Approaches to Educational Technology

Approaches to Educational Technology

Lesson in Glance

DIVISIONS

—Educational technology includes, mainly three approaches-

—      Hardware  Approach

—      Software  Approach

—      System  Approach

Hardware  Approach

Hardware Approach has physical science and applied engineering  as   its    basis.

Hardware approach in education is the view of Finn and his colleagues.

Hardware Approach has mechanised the whole teaching-learning process.

Hardware Approach adopts a Product-oriented Approach.

Hardware technology has the potential to hand over the educational benefits to the mass with greater ease and economy.

Software  Approach

—In software approach, the basis of all thinking and working is behavioural science and psychology of learning ,that is its origin is in Behavioral Sciences and the applied aspects of Psychology of learning.

This approach to educational technology originated from the efforts of B.F.Skinner, Gagne and Norman.A.Crowder.

Software approach uses the principles of psychology for the purpose of behaviour modification.

It is sometimes referred to as Teaching Technology, Instructional Technology or Behavior Technology.

It is a Process-oriented Approach. It utilizes the knowledge of the Psychology of Learning to produce learning material, teaching – learning strategies, etc. for the betterment of the process of teaching-learning.

It does not provide direct services to its users. Instead, it helps in the production of various Software materials which are used for developing the hardware appliances.

It includes teaching strategies, learning material, evaluation tools, teaching models, programmed instruction, etc.

Software technology does not require any aid form the hardware technology for its delivery. It becomes more useful and productive when assisted by the Hardware Technology. 

System Approach

—This is the modern approach.

—It acts as a link between hardware and software approach.

—It is also known as 'Management Technology'. 

—It has brought to educational management a scientific approach for solving educational administrative problems.

—System

A system is a set of inter-connected and inter-related elements directed to achieve certain goals.

It consists mainly of three aspects-input, process and output.

The input to a given teaching/learning system consists of people, resources and information

The output consists of people whose performance or ideas have improved in desired way.

Process consists of sequence of interdependent and linked procedures which, convert inputs into outputs.

—Systems Approach to education emphasizes

o       Identifying and stating the goals to be achieved. 

o        Identifying the processes, methods, techniques and strategies    that   may be most relevant to achieving the predetermined goals;

o     Building up theoretical foundation justifying the relevance of these processes to achieving the goals;

o     Determining specific interactions visualized existing among various other components of inputs;

o    Specifying the various kinds of controls needed in the total system at different points; and

o    Keeping the whole in mind all the time while preparing the model or the system.

Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and learning theory. Instructional technology is "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning,". According to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology Committee educational technology includes other systems used in the process of developing human capability. Educational technology includes, mainly three approaches-Hardware, Software and System.

I. Hardware Approach:

     Hardware Approach has physical science and applied engineering as its basis. They have mechanised the whole teaching-learning process. There is even reduction in the cost of education. Educational Technology that way has almost revolationised the total teaching-learning. The new mechanism of teaching-learning with improved technology as its basis is suggesting innumerable new ways of doing things to the class-room teachers.

       A good many gadgets of teaching-learning find their place in the class­room situations and many more of that type are expected to enter into the class-rooms in the near future. The job and the duties of the teacher are likely to have multifaceted changes. As a result of Hardware technology, electro-mechanical equipments have been developed which are used for instructional purposes. In the overcrowded class-room, the teacher uses microphones for making his voice fully audible to the learners. Radio, T.V., tape recorder, epidiascope, projector, closed circuit television (C.C.T.V.), teaching machines, and computers are used for teaching the students. Silverman (1968), called this type of educational technology 'Relative Technology'. According to Marilym Nickson (1971), educational technology deals with the application of many fields of science to the educational needs of the individual as well as of society.

     Davis (1971) thinks that the hardware approach is based on the application of physical science to the education and training system which mechanizes the process of teaching gradually so that teachers would be able to deal with more students, resulting in less cost and economy in finances. Hardware approach, undoubtedly, is bound to work wonders in the area of education. It has a few draw-backs which are given below:

(a) Hardware material, equipment were devised by science for use in science but now they have been borrowed from there and are being used in education.

(b) While operating in the field of education, it works in isolation and not as an integral part of that system where it existed earlier.

Hardware approach in education is the view of Finn and his colleagues. The approach can be summarized as

• Its origin is in Physical Sciences & Applied Engineering and it is based on the concept of Service.
• It adopts a Product-oriented Approach.
• It is concerned with the production and utilization of audio-visual aid material, such as charts, models, slides, filmstrips, audio cassettes, etc., sophisticated instruments and gadgets, such as radio, television, films, projectors, tape-recorders, video player, teaching machines , computers, etc. and mass media
• Hardware Technology utilizes the products of Software Technology, such as teaching strategies, teaching learning material, etc. for its functioning.
• Hardware technology has the potential to hand over the educational benefits to the mass with greater ease and economy Too much use of technical gadgets may mechanize the process of teaching-learning as the Hardware approach tries to enter education from outside, operating more in isolation than in combination.

