Educational Technology
Origin and History
Educational
Technology, in terms of terminology and structural composition, may carry out
two basic components, namely education and technology. We are focusing here
more on the evolutionary nature of the second component, i.e. technology, as a
subject has its sole concern with the task identifying the most suitable,
appropriate and developed technology (both hardware and software) for serving
educational needs and purposes of the students and the society at a particular
time and place. It is a matter of no secret that there has been a continuous
shift in the nature of the use of technologies means and measures for improving
the process and products of education depending upon the type of excellence
attained by the members of the society and communities all over the globe in
terms of scientific, philosophical, psychological and technological progress
and advances. This is why, we can witness a continual shift in the modes and
means of educational technology being used for serving the cause of education
in different periods of human history and civilization.
- In the early period of human
history, when writing was unknown, the method of verbal presentation on
the part of the teachers and citation and memorization on the part of the
students was a common practice in almost all the civilization of the
world. Socrates’ teacher-pupil oral dialogue system prevalent in the west
and oral teaching tradition maintained by the ancient sages in the Gurukuls
of our country may be cited as a testimony of the use of relevant
technology on the field of teaching-learning at a particular age in the
progress of human civilization.
- With the advent of writings as the means
and materials of communication, like writing on the leaves and
tree-trunks, engraving on metals and rocks, and then the use of the some type
of paper and ink material provided the next breakthrough in the use of
writing technology for teaching and learning. In the time to come, it
provide a great impetuse in the field of teaching and learning which
witnessed the use of the subject matter available in the form of printing
materials and textbooks, a great scientific and technological
advancement.
- The use of writing and
printing technology then took its next leap in helping the cause of
teaching and learning by utilized in the production and use of the
instructional materials like chalkboard, pictures, chart, models, maps,
diagrams and other graphic material.
- Later on with the industrial development
and technical advancement, sophisticated scientific instrument, mass media
and educational materials were used. It brought the use of sophisticated
hardware and software such as radio, television, tape recorder, films,
transparency, etc. in the field of education.
- The concept of programmed
instruction and theories. Later on, added another dimension to the meaning
and concept of educational technology. This was again broadened when the
new approaches in the form of system approach, microteaching, interaction,
analysis and computer assisted instruction came into existence.
Meaning
and Definitions
G.O.M.
Leith: “Educational Technology is the systematic application of
scientific knowledge about teaching-learning and conditions of learning to
improve the efficiency of teaching and training (Leith, 1967).”
Shiv
K. Mitra: “Educational Technology can be conceived as a science of
techniques and methods by which educational goals could be realized (Mitra,
1968:4).”
S.S.
Kulkarni: “Educational Technology can be defined as the
application of the laws as well as recent discoveries of science and technology
to the process of education (Kulkarni, 1969).”
D.
Unwin: “Educational Technology in concerned with the application of
modern skill and techniques to requirements of educational training. This
includes facilitation of learning by manipulation of media and methods, and the
control of environment is so far as this reflects on learning (Unwin,
1969).”
W.
Kenneth Richmond: “Educational Technology is concerned
with providing appropriately designed learning situations which, holding the
view of objectives of teaching or training, bring to bear the best means of
instruction (Richmond, 1979).”
I.K.
Davies: “Educational Technology is concerned with problems of
education and training context and it is characterized by the disciplined and
systematic approach to the organization of resources for learning (Davies,
1971).”
J.R.
Gases: “Educational Technology has to be seen as a part of a
persistence and complex endeavour of bringing pupils, teachers and technical
means together is an effective way (Ford Foundation Team, 1971). ”
US
President Commission of Enquiry: “Educational Technology may be
defined as a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating a total
process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on
findings from research in human learning and communication (cited in, tucker,
1979:159). ”
Scottish
Council for Educational Technology: “Educational technology is a systematic
approach to designing and evaluating learning and teaching methods and
methodologies and to the application and exploiting of media and current
knowledge of communication techniques in education, both formal and informal
(cited in, Tucker, 1979:160).”
These
definitions initially encompass the whole range of educational technology
activities from the analytic methods of psychology of learning and teaching the
audio-visual communication and mass media technology. The views propagated by
these definitions may help us to conclude about the meaning and nature of
educational technology as follows:
- Educational
technology is concerned with the systematic application of science and
technology in the field of education and thus may be defined as the
application of technology to education in order to further the case of the
latter.
