AIOU Assignment BEd 1.5 Year 8619 Educational Technology Assignment 2
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ASSIGNMENTNo.2
Q.1 Critically examine the role of educational broadcasting in the teaching learning process?
Answer:
Modern technology has transformed the way students learn and interact with their environment. Radio and Television are broad cast media meant to disseminate audio and video signal, messages, information or programs to wide range of audience. Broad cast media are regarded as eye and ear of the people because they look for information on behalf of the general public. Media have always for me the important part of modern education since the beginning of the twentieth century. From print to radio, television, and today’s Web-enabled e-learning, each medium has been seen as a potential solution for the problems, inadequacies and certain ills of education. Invariably, the purpose of inducting media into education has been two-fold: to increase the reach and there by access; and to enrich the quality of educational content. The birth of a new medium has not however, supplanted the previous one; since each has found its own niche.
Broadcast media on its own help the populace to be conscious and aware of various events near and faraway from them. Radio and television are now in separable with the society because of the numerous roles they play including educational function. Educational broadcasting refers to television programming and radio programming providing or related to courses of study. The term "educational" is also applied at times too the programs that are particularly enlightening, informative or intellectually stimulating. Educational broadcast is the term given to the medium's use informal learning systems, whether primary or higher education (Berman,2008). It is typically used as a means for course material delivery, and often integrated with various kinds of interaction: for example, in classrooms, discussion groups, or via the telephone. Community radio, on the other hand, involves informal learning processes where by communities plan, own, and operate their own radio stations. The informal learning topics of community radio typically include child nutrition, family planning, and agricultural tips. Community radio necessarily involves a non-profit enterprise, community ownership and participation, and usually a participatory approach to learning.
Wherever the mass media have been established, education has been put at the forefront of the fruits to be reaped or as on objective for the development of the mass media. Since education has been linked to the creation of communication systems that can reach wide populations, educational broadcasting has been identified with development and nation building. However, they are powerful socializing agent store ach large heterogeneous and widely dispersed audience. It is observed that millions of people over huge are as can be reached very quickly via radio and television by spreading news, information, entertainment and soon. Indeed, they represent powerful tools of socializing people and students in particular through their different educative programs which increase the level of literacy in the society.
Sambo (2012) noted that broad cast media are tools that invest the past with an air of reality.
They provide the learners with realistic experience, which capture their attention and help in the understanding of the historical phenomena. They appeal to the mind through the visual auditory senses. Also, Ortyoyande (2006) noted that we receive knowledge through our senses; they also noted that if we hear we forget, if we see we remember, and if we do something we know it. So, access to educational radio and television makes learning process more effective and productive. Also, those educational programs can be recorded to benefit Learners by listening and viewing the lesson programs severally, hence aids their retention.
Therefore, educational radio and television encourage learning, make it easier and interesting. It should be noted that radio and television can effectively be utilized to teach individual or public the norms and values of society and reinforce same. Recent development in television has drastically affected educational procedure for improved quality of education offered to students. Television resource in instructional delivery will serve dual purposes and more efficient classroom instruction (Onabajo,2000). The advancement which radio and television offer in education can be evident through accessibility to educative programs and instructional delivery like quiz, debate and soon. Productive situational delivery enhances learners’ creative and intellectual development through the use of television images, graphics, audio, test motion for high quality learning. Babalola (2005) states that radio and television offers five distinct roles in education which are: Socialization, Religion, Subject, Brain test and
Sex Education.
Educational television has been discovered to have profound effect on speech training among young learners (Gocen&Okur,2013). According to Gocenand Okur (2013) learners mimic what they see on television and as such remember more of the things they watch than the ones they learn in the classroom. Also, their study after studying the attitudes of students involved in the survey of effect of TV on speech, it is obvious that they dominate how people talk on TV and there by think that their friends will like them better that way. Also, students who took this survey point out that they like when their friends imitate TV characters.
One of television’s most obvious characteristics is its visual aspect. Humans intuitively grasp the power of images to convey meaning, as can be seen in the old adage that values a picture at thousand times the value of a word. Research in the past two decades has proven what we intuitively know: our brains deal with images differently than print (Saglik&Ozturk,2001).
Words are processed in the neo cortex where the higher thinking capability of the brain resides. Pictures, however, are handled in the limbic system, rapidly, and trigger instinct, emotion, and impulse (Omenesa,1997). Because brains are programmed to remember experiences that have an emotional component, television has a powerful ability to relay experience through the emotions evoked by images.
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Q.2 Critically examine the channels of communication. Also discuss the basic principles of good communication?
Answer:
In an organization, information flows forward ,backwards and sideways. This information flow is referred to as communication. Communication channels refer to the way this information flows within the organization and with other organizations. In this web known as communication, a manager becomes a link. Decisions and directions flow upwards or downwards or sideways depending on the position of the manager in the communication web. For example, reports from lower level manager will flow upwards. A good manager has to inspire, steer and organize his employee sufficiently, and for all this, the tools in his possession are spoken and written words. For the flow of information and for a manager to handle his employees, it is important for an effectual communication channel to be in place.