II. Software Approach:

In software approach, the basis of all thinking and working is behavioural science and psychology of learning. The scholar can exploit psychology of learning to any extent to attain the different objectives. This approach to educational technology originated from the efforts of B.F.Skinner, Gagne and Norman.A.Crowder. With every new thinking he can evolve something new for teaching purposes. The teacher with added knowledge of software approach can use the films, flash- cards, tapes etc., for various purposes. There is not end to his thinking. Decidedly he can plan better teaching which results into better learning.

Software approach uses the principles of psychology for the purpose of behaviour modification. In this connection, Davis (1971), observes, "This view of educational technology is closely associated with the modern principles of programmed learning and is characterised by task analysis, writing precise objectives, selection of appropriate learning strategies, reinforcement of correct responses and constant education."

Silverman (1968) termed this educational technology as 'constructive educational technology.' Both software and hardware approaches are so interlinked that they cannot be separated from each other. One without the other is incomplete. It is software approach which makes the hardware approach function well.

Mitchell (1973), writes, "By directing attention to the achievement of educational aims of standards through knowledge and control relation between inputs in man-machine systems and organisations, educational technology can be expected to make more contributions to behavioural science than science has made to educational technology."Software approach can be summarized as

• It is sometimes referred to as Teaching Technology, Instructional Technology or Behavior Technology.
• Its origin is in Behavioral Sciences and the applied aspects of Psychology of learning.
• It is a Process-oriented Approach. It utilizes the knowledge of the Psychology of Learning to produce learning material, teaching – learning strategies, etc. for the betterment of the process of teaching-learning.
• It does not provide direct services to its users. Instead, it helps in the production of various Software materials which are used for developing the hardware appliances.
• It includes teaching strategies, learning material, evaluation tools, teaching models, programmed instruction, etc.
• Software technology does not require any aid form the hardware technology for its delivery. It becomes more useful and productive when assisted by the Hardware Technology.
• Software technology does not have mass appeal and is costlier in the long run, as compared to Hardware technology. 

Educational Hardwares and their corresponding Softwares

Over Head Projector	Transparencies
Slide Projector	Slides
Computer	Computer programmes/Softwares
Film Projector	Films

III. System Approach:

       This new technology has influenced the educational administration and organisation to a great extent. This is the modern approach. It acts as a link between hardware and software approach. It is also known as 'Management Technology'. It has brought to educational management a scientific approach for solving educational administrative problems.

         It is essentially a new management approach, influencing management decisions in business, industry and education. Education is regard as a system and system approach is a systematic way of designing an effective and economical educational system. System is defined in the dictionary as "an assemblage of objects united by some form of regular interaction or inter-dependence; as organic or organised whole as the solar system or a new telegraph system".

       A system is a set of inter-connected and inter-related elements directed to achieve certain goals. It consists mainly of three aspects-input, process and output. The input to a given teaching/learning system consists of people, resources and information, and the output consists of people whose performance or ideas have improved in desired way. Process consists of sequence of interdependent and linked procedures which, convert inputs into outputs. These outputs then serve as inputs for the next stage until a known goal or end result is reached
System and system approach can be summarized as

System:

• A complex whole; a set of things working together as a mechanism or interconnecting network.
• A System is a set or arrangement of things so related or connected as to form a unity or organic whole. It’s a regular, orderly way of doing things. Schools are viewed globally as social systems. Instruction/ Teaching are considered as a sub-system within the social system of the school.
• Classroom, faculty, student groups, informal groups, etc. are other subsystem within.
• Education is considered a complex organization of technical, managerial and institutional systems.
• The instructional system has three parts: The Instructor, the Learner, and the goals of Instruction.
• The System- Approach to education, thus, considers education as an Input-Output System.
• Instructor & his qualities, Learners and their qualities, feedback process system, technique, method, etc changed learner’s cognitive, affective & psychomotor domains.

Systems Approach to education emphasizes

• Identifying and stating the goals to be achieved;
• Identifying the processes, methods, techniques and strategies that may be most relevant to achieving the predetermined goals;
• Building up theoretical foundation justifying the relevance of these processes to achieving the goals;
• Determining specific interactions visualized existing among various other components of inputs;
• Specifying the various kinds of controls needed in the total system at different points; and
• Keeping the whole in mind all the time while preparing the model or the system.

Top of Form

o     

o    Media and Education

o    Educational Technology-Principles and Significance

o    Approaches to Educational Technology

o    Audio Visual Aids

o    Classification of Audio Visual Aids

o    ...tional Significance of Projected Audio-Visual Aids

o    ...al Significance of Non-Projected Audio Visual Aids

o    Educational Television

o    Audiovisual Recording Instruments

o    Mass Media in Education

o    Common Mass Media Used in Education

o    Information Technology

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