- Just as
science and technology help in carrying out the practical task in general,
educational technology helps in providing efficiency to the task of
teaching and learning.
- Educational
technology provides technical guidance and solution to the problems of
education.
- Teaching
is communicating and education technology can play an effective role in
the communication between teacher and student.
- Education
technology encompasses the total teaching and learning process involving
the elements like the following:
·
Specification of goals and behavioral objectives.
· Analysis of the characteristics of the learner.
· Selection and organization of the content or
subject matter to be learned.
· Methods and strategies of the presentation
of the content.
· Use of aid-materials,
software and hardware, mass media and communication techniques.
· Effective arrangement of
learning situations and learning environment.
· Effective classroom control
and management.
· Continuous feedback and
evaluation of the results.
6.
Educational Technology is not limited to the use of audio-visual aids and does
not symbolize merely educational hardware such as sophisticated gadgets and
mechanical devices used in education. For the effective management of the total
teaching-learning process it tends to utilize the results of all goods,
experiments and researches in the field of human learning and the art of
communication and employs a combination of all possible human and non-human resources
to achieve the desired educational objectives.
In
brief, educational technology should stand for a wise application of the
available human and non-human resources for providing appropriate solution to
the educational problems and to improve the process and products of education.
The
Nature of Educational Technology
To
understand the nature of educational technology, let us try to view from the
following angles:
- Evolution of the concepts of
educational technology.
- Existing
positions and latest concepts.
- Distinction
from the related concepts.
Evolution
of the Concept of Educational Technology
It
may be discussed in the detail as follows:
- The earliest concept of
educational technology was linked with the use of audio-visual aids like
chart, models, maps, specimen and concrete material. In this sense, the
term educational technology was used as a synonym to audio-visual aids
meant foe direct teaching and learning.
- With the advent of physical
science and consequently the electronic revolutions there come an era of
sophisticated hardware and software (gadgets and mechanical devices) like
projectors, tape-recorders, radio and television. As a result, educational
technology was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and
equipment used for presenting instructional materials.
- Then came the age of mass
media. It led to massive communication revolution for instructional
purposes. Utilization of radio, television, tele-text and computer
–assisted instruction for individualized learning, thus, brought more
sophisticated in the use of appliances and instruments for formal
education.
- With the advent of programmed
learning and programmed instruction concept, a new dimensions of
educational technology came into educational horizon. It tried to
individualize the process of education and introduced a system of
self-learning in the form of designed self-instructional material and
teaching machine. As a result, educational technology was regarded as
being concerned with preparation and the use of individualized instruction
or self-intructional programmed material, leading to the use teaching
machine to the use of audio-instruction or learning.
- The concept of programmed
learning added another dimensions to the meaning of educational technology
when some new devices and approaches like wide applications of the
theories of learning and teaching, micro-teaching, analysis of behavior
and systems approach, etc. came into existence.
The Existing Position and Latest
Concept
Although the term ‘educational technology’ has been in vogue in several
decades, yet on the account of its complex nature involving many disciplines
and demanding too much specialization and understanding of the planning,
process and products of education, it has been narrowly conceived by different
individuals on where one works and stand within the educational spectrum. It
has resulted in the information of varying concept of educational technology.
For the experts of programmed learning and individualized instruction, it means
-the programming of the self-instructional material and use teaching machines
or computer-aided learning material.
In this way, in actual sense technology exists, to a very large extent, in a
fragmented way not only in India but also globally. As a result, in many course
or scheme of educational technology related to B. Ed., M. A. or M. Phil.
(Education) of the universities in India and abroad, we find significant
diversification in terms of objectives, topics and the coverage of content.
However, serious attempts are now being made to arrive at some general
consensus to end the confusion and debate regarding the concept and meaning of
educational technology. This latest concept involves the concept of systems engineering
or system approach originated from computer science. According to this concept,
educational technology is more the sum of its parts. It is a systematic way of
designing, carrying out and evaluation of the total process of learning and
teaching in terms of specific objectives based on research in human learning
and communication leading to combination of humans and non-humans resources
recognized into an efficient and economic system for the best possible result.
This aspect of educational technology carries wide meaning and multifaceted
concepts. It emphasizes the application of system approach to the study of
multidimensional problem of education. Some of these problems areas are as
follows:
The educational planning and
organization
- The educational planning and
organization.