The Working of a Communication Channel
Through a modem of communication, be it face-to-face conversations or an inter-department memo, information is transmitted from a manager to a subordinate or vice versa. An important element of the communication process is the feedback mechanism between the management and employees. In this mechanism, employees inform managers that they have understood the task at hand while managers provide employees with comments and directions on employee's work.
Importance of a Communication Channel
A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information. Employees are unaware of what the company expects of them. They are uninformed of what is going on in the company. This will cause them to become suspicious of motives and any changes in the company. Also without effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company minded, and this affects their decision making and productivity in the workplace.
Eventually, this harms the overall organizational objectives as well. Hence, in order for an organization to be run effectively, a good manager should be able to communicate to his/her employees what is expected of them, make sure they are fully aware of company policies and any upcoming changes. Therefore, an effective communication channel should be implemented by managers to optimize worker productivity to ensure the smooth running of the organization.
Types of Communication Channels
The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last 20 odd years. Video-conferencing, mobile-technology, electronic bulletin boards and fax machines are some of the new possibilities. As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication alone to get their message across.
A challenge the managers face today is to determine what type of communication channel should they opt for in order to carry out effective communication. In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into three main groups: formal, informal and unofficial.
Formal Communication Channels
A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.
An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also includes the transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and scheduled meetings in the chain of command.
A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review meetings are all formal communication channels.
Informal Communication Channels
With in a formal working environment, there always exists an informal communication network. The strict hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its own and hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager needs to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel.
An example of an informal communication channel is lunch time at the organization's cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel.
Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain of command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.
Unofficial Communication Channels
Good managers will recognize the fact that sometimes communication that takes place within an organization is interpersonal. While minutes of a meeting may be a topic of discussion among employees, sports, politics and TV shows also share the floor.
The unofficial communication channel in an organization is the organization's 'grapevine. 'It is through the grapevine that rumors circulate. Also those engaging in 'grapevine' discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the organization. While the grapevine may have positive implications, more often than not information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause
unnecessary alarm to employees. A good manager should be privy to information circulating in this unofficial communication channel and should take positive measures to prevent the flow of false information.
An example of an unofficial communication channel is social gatherings among employees.
Conclusion
In any organization, three types of communication channels exist :formal, informal and unofficial. While the ideal communication web is a formal structure in which informal communication can take place, unofficial communication channels also exist in an organization. Through these various channels, it is important for a manager to get his/her ideas across and then listen, absorb, glean and further communicate to employees.
Basic principles of good communication:
Good communicators have a wide repertoire of skills and are able to adjust their communication style in response to the many variables they face at a given time. Here are a few principles to consider as you adjust and refine your communication skills.
1.Understandyourself. Understanding who you are and what your natural tendencies are is the first step to be in an effective and genuine communicator. Do you tend to be chatty, or do you like to listen? Are you assertive? Are you direct? Are you comfortable with ambiguities, uncertainties, and risks? Do you choose your words carefully, or, do you tend to use words more like a blunt instrument? Do you tend to unintentionally offend or miscommunicate with others? Do you tend to overreact, or do you tend to stay calm and collected? Another part of understanding yourself is to be clear about your values and goals, both in general and in the context of each communication.
When you are clear on why you’re communicating, your genuine self will shine through and add credibility and vigor to your communication. After all, being “real” leads to more effective communication.
2. Understand your audience. As important as it is to understand yourself, it is also important to understand your audience and their natural tendencies, motivations, goals, challenges, and opportunities. Does your audience want to be heard, enlightened, or get things done? How much time does your audience have? Is your audience patient and forgiving? Are you interacting with a competitor, collaborator, or superior party? What pains and opportunities — real or imaginary — does your audience perceive? Is there a third party that is not present whose interest must be addressed to help you communicate more effectively? Another part of understanding your audience is to be clear about their values and goals. For example, is your audience focused on maximizing profits or social good?
3. Listen actively. Listening is usually an important part of most communications. It is not enough to merely listen, however. You also want to make sure that others feel heard. To that end, it is not enough to use your ears. Active listening that helps people feel heard involves eye contact, nodding, appropriate and timely responses, and overall high engagement. Asking good, relevant questions and then actively listening helps to build rapport and trust. Active listening also involves looking for more subtle,
non verbal cues; one’s body language will often tell you as much as, if not more than, the substantive message.
4.Simplify. Simple, concise messages that can be delivered quickly and powerfully usually have the highest impact, especially when you address an audience that is over-worked or over-whelmed with information. And these days, who isn’t over-worked or over-whelmed with information? Distilling complex materials in to digestible terms that your audience can understand and use is an art worth pursuing, because it often makes a difference between getting what you want and not. Cut out the technical jargon and business speak, reduce complexity, and cut-right to the chase by saying exactly what you mean in as few words as possible. Also consider using graphics, stories, or analogies to drive your point home in a more powerful and memorable way.
5.Find a perfect time. A good idea is only good when it comes at the right time. As an effective communicator, you need to be on the lookout for a window of opportunity that allows you to be the most effective. For example, offering a solution, product, or service just when your audience is looking for one is a perfect time to deliver your message. In fact, addressing the needs of others in a timely way is the most guaranteed (though not necessarily the quickest) way to get a desired outcome and be an effective communicator. Consider being more alert and flexible in order to more effectively influence the outcome and get what you want in the long run.
