CONCEPT
OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Education:
Educational in technical
sense refers to that process by which society through its different
institutions deliberately transmits its cultural heritage to its young
accumulated values, knowledge and skills from one generation to another. The
society opts for certain ends for which technology provides the means. The
field of technology is multifaceted. It covers comparatively will defined areas
such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, material science, theory of
structures.
Technology of Education
is developed with two important aims
1) To make education
more widely available to all.
2) To improve the
quality of education that is available.
Technology:
Technology
can be understood as the efforts made by people to satisfy their material wants
by working on physical objects. It all started with the invention and use of
tools to work on physical objects to convert them to useful forms to satisfy
human wants.
Technology has helped us to
make life more and comfortable and made easy passage from primitive to
civilized conditions of human life. Alvin Toffler refers these rises in
civilizations as three waves. During agricultural era of the first wave period
technology was based on ‘muscle’. The industrial technology focused on money
and the electronic technology is based on mind-here technology is mainly
concerned with information (knowledge) management.
1.1.2
DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY. A BRIEF HISTORY
i.
J.
Rousseau, criticized the teaching of his days and condemned
the liberal use of words by teachers. According to him Teaching process must be
directed towards learner’s curiosity i.e., child centered education.
ii.
John
Dewey Introduced Scientific method in the field of
education. E. Thorndike conducted experiments and put forward learning
theories.
iii.
In
1925 – Sydney L.Pressey experimented with programmed
learning.
iv.
During
1938 and 1940 the concept of Visual aid’s helped the
process of learning.
v.
In
1950 – Instructional theories Bruner, Glasser came into
existence.
vi.
In
1953 – Gorden pask applied the principles of cibernetics
to education.
vii.
In
1954 – Edgardale cone of experience.
viii.
In
1954 – Weiner worked on the science of cibernetics.
ix.
In
1970 – Different developments took place and concept of
Education technology took its shape.
x.
20th
Century: In this century there is a rapid development in the
field of electronics, sound recording, photography etc.
1.1.3
NEED FOR EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
In the 21st
century every aspect of human life has undergone a thorough change due to the
increasing use of science and technology. Application of science and technology
has resulted in a tremendous improvement in quality of things. Whatever may be
the field the use of science and technology has brought about both qualitative
and quantitative improvements.
There are two important
factors which have compelled the teachers and administrators to think of the
modernization of the out moded educational system. These factors are:
i.
Population Explosion
ii.
Knowledge Explosion
Finn(1963)
argues that in a technologically oriented society, education should wed itself
to science and technology. Education cannot wall itself off from the technological
advances.
Stolurow(1963) argues
that three major factors demand the adaptation of technology to education.
These are:
a)
The exploding world population.
b)
The exponential rate at which new
knowledge is being generated.
c)
The changing science and technology of
our current society.
In the Indian context, the
following factors further prompt education to court technology.
1.
Problems of education like free primary
education and eradication of adult illiteracy can never be solved through
conventional teaching techniques.
2.
The determination of falling standards
can be checked and quality instruction can be imparted if E.T and programmed
learning materials are yoked to conventional classroom teaching.
3.
Educational technology materials can be
used for imparting education to learners through non-formal or distance mode.
4.
E.T is best utilized for language
learning that is foreign or other language can be quickly learned with its
help.
5.
For transferring better ideas and
developing accurate thinking, technological aids are the only means. They
impart the fast increasing knowledge in various disciplines in a short period
with best retention.
6.
E.T plays a unique role in developing
national integration.
7.
With the help of modern electronic
gadgets public can be educated about universal franchise, fundamental rights
and responsibilities.
8.
E.T can be used to educate people in
villages about social evils, deadly diseases superstitions etc.
9.
Our farmers can be equipped with the
knowledge about the latest methods of crop reaping, the use of better and
improved seeds, use of fertilizers and pesticides etc, only with the help of
E.T.
1.1.4
ETYMOLOGICAL MEANING OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Education:
The
term education has been derived from Latin word ‘educare’ means to bring up or
to nourish, ‘educare’ means to lead out or to draw educere out ‘educatum’ means
the act of teaching or training. Thus education is the act or process of
acquiring and imparting knowledge.