- The psychology of learning.
- The curriculum development and
course design.
- The production of
teaching-learning material.
- Audio-visual method of
presentation and dissemination of information, storage and retrieval.
- The allocation and management
of human and non-human resources.
- The cost effectiveness of media
in education.
- Innovations.
- Evaluation.
Educational Technology and other
Related Concepts
The concept and meaning of
educational technology may be made clear by distinguishing it from other
concepts.
Educational
Technology and Instructional technology
Educational technology is more comprehensive and broad-based concept.
Instructional technology is a sub system of the main system of educational
technology. Education is comprehensive process and imparting of instruction is
one of the several means to achieve the goals of education. As a result, the technology
of instruction may be regarded as a part of section of the whole phenomenon of
educational technology.
In strict sense, instructional technology is concerned with determining
and providing appropriate stimuli to the learner to produce a certain type of
responses for making learning more effective. On the other hand, educational
technology is concerned with the scientific use of the available human and
non-human resources for solving various problems of education (including
instruction) for optimizing the result of the whole teaching-learning process.
Educational
technology and teaching technology
Like instructional technology, teaching technology is also one of the
sub-types of the system of educational technology. It concerns with the
systematization of the process of teaching and provides necessary theory and
practice for the teachers to bring improvement to the task of teaching. The
concept of educational technology is much wider than the concept of teaching
technology as it also includes the means and materials concerning
individualized instructions and self-learning including teaching machines and
computer-assisted learning, independent of the teachers and their acts.
Teaching technology is merely a specialized branch of educational technology
which is meant for the teachers and learning process. While education, as a
whole, can never be limited merely to the teaching process or teacher’s task,
educational technology can never be confined to teaching technology only. It is
much more than mere teaching or instructional technology.
Technology
of education and technology in education
The term ‘technology in education’ refers to the use of technological
advancement such as various equipment, materials and machines for educational
purposes. It invokes the increasingly complex range audio-visual equipment,
hardware and sophisticated electronic devices like projectors, films, radio,
televisions, tape recorder, recording machines, tele-text and computer aided
instructions for individualized and group learning.
The term technology in education is thus a service concept like technology in
the service of farming and agriculture or science in the service of mankind. In
this sense, educational technology can provide its services to the teachers of
the following grounds:
- For explaining the
purpose and functions of different forms of appliances, equipment and
audio-visuals material and mass media.
- For providing training and
acquiring the material and handling the equipment to overcome their
reluctance to use new media and materials.
- For showing the relevance to
the use of equipment and material in the context of individualized and
group learning for achieving the goals of formal or non-formal education.
The term ‘technology of education’
or ‘educational technology’ cannot limit itself to the role of service as
confined in the case of technology in education. The term, technology of the
education, does not represent something added or helped from outside as sounded
in the case of technology in education. It signifies a system of technological
approach to the problems of education. Emphasizing on this point of view, T.K.
Robinson (1976) writers”
The strongest protagonist for
educational technologies are not, however satisfied with a role limited to
technology in education and the provision of audio-visual aids. They see
themselves as crucially involved in the design and evaluation of systems of
learning involving an understanding of the psychology of learning and
communication and information theory to be used to established a rational for a
good teaching practice which uses a variety of media and modes and which
enables the teachers to deploy his skills more effectively and apply them more widely.
This is technology of education.
In view of the discussion carried
out in the above pages, the following conclusions can be drawn about the
concepts of educational technology:
- Educational technology cannot
be taken as a synonym to audio-visual aids, and technology in education
emphasizes the concept of service, i.e. the use of
different equipment, gadgets and mass media.
- Educational technology must
mean technology of education presenting itself as a system for bringing
improvement in the total process of teaching-learning by carefully
analyzing its problems and obtaining the optimum results.
- Educational technology cannot
be view in terms of is part or processes. Instructional technology,
teaching technology, behavior technology, programmed learning,
micro-teaching, system analysis, management of teaching-learning, teacher
or pupils behavior, etc. are all its constituents and resources.
Objectives of Educational Technology
Educational technology, in the
capacity of technology of educational, provides valuable help in the total
teaching-learning process for achieving the possible results in an economic way
through the available human and non-human resources. In the respect, the major
objectives of education technology can be summarized as follows:
Objectives
at the Macro Level
In view of the broad educational
goals, i.e. the macro level, the objectives of educational technology can be
listed in the following way:
- To identify educational needs
aspiration of the community.
