THE POTENTIAL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TO TRANSFORM EDUCATION INTO SMART EDUCATION

The role of education is to respond to the challenges of a changing world and prepare students to become fully integrated members of society. The potential of information and communication technologies, in the process of learning and teaching, opens new perspectives, provides new opportunities, but it is also a good motivational tool in teaching. In information and communication technology in the educational process, its stakeholders, professors and students, are the creators of new information practices that are an integral part of teaching using modern information and communication technology in teaching, which is the subject of this paper and these are innovative and effective tools and technologies which can transform education. They enable the creation of an environment in which training is in line with the needs and characteristics of digital students and today's society. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential of the effectiveness of information and communication technology for transforming education into smart education. The main goal is to research and determine the attitudes of professors about the use of information and communication technology, smart boards and the Internet in the teaching process.

The research sought to answer the questions of whether professors use the aforementioned information and communication technology, in what ways and what are their opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of the use 42 professors at the Croatian military academy “Dr Franjo Tuđman in Zagreb were questioned using the survey method. In other words, they want to show the attitudes of professors at the military academy towards the use of information and communication technology with the corresponding tool in teaching.

The results of the research showed that the respondents have positive attitudes towards the use of information and communication technology in teaching. Information and communication technologies and the Internet are used for most subjects, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic where all subjects are fully implemented through information and communication technology and the Internet. As advantages of this way of working, the answers emphasize the economy for professors who have adapted to information and communication technology and the motivation of students where there is still a reluctance of a small number of professors to information and communication technology. Improving the conditions of learning and teaching does not happen only by purchasing the necessary information and communication technology or using a certain medium. These are necessary conditions, but they are not sufficient. The key factor is a well-trained and professional professor in the information and communication field who is motivated for such work, who does not perceive technology as a factor that makes it difficult, but enriches the work by creating new opportunities for learning and teaching. This way of working is close to the students and the environment in which they are when they are not at school, which confirms that information and communication technology was used in full during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, research shows that teaching that uses information and communication technology is motivating for students, and the motivation is one of the important factors for successful learning in education, which in further research should work on professional education of teachers.