Technology:
The term technology is a combination of Greek words tech-means (detective)
techne means art, technic means Doctrine of arts. Logos means science of study.
v Technology
means science of study of an art or skill or a branch of knowledge that deals
with Science of Industrial Arts, applied sciences and engineering.
v Technology
is the application of knowledge for practical ends.
v Technology
is the use of machines for improving human productivity.
v Thus
technology is the application of science to the needs of individual and the
society.
v Technology
is a scientific way of developing new techniques and a systematic way of
evolving and applying these techniques.
v Technology
is a method of designing techniques.
To
sum up:
v Technology
is that branch of advanced scientific study which involves highly designed and
sophisticated engineering software and hardware.
v Educational
technology facilitates learning by controlling environment media and methods.
v It
involves input, output and process aspects of education.
v It
is an important medium of communication.
v It
is not conformed to the use of electronic media in education. It includes
systems approach also.
v It
is not to be taken as a synonym to audiovisual aids in education.
v Educational
technology is a continuously developing technology.
Definitions
of Educational Technology:
Educational Technology may
be roughly defined as “Systematic application of knowledge of science to
practical tasks in education as technology is the systematic application of
knowledge of science practical tasks in industry”.
1.1.5
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Important
aims of Educational Technology are:
1.
To provide appropriately designed
situations for learning and teaching i.e. those situations which keep in mind,
the objectives that are necessary for training.
2.
To modify the learners environmental by
presentation of material, by arranging the different learning activities and by
organizing the physical and surroundings of the learner.
Nature &Characteristics of
Educational Technology:
v It
is influenced by advancements in the field of behavioral sciences, physical
sciences, electronics etc.
v It
is essentially a practical discipline rather than a theoretical construct.
v It
is a science of design, development and application of audiovisual equipment to
the field of education.
v It
locates the problems in education and provides remedial measures and ultimately
aims at improving the education system.
v ET
is an application science where in the researches and findings of diverse
social science and fields like psychology, sociology, behavioral sciences,
engineering, physical sciences are applied to the field of education.
v ET
plays an important role in making the teaching scientific, objective, clear
simplified and interesting.
v E.T.
gets together technical means students teachers and their psychological
aspects.
v ET
is bound to improve the teachers the learner and the teaching learning process.
v The
educational technology is a comprehensive term and is not to be viewed in terms of its parts of processes. It
includes instructional technology, teaching technology, programmed learning,
microteaching and system analysis etc.
v It
lays stress on development methods and techniques for effective
teaching-learning.
v It
stresses the organization of learning situation for the effective realization
of the goals of the education.
v Expected
behavioral changes in the teachers and pupils are possible through educational
technology.
v The
provisions of measuring devices for testing the results of learning are emphasized
in educational technology.
1.1.6
ASPECTS OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
ET has three major
aspects:
1. Input
2. Process
3. Output.
1.
Input:
It involves the
entering behavior of the learner.
i.
It includes previous achievement,
abilities and level of motivation.
ii.
It is concerned with comprehension level
of the learner.
iii.
It involves the skill of teaching and
awareness of teaching and training method.
iv.
It is concerned with availability of
teaching aids and skill in using the teaching aids.
2.
Teaching-Learning Process:
It involves the means
and devices of learning experiences.
i.
To generate situation for presenting the
subject matter systematically.
ii. To select the use appropriate teaching
strategies and tactics for desired learning structures.
iii.
To employ appropriate teaching aids for
desired behavioral change.
iv. To identify and use suitable communication
techniques for the comprehension of the subject matter.
v.
To use suitable schedules of
reinforcement for effective learning.
vi.
To evolve appropriate school environment
for developing good relations among students.
3.
Output:
It includes mainly
terminal behavior of the learner.
i.
To identify the characteristics of
content.
ii.
To clarify the objectives achieved
through the content.
iii.
To analyze the stimuli.
iv. To determine the characteristics of
students and their desired activities.
The detailed description of
three aspects in the content matter of E.T. the relation between input, process
and output can be made clear through the diagrammatic representation
Educational Technology may
be viewed as a system with a number of sub systems and components or elements
as shown in the above fig.