- To determine the aims of
education, broad strategies and structure of education.
- To develop a sustainable
curriculum with interaction with science, art and human values.
- To
identify man-material resources and strategies for achieving the
stipulated aims of education.
- To
develop certain models leading to improvement of the process of teaching
and learning.
- To develop the appropriate aids
and equipment to meet the educational purposes.
- To identify the major
constraints in the environment and the ways and means to tackle those.
- To help in extending
educational opportunities to the masses especially the neglected section
of the community.
- To manage the whole educational
system covering planning, implementation and the evaluation phases.
Objectives
at the Micro Level
In view of specific classroom
teaching, i.e. the micro level, the objectives of educational technology are as
follows:
- To identify and analyze the
characteristics and educational needs of the pupils.
- To determine the specific
classroom objectives and state them in behavioral terms.
- To analyze the contents of
instruction and organize it in proper sequence.
- To identify the available
teaching-learning materials and resources.
- To identify the nature of the
interaction of the sub-systems like students, teachers, teaching-learning
materials, content of instruction and methodologies.
- To plan the teaching strategies
and utilize the man-material resources for achieving specific classroom
objectives.
- To plan the teaching strategies
and utilize the man-material resources for achieving specific classroom
objectives.
- To plan the teaching strategies
and utilize the man-material resources for achieving specific classroom
objectives.
Forms of Educational Technology
Educational technology, as has already been discussed, has a wide range of
scope and applicability in the field of education. In a broader sense, it
stands for the application of the principles and techniques of science and
technology as well as psychology and pedagogy in the activities of teaching and
learning. As a result, it has been capable of providing necessary ways and
means, theoretical as well as practical, for improving the process and products
of teaching-learning related both formal and informal education. These forms of
educational technology, in general, can be listed as follows:
- Teaching technology
- Instructional technology
- Behavioral technology
- Instructional design technology
Teaching technology
As already emphasized in this
chapter, teaching technology, as a sub-system of educational technology, is
concerned with the task of systematization of the process of teaching. However,
teaching cannot merely be treated as a sum total of certain teaching skills. A
teacher has to play the role of technician by learning the art and science of
teaching. Teaching must be regarded as a technology that a teacher should try
to know and practice well if she wishes to be successful in his teaching job.
A technical knowledge and skills of
tasks requires that it should be completed with reasonable economy and greater
efficiency. If a teacher can teach well with the least efforts resulting into
maximum productivity, then he can be thought utilizing teaching as technology.
The essence of the application of technology lies in getting more and better
output with the least input in terms of time and labor.
If teacher is in the position to
make the use of technology in teaching, he must be well equipped with the
technological skills like the following, besides having a good knowledge or
mastery over the subject matter:
Communication
skills,
- Communication skills,
- Skills of interaction with his
students,
- Skill of making the students to
learn and think independently, and
- Skill of evaluating and
reinforcing pupil’s learning behavior, etc.
Fundamental
principle and characteristics of teaching technology
Teaching technology, suggested by
E.G. Vedanagayam (1988), can be distinguished because of certain
characteristics and fundamental principles as follows:
- Teaching is a scientific
process and its major components are content, communication, and feedback.
- There is a close relationship
between teaching and learning.
- It is possible to modify,
improve and develop the teaching-learning activities.
- The terminal behaviour of the
learner, in terms of learning structures can be established by appropriate
teaching environment.
- Teaching skills can be
developed and strengthened by means of feedback devices with or without sophisticated
techniques.
- Pre-determined learning
objectives can be achieved by designing suitable teaching activities.
- Use of achievement motivation
technique enhances the output of the teacher and the learner.
Contents
of teaching technology
Teaching technology process certain
basic things in the shape of the philosophy and acts of teaching. A teacher has
to imbibe the art and techniques of this technology. How should a teacher
in practice proceed for the use of teaching technology in the process of
teaching- learning? This aspect has been closely analysed by scholars like
Glazer, Bruner, Gagne and Davies. Davies(1971), in his work Management of
learning, has presented the contents of teaching, leading of teaching controlling
of teaching. These four steps systematically prescribe the contents of teaching
technology to be learnt and practiced by a teacher for becoming a
teaching technician.
