others share one projector across a building. A teacher who meets Standard 7 must adapt to the available resources without giving up on either communication or ICT.

ICT use is judged by whether it improves learning and communication, not by how many devices are in the room.

Flashcard

What two skill sets does NPSTP Standard 7 join?

Tap to reveal

Answer

Effective communication and proficient use of ICTs.

The standard asks teachers to do both together. ICT helps a teacher only when the teacher can also explain, question, listen, and write clearly.

The core principle

Standard 7 holds one simple rule: ICT and clear communication serve learning. A good lesson with a chalkboard and clear teacher talk is better than a weak lesson with a projector. The standard asks teachers to choose tools with a purpose, use them with skill, and judge the lesson by whether students learn more.