Educational Technology
generally consists of four parts:
1.
(Predetermined) Objectives
2.
Teaching strategies
3.
Resource generation
4.
Learning styles
1.1.7 USES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
1.
ET helps in improving –teaching learning
process and makes it more purposeful and meaningful.
2.
ET helps in maintain and improve the
standard of mass education by the use of teaching and programmed instructional
material.
3.
The correspondence education can be made
more effective by the use of radio, television, tape recorder and programmed
instruction.
4.
Educational and administrative problems
can be solved scientifically with the help of system analysis.
5.
By use of ET scientific base can be laid
in teaching.
6.
Help the learners or students to acquire
correct knowledge in less amount of time than it maximizes.
7.
Help in self learning the level of
information to the learners.
8.
The use of ET reduces the labor of the
teacher in teaching concept.
9.
The use of ET can provide best talented
teachers to large number of learners.
10. The use of ET helps in minimizing the
doubts about the concepts or skill to be learned in limited time.
11. ET helps in analysis.
12. Helps in equalizing educational
opportunities.
13. Helps in providing proper feedback both
to the teacher and students.
14. Helps in solving problems in a
systematic way.
15. Helps in achieving different objectives
of education by proper use of teaching models.
16. Assist in quick collection, storage and
retrieval of information.
17. Improving the quality and standard of
living.
1.1.8
OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
v Mckenzies and others stated the
following objectives keeping the students as focal point:
·
The need to reach out to the maximum
number of students.
·
To reach out to them with an improved
range of learning materials.
·
To provide opportunities for independently
study.
·
To permit at least a limited student
response.
v Hilard Jason stated the following
as objectives keeping the teacher in view:
·
Transmitting information.
·
Serving as role models.
·
Assisting the practice of specific
skills.
·
Contributing to the provision of
feedback.
v Objectives of ET at Macro Level:
1.
To identify the educational needs and
aspirations of the community.
2.
To determine aims and adjectives and in
general the structure of education.
3.
To develop an integrated curriculum of
arts science and human values.
4.
To identify and locate material
resources and strategies for achieving the desired aims of education.
5.
To develop specific models of teaching
to bring about an improvement in the teaching process.
6.
To design, modify and develop
appropriate equipment / aids suitable and relevant to the educational process.
7.
To identify the latest environmental
constraints and means to tackle them.
8.
To assist in providing vocational
opportunities to the needy and deserving.
9.
To manage the entire educational system encompassing
planning implementation and evaluation phases.
v Objectives of ET at Micro level:
1.
To identify the education needs of the
learner.
2.
To access the characteristics of
students. To determine and formulate classroom objectives in behavioral terms.
3.
To identify the contents of instruction
and organize them in proper sequence.
4.
To identify human resources – students
and teachers.
5.
To plan out teaching strategies, modes
and methods as per needs and objectives.
6.
To predetermine the nature of
interaction between subsystems, students i.e. teaches TLM content and
methodologies.
7.
To evaluate the effectiveness of
teaching strategy in terms of learning outcome i.e., behavioral changes in the
students.
8.
To provide appropriate feedback to
students as well as teachers.
9.
To modify the teaching –learning process
on the basis of feedback received.
Approaches
to the realization of objectives:
According to Educationists,
Teachers, Management, Research organizations, Government policy makers and
Costumer services are used to realize ET objectives.
1. Teachers: In
order to realize the objectives teacher needs to
i.
Identify the importance, scope and
advantages of ET.
ii.
Develop understanding about selection,
preparation and use of radia visual aids.
iii.
Develop awareness about formulation or
preparation of programmed learning materials and teaching modules.
iv.
Develop content wise, professional wise
and technology wise competencies.
v.
Develop positive or good attitude
towards the application of knowledge of ET.
2. Management:
To realize ET objectives management need to
i.
Provide adequate facilities in schools.
ii.
Equip different tools.
iii.
Provide proper periodical training to
teacher.
3. Research Organizations: Research
organizations like (NCERT, SCERT, CIET, SIET, EMRC)
i.
Needs to prepare different audiovisual
equipment basing on the research findings.
ii.