- Planning of teaching:
Through this step, teaching technology helps a teacher
to plan the details of his teaching journey to be traveled along
with his students. For this purpose, it tells that a teacher
must first try to formulate teaching-learning objectives to be
realized through the on-going teaching-learning process and then very
carefully plan for the realization of these set of objectives by taking
care of (i) the entry behavior of the learners (ii) selection of
appropriate learning experiences, (iii) selection of proper teaching
methods, strategies and aid material, and (iv) creating a conducive and
helpful environment for proper teaching-learning.
- Organization of teaching:
in its second step, teaching technology supplies the
necessary knowledge and skills to the concerned teacher for arranging,
relating and organizing all the available teaching-learning resources, men
and material, for the proper realization of the set teaching-learning
objectives in the most effective, efficient and economic way possible.
Specifically here, it may talk about the ways and means of seeking cooperation
of the administration personnel, parent and community; developing
teacher’s own competencies for better communication including use of
proper teaching method, aids, strategies; organization and utilization of
the available physical facilities and resources for a better
teaching-learning.
- Leading o teaching:
the contents of teaching technology in this step
provide necessary knowledge and skills for teacher to motivate, encourage,
and guide and thus, lead his students on the path of learning for the
realization of the set teaching-learning objectives.
- Controlling of teaching: Through
its last step of managing teaching, the contents of teaching may help a
teaching to acquire necessary knowledge and skill for the proper
measurement and assessment of the teaching-learning outcome, i.e. the
output of his teaching in view of set teaching-learning objectives.
Instructional
Technology
This kind of technology is meant for
helping the instructor and the learner in the desired instructional task for
the realization of the stipulated instructional objectives in a particular
teaching-learning situation. The term instructional stands for a certain type
of command meant for getting some specific information, knowledge and
understanding about a thing system or a process. Instructional technology, in
this way, first try to plan what type of instruction and instructional material
are needed in a particular teaching-learning situation and then suggest ways
and means for the utilization of this instructional material for the proper
realization of the instructional objectives.
Instructional technology may be
defines as a subsystem of educational technology which helps the instructor or
the learner himself as a part of his self-learning or auto instruction bye
determining the media, methods and material for realization of the stipulated
instructional objectives in a given teaching-learning situation.
Setting
of instructional objectives
Instructional objectives make a very
core and heart of any instructional process. Instructional technology may help
the instructor and learner to take decisions about the instructional and
learning objectives in close cooperation of the following:
- The age and grade level of the
learner.
- The physical, emotional, social
and mental potential of the learner.
- The previous experiences of the
learner related to the subject and topic.
- The men-mental resources
available for imparting instruction.
Taking
decisions about the instructional material
We have to select the
teaching-learning experiences and then organize and integrate them properly for
utilizing in the course of instruction. This instructional material then
divided into properly related and sequenced units by following the principles
of simple to complex, specific to general, theory to practice, etc. all such
decision about the selection of the instructional material, for carrying out
the task of instruction in view of the realization and stipulated instructional
objectives, are always facilitated by knowledge and skills provided by the
instructional technology.
Taking
decision about the media and method
Instructional technology may help
the teacher and also the learners to select and make use of appropriate media
and methods for carrying out teaching-learning process.
There are varieties of media and
method available for imparting instruction. One has to take proper decision
about the selection of particular media and method or a combination of media
and methods depending upon the nature of the piece of instruction and resources
and environment available in a particular teaching-learning situation.
It contains the topic like the
following in its prescribed syllabus of course:
- Instructional strategies like
lecture strategy, demonstration strategy, etc.
- Special instructional
procedures for carrying out auto-instructional or self-learning like
programmed instruction, instruction carried out with the help of teaching
machines, etc.
- Cooperative or group
instructional strategies like working on project, living and learning in
the community, etc.
- Knowledge and application of
various types of audio-visual aids and instructional material such as
radio, television, tape recorder, projector, charts, etc.
Taking
decision about the proper instructional environment
Particular type of environment is
essential for carrying out particular type of instruction, and at then helps
the teacher as well as learner for organization of that type of instructional
environment.
Helping
in the task of evaluation
Evaluation is the real key and
controlling agency of any type of instructional activity carried out by the
teacher in the shape of auto-instruction. How far a teacher or learner has been
successful in
realizing the stipulated
instructional objectives can be made known only through a well-planned strategy
of evaluation.
