THE PEDAGOGICAL ESSENCE AND FUNCTIONS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Аннотация

This article explores the pedagogical essence and functions of information technologies in the educational process. It examines how modern digital tools contribute to enhancing teaching effectiveness, facilitating interactive learning environments, and supporting individualized approaches to education. The study also highlights the role of information technologies in shaping contemporary pedagogical practices and increasing student engagement andmotivation. Keywords: Information technologies, pedagogy, educational process, digital tools, interactive learning, teaching effectiveness, student engagement. Introduction: The implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the modern education sector has radically transformed the pedagogical environment, directing teaching and learning processes toward a new system. Globally, the resources allocated to education amounted to $227 billion in 2020, and by 2025 this figure is expected to reach $404 billion. This, in itself, indicates the sharply increasing importance of ICT as a social factor in education. The pedagogical essence of information technologies is not limited to technological tools alone; rather, it reflects their role in human education and upbringing, methodological approaches, and practical outcomes. The emergence of pedagogical paradigms such as blended learning, m-learning, and CSCL underlines the potential of information technologies to harness human resources. For instance, research led by Robert Somekh shows that working with interactive whiteboards increases student achievement in mathematics and science by2.5 months over a two-year period. Statistics: In 2021, the percentage of computers allocated to educational institutions in Kyrgyzstan ranged from 34% to 33%, while the use of ICT at the organizational level reached 54%. These indicators also confirm a similar trend in countries like Uzbekistan – the digital transformation process is accelerating in sectors such as healthcare, education, and public administration. Information technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are having a profound impact on the global education market. For example, in 2022 the AI market was valued at $2.48 billion, and it is expected to grow to $53.7 billion by 2032. This suggests that new approaches such as automating pedagogical processes, adapting to students' individual needs, and implementing AI-based testing and assessment programs are becoming more feasible. Symbolic statistical data clearly illustrate this: when analyzing secondary education institutions worldwide through successive investigations, it was found that in schools where interactive technologies were tested, learning effectiveness increased by 20–50%. On the other hand, CSCL methods have been proven tobe effective in shaping students' social skills. In conclusion, the use of information technologies in education not only facilitates the transmission of knowledge but https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi volume 4,issue5,2025 119 also helps students develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. As global macro-trends (according to Forbes, Softline, and UN Reports) suggest, around 5% of global expenditures are planned to be allocated to the education sector by 2025. As a result, conducting strategic research in the field of digital pedagogy remains a relevant task for Uzbek educators and academic researchers. In the future, it is predicted that AI will enable the customization of individual learning plans, enhance the accuracy of real-time pedagogical monitoring and assessment processes, and that digital learning will be automatically managed through collaboration with machine interfaces[1]. If ethically responsible AI algorithms are developed to ensure educational quality, this approach will allow educators to define the main direction of digital tools in the near future. The 21st century is described as the century of the knowledge economy, in which the education system—being the most important foundation of human capital—has undergone a fundamental transformation. In this process, information and communication technologies (ICT) have become recognized not only as auxiliary tools but also as primary pedagogical resources that shape students' thinking, working, collaborative learning, and creativity. The digital transformation observed in the global educational arena, particularly the rapid introduction of tools such as artificial intelligence, big data, IoT (Internet of Things), distance learning platforms, and virtual laboratories, sharply increases the scientific and practical relevance of this topic. Today, Uzbekistan is also not isolated from these global changes. The initiatives put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to develop the education sector—such as the “Digital Uzbekistan – 2030” strategy and the principle of “New Uzbekistan – an enlightened society”—have led to an increasing number of reforms aimed at integrating ICT into education ye