Regular propaganda regarding the use of
ET.
iii.
Organize in service training to
teachers.
4. Government:
The central or state government should take adequate care and interest.
i.
Regarding the frequent use of ET in
schools.
ii.
Encouraging the production of ET
equipment.
iii.
Economic help must be given to research
organizations and to scholars to produce and to do research on modern
equipment.
iv.
See that the modern strategies and
material which are being developed and used in developing countries are also
used in our schools.
v.
Encourage wide use of application of ET
in formal; non-formal, education and distance education, correspondence and
also extension education.
5. Users and Beneficiaries or
Customers need to
i.
Welcome and encourage the use of ET.
ii.
Acquire and use the knowledge of ET to
develop self learning abilities.
iii.
Show remarkable progress in their chosen
areas.
6. Policy planners: To
realize the objectives of ET policy planners
i.
Take help of international organization
to formulate and implement the modern policies.
ii.
Frequent changes must be made in usage
of technology basing on our own experiences and experiences of developed
nations.
iii.
The services of technology must be used
in both urban and rural places.
1.1.9
SCOPE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Educational technology has
revolutionized the education system. According to Lewis Elton it has evolved
along three broad lines normally mass instruction, individualized learning and
group learning. To begin with ET concentrated on mass instruction then on
individualized learning than on group learning. Mass to individual to group to
distance this is the development sequence of ET. ET’s main aim is to improve
quality of human learning. It helps people to satisfy their needs/wants and to
lead a comfortable and complete and meaningful life.
1.
Determination/identification of educational goals and objectives: ET
tries to identify educational goals and objectives. The software aspect of ET
contributes in this area. This goal/objective of identification is done based
on the needs and aspirations of people or pupils and these educational
objectives are converted into behavioral terms.
2. Analysis
of the process of Teaching-Learning-ET has a large number of functions to
perform.
a) It
analyses the teaching process. Variable, phases to teaching levels of teaching
and determines the principles of teaching.
b) It
also suggests maxims of teaching. Studies the concept of learning theories of
learning relation between teaching and learning.
c) All
these aspects cover wide range of activities to be performed by ET.
3. Area of Teachers training: There
is much scope of ET in the area of teacher’s training. In the field of
teacher’s training, the gaming, systems approach classroom interaction CAI and
group training teaching, models etc are being used successfully.
4. Area of Curriculum construction:
In the academic field curriculum construction is complex job. According to
changing needs of people in the society especially in developing country like
India to keep pace with developed nations curriculum and needs regular
revision.
5. Development Resources:
Keeping in view stipulated objectives, designed curriculum, both human
resources and material resources need to be developed. Educational technologies
concerns with development of different T.LM and web tools.
Develop Information Resources:
General information literacy is
needed for all individuals to work and to participate fully in an information
society. In addition for most professions specialized computer and
communication based systems are rapidly becoming indispensable tools of the
trade. Students must learn how to use these services as part of their early
training.
6. Develops Interactive Instruction
Services: In order to customize teaching to the particular
level of understanding learning style, peace and ability of each individual
student different interactive instructional services (CAT Videodisk,
instructional modules) can be developed and made use of.
7. Develop learning environment: The
interactive instructional technology can be used to create a special
environment – a language simulation or database that can be manipulated by the
student. For example, special computer languages such as LOGO, can help
learners gain particular problem solving skills.
8. Develops passive instruction
service: The textbook is the traditional passive
instructional system. Projection media, slides, filmstrips, over head,
transparencies and pictures etc., can be used.
9. Develop
administration and instructional teleconferencing via radio, television or
computer which allow teachers to exchange experiences, develop curricula and
co-ordinate educational programmes among number of schools in a district.
10. Develops
teaching storages: ET helps the teacher in selection and
development of suitable teaching strategies.
11. Develops
Testing and Diagnosis mechanisms: ET helps the teacher
to have appropriate control over the process of teaching and learning by
developing suitable tools and devices for continuous evaluation of the process
and products of teaching and learning.
Computers are being used to grade and
analyze the results of college admission exams intelligence tests and variety
of psychometric examinations designed to explore the values, attitude and
thinking patterns of individuals.