Behavioural
Technology
Meaning
“Any manifestation of life is
activity”, says Woodworth (1945), behaviour is a collective name of such
activities.
Behavioural technology, as one of
the kind/type in its board form, may be utilized to study and bring
modification in the behaviour of all living organisms.
Behavioural technology, in a broader
technical sense, may also include behaviour modification strategies which are
not based on learning principles. However, in school situations, the task
of behavioural technology has almost become synonymous with the behavioural
analysis and behaviour modification carried out through the principles of
operant conditioning (shaping of the desired behaviour) and observational
learning (imitation of a model behaviour)
Use
and application of behavioural technology
- Analysis of behaviour: behaviour
technology may very well help in analysing the observed behaviour of
individual in proper way. An analyst with its help may state the behaviour
in specific, observable behavioural terms, e.g. he is day dreaming or
wasting time in gossiping or reacting in a specific situation, etc.
- Setting the target behaviour
for behavioural modification: once the existing behaviour is known and
analyzed into specific behavioural terms, the help of behavioural
technology may be taken for setting as well as stating the target
behaviour (desired modified behaviour) in specific behavioural terms. As a
result of such naming, identifying and fixing of desired modified target
behaviour in specific term, the actual task of behaviour modification,
then become quite scientific, purposeful and goal-oriented.
- Proving suitable ways and means
for behavioural modification: here it can help:
- The learners to acquire the
desired learning experiences in terms of knowledge, understanding, skills,
application, attitudes and values, by bring changes in their entry
behaviour.
- The teacher by suggesting ways
and means for bringing changes in the learning and acquisition behaviour
of their students.
- The parents, teachers,
educational administrators, guidance personnel and social workers, by
suggesting suitable technology for the prevention and treatment of
behavioural problems and disorder.
- The parents and teachers to
work with their children and students for the optimum growth and
development of the desirable personality traits and behavioural acts.
- The teachers in learning proper
teacher behaviour and acquiring needed teaching skills through special
behavioural technology techniques like interaction analysis,
micro-teaching, stimulated teaching, action research. Etc.
- The teachers to manage properly
the classroom behaviour and interaction of their students aimed at
creating proper conducive environment for effective teaching-learning.
For inducing the desired behaviour or for bringing
the needed modification in the existing behaviour, behaviour technology, as
said earlier, makes use its own technology including the appropriate learning
principles based on operant conditioning and social learning.
In shaping technique (based on Skinne’s operant
conditioning), a slightly modified or improved behaviour is properly reinforced
for attaining the desired degree of modification in one’s behaviour.
In adopting modelling as a technique of behaviour
modification, the appropriate target behaviour is put before the child by a
model for his observation.
Instructional
design technology
Instructional as a process stands
for helping the individual as a learner for achieving the suitable
teaching-learning situation. A good instruction is goal oriented with a
specific purpose or purposes implying that the manner in which the learner is
imparted instructions (assisted in his learning process) should always be a
well-conceived, planned and effectively controlled phenomenon.
These instructional design, as Dr.
Robert C. Branch, Syracuse University, USA emphasizes (1996:44), are meant for
“responding to the complexities associated with the instructional episode by
analyzing, defining, testing and recommending strategies for implementing
instructions.”
The term instructional design, in
its simple meaning, thus stands for layout or plan describing the manner in
which an instruction process (involving teaching and learning and its
interaction) should be carried out for attainment of the stipulated objectives.
Instructional design
technology, for exercising such control and manipulation, may be seen to adopt
a new distinctive approaches like systems approach, cybernetic approach and
training psychology for generating effective instructional design with a clear
cut motive and helping the learner and teacher in the attainment of the
stipulated instructional objectives.
Approaches of Educational Technology
Educational technology I or hardware
approach
This type of educational technology
has its origin in physical sciences and engineering and is based on the concept
of service, i.e., using technology in education (Silverman 1968). While
teaching in a big hall, a teacher uses a microphone for making his voice
audible, he may be said to approach such type of education technology for
making his teaching effective. Such type of mechanical and teaching revolution
has almost mechanized the teaching-learning process. Almost all the material
and equipment of hardware approach originally belong in areas other than
education and being borrowed and utilized for educational purposes.