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Q.3 Discuss the production process of instructional materils. What measures you will adopt for an efficient production process?
Answer:
After surveying existing materials and assessing which materials are required and available for unit and lesson plans, certain instructional aids may still be needed to adequately present the content of a lesson. For these, and perhaps for all materials used in the classroom, the teacher must become a materials developer and producer. Many objects which are useful in the classroom can be made out of "found" material such as discarded bottles and cans, cloth, cardboard cartons, sticks and other such items. The next section will offer some ideas on the best ways to make use of local resources in the development of instructional aids.
Realia
Using real objects in the class, or realia as they are sometimes referred to, is a very effective way of aiding visual identification of leaves, minerals, parts of machinery etc. In using realia, there are several points that the teacher should consider:
- Use recognizable objects from the environment.
- Prepare the materials well in advance of presentation.
- Keep information simple and clear.
Cross-cultural considerations should be weighed before recommending and using these types of materials, however, as many objects may be used in ceremonies and carry special meaning for teachers and students. The use of bones, either real or replicas to teach biology, for example, can often cause consternation among class members due to their cultural relevance. In general, the teacher needs to be careful when using cultural artifacts not to make them meaning lessor insult the students by ignoring their cultural value.
Visual Aids
Teachers may wish to use some form of visual aids which they can make themselves. As indicated above, these might take a variety of forms including tables, charts or diagrams which display a processor identify objects. The Peace Corps Resource Packet P-8 listed at the end of this section contains numerous "recipes" for the do-it-yourself production of many different types of audio/visual aids as well as other types of materials. The chart which follows provides a sampling of the types of instructional materials which can be produced, their potential for classroom application and the types of materials you need to produce them.
Choosing and Producing Instructional Materials
1.Blackboard
Most all demonstrations and diagrams. Erasable. Ply wood and black board paint. Chalk can Also be produces from local resources.
2. Charts
Diagrams Permanent display such as a periodic table of the elements. Produce from paper, white cardboard or cloth. Words can be imprinted using felt tip Markers, home made and ink or paint. Use different colors and boards and boards to rule straight lines.
3.Real objects
Identification of parts of plants, machinery, etc. Plant specimens, used Auto-parts, objects from the environment.
4. Flannel graphs
Displays requiring moveable items showing action or change. Flannel cloth or wool. Pieces made from same material or similar rough cloth that will "stick" (burlap and flannel is a good combination). Cloth may be at market or taken from old clothing. Attach to a base like stiff cardboard.
5. Tapes for audio present action.
Language dialogue review and oral history. Simple audio cassette player and recorder. Batteries or power Outlet if current is available. Tapes for recording.
6. Television,
Film, VCRs Presentation of recorded programs Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) unit, monitor, current; Film projector; Television and broadcast program from TV studio.
Using materials in the classroom
Whatever subject is being taught, visual aids are most effective when they are properly used and reach the greatest number of students.
Visual Aids and Learning Styles
Based on the ideas from previous sections of the manual Child and Adolescent Learning and Instructional Objectives), one principle which should be apparent is that certain students benefit more from seeing or touching something while others need to hear an explanation before they can understand it. The best way to be sure that every student's preferred learning style is addressed is to use a variety of materials within any presentation. Relying too heavily on visual aids and neglecting the importance of the spoken presentation, or doing it poorly, may mean that the teacher is not reaching those students who may learn better when they hear some one present the information orally. The key here is to mix the presentation with different types of materials if possible. Use real objects to teach classification, visual aids like charts and diagrams to teach about processes, and technological media, if available, to teach processes involving action or subjects where dramatization is appropriate. Combine different sections of the course content and use various materials to teach these sections alternating between the use of media and materials and a regular, oral presentation (see Classroom Teaching Techniques for more detail on presentation techniques).
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Q.4 Describe the care which a teacher should take while selecting A.V aids for effective teaching?
Answer:
The importance of audio visual (AV) technology in education should not be underestimated. There are two reasons for this; one, learning via AV creates a stimulating and interactive environment which is more conducive to learning; two, we live in an audio-visual age which means that having the skills to use AV equipment is integral to future employment prospects. Therefore exposure to AV technology in education is imperative.
Audio visual material must be seen in their relationship to teaching as a whole and to the learning process as a whole, until the teacher understands the relationship between audio visual material and teaching learning process.
Audio visual materials are produced, distributed and used as planned components of educational programs. It helps the process of learning that is motivation, classification and stimulation. A.v. aids are multisensory materials which motivate and stimulate the individual.
It makes dynamic learning experience more concrete realistic and clarity. It provides significant gains in thinking and reasoning. Audio visual aids are sensitive tools used in teaching and as avenues for learning. These are planned educational materials that appeal to the senses of the people and quicken learning facilities for clear understanding.
PRINCIPLES TO BE FOLLOWED FOR THE EFFECTIVE USE OF A.V. AIDS:
- Audio visual materials should function as