Educational Technology II or
software approach
Psychology of learning provided
solid technology for bringing the desirable behavioural changes in the students
and thus serves the cause of education by laying down definite instructional
procedure, teaching behaviour and behaviour modification devices. The second
type of educational technology is sometimes referred to as instructional
technology, teaching technology or behavioural technology.
This type of technology tries to
adopt a process-oriented technique for production of suitable teaching-learning
material, teaching-learning strategies, and evaluating techniques for the
optimum results in the process of teaching and learning. Educational technology
basically stands for the technique of developing and utilizing software and,
that is why, it is referred to as the software approach. The materials, such as
programmed material and teaching-learning strategies based on psychology of
learning are usually known as software and the equipment and gadgets are called
hardware.
Distinction between hardware and software technologies
Hardware
technology
|
Software
technology
|
Hardware technology has its origin in physical sciences
and applied engineering.
It is more concerned with the production and
utilization of audio-visual aid material and sophisticated instruments, and
mass media learning for helping the teacher and learners in their task
It tries to adopt product-oriented approach. What
is produced through software technology in the shape of teaching-learning
material and strategy gets utilized by the hardware instruments and gadgets
for effective teaching-learning.
|
Software technology has its origin
in behavioural sciences and their applied aspects concerning psychology of
learning.
It makes use of psychology of
learning for the production and utilization of software techniques and
materials in terms of learning materials, teaching learning strategies, and other
devices for smoothening the task of teaching learning.
It tries to adopt a
process-oriented technique or approach for the production of
teaching-learning material. What is produced here is made available for being
used by the hardware appliances.
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Role of hardware and software
technologies in modern educational practices
- Individualization of
instruction: Individualization of
instruction is a major trend in the modern educational practices and is
the demand of the hour. In brief, we can highlight the role of hardware
and software technologies on this account by stating some of the materials
and equipment as follows:
- Programmed instruction,
programmed books, and programmed learning modules.
- Teaching machines, computer
assisted instruction and computer managed learning.
- Video and audio recorded
learning and instructional material.
- Email, internet,
teleconferencing and other online educational facilities.
- Special aid material, equipment
and appliances used for special education and adjustment measure of for
the disabled.
- Special provisions and
facilities for the creative and gifted to nature and develop their
individual capacities according to their pace and interest.
2. Use
the multimedia and multi-sensory approach to teaching-learning: Hardware
and software technologies help the teacher as well as the learners for making a
proper and judicious use of multimedia and multi-sensory aid material,
equipment and principles of teaching-learning, derived from psychology
and technology of teaching.
- All the sensory organs sense
the sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste for the acquisition of the
desired teaching-learning experiences.
- Multimedia, material and
appliance involving hardware and software technologies for sharing
desirable teaching-learning technologies.
- All the relevant and needed
teaching-learning method, devices, and strategies, well-accompanied and
aided by hardware and software technologies.
3.
Management of the affairs of educational practices in an
efficient and productive way: Educational and professional
responsibilities
- Planning o teaching-learning.
- Organization of
teaching-learning.
- Leading teaching-learning.
- Controlling teaching-learning.
4.
Providing proper input and process for the best possible
outcomes (products): in the true spirit of the system
engineering, use of hardware and software technologies can help the educational
and instruction system to make all possible efforts for providing adequate and
the needed process organizations to arrive at the best possible outcomes.
5. Fulfilling
the expectation of distances and correspondence education: the demands of
today’s education and modern education practices are putting increase emphasis
on the extension of distance education and correspondence and online education
facilities to the increasing number of learners.
6. Making
the task of teaching-learning interest, purposeful and productive:
- Suggesting suitable
teaching-learning methods, devices and strategies based on psychology of
teaching-learning.
- Suggesting suitable maxims and
principle of teaching-learning based on the theory and practice of
technology of teaching-learning.
- Putting various types of
audio-visual aid and materials and equipment at the disposal of teachers
and learners.
- Providing a variety of
instructional and self-learning material suiting the varying needs of
teaching-learning situations and individuality of the teacher and
learners.
Educational
Technology III or Systems Approach
This type of educational technology
is related to the concept of system engineering which owes its origin to
computer science. It represents the latest concept in educational technology of
education.
This systems approach takes
education as a system having a set of inputs which are subjected to a process,
design to produce certain outputs which are intended to meet the stipulated
objectives of the system.
Thus, in system approach, one has to
make a continuous comparison of the different roles played by man, machine and
media in a system of education and develop an appropriate instructional design
and strategy in relation to the stipulated objectives.
Scope and Significance of
Educational Technology
Keeping an eye over such broad
concepts of educational technology, one is able to map but the areas of its
operation in terms of topic or aspects covered through its study or
application. In brief, they may be summarized as below.
- Analysis of the process of
teaching and learning: Educational
technology tries to discuss the concept of teaching, analysis of the
teaching process, variables of the teaching, phase of teaching, levels of
teaching, theories of teaching, principles and maxims of teaching, the
concept of learning, relevance of the theories, the relationship between
teaching and learning.
- Spelling out the
educational goals or objectives: Educational technology
tries to discuss the topics such as identification of education needs and
aspirations of the community, survey of the resources available for
satisfaction of these needs.
- Development of curriculum:
This aspect of educational technology is concerned with the designing of a
suitable curriculum for the achievement of the stipulated objectives.
- Development of
teaching-learning material: This area of
educational technology is concerned with the production and development of
the suitable teaching-learning material in view of stipulated objectives,
design curriculum and available resources.
- Teaching preparation or
teaching-training: Teacher is a
key figure in any process of teaching and learning. Educational
technology, therefore, take care of the proper preparations of teachers
for exercising their complex responsibilities.
- Development and selection of
the teaching-learning strategies and topics:
This aspect deals with the central problems of teaching
learning act. Here educational technology tries to describe the ways and
discovering, selecting and developing suitable strategies and tactic of
teaching.
- Development, selection and use
of the appropriate audio-visual aids: teaching-learning
is greatly influenced and benefited by the use of appropriate audio-visual
aids. Educational technology covers this aspect by discussing various
types of audio-visual aids used for educational purpose, their proper
selecting suiting to a particular teaching-learning situation.
- Effective utilization
of the hardware and mass media: various sophisticated
instrument, equipment, gadget and communication devices brought through
mechanization and electronics revolution playing an effective role in the
attainment of educational objectives by helping the teachers and learners
in their respective roles.
- To work for the effective
utilization of the subsystem of education:
educational technology considers education as a system operating, in a
systematic and scientific way, for the achievement of educational
objectives.
- To provide essential feedback
and control through evaluation: educational
technology I essentially concerned with the task of exercising appropriate
control over the process of teaching and learning by planning and devising
suitable tools and devices for the continuous evaluation of the process
and products of the teaching-learning activities.
Thus, educational technology is
concerned with all variables, phases, levels, and aspects of the
teaching-learning process. In brief, it works for over all planning and
organization of the system or subsystem of education.
In above discussion, an attempt has
been made to identify the scope of the subject educational technology by
mapping out its field of operation, but in true sense, it is unwise to put
hedge and boundaries around such a developing and fast growing subject.
Use and Significance of Educational
Technology (in the Indian context)
In India, before the 1960’s the term
educational technology was almost unknown to the educational system. It was
used as synonym to audio-visual teaching aids. The role of educational
technologist in India, today, is not merely that of an audio-visual aid master,
hardware expert, media expert or programmed text writer, but of one who is
concerned with the information of an overall design to carry out an evaluation
of the total process of education in terms of specific objectives.
Educational technology, as we find
it today, has a meaningful present and promising future in our country. Some of
the significant development in this direction may be summarized as follows:
- There has been a wider and more
effective utilization of radio for broadcasting educational programmes
throughout the country. These well planned programmes are now broadcast
throughout the country for both in-school and out-of-school groups.
- Another significant development
in the use of educational technology is concerned with the development of
television programmes.
- The third important area where
educational technology has been useful is the problem of -training and
re-training a large number of school teachers in an effective way.
- Another application of
educational technology in our country is known as distance education.
- Another major area where
educational technology is being used in our country relates to language
instruction.
- Another field of operation of
educational technology in our country is concerned with the correspondence
education,
- Another use for which
educational technology is being put in our country is concerned with
preparation, development and utilization of audio-visual material, and
handling as well as maintenance of the hardware appliances and
sophisticated gadgets.
- In the latest trend,
educational technology is providing its worth by utilizing the services of
computers and advanced form of ICT technology in the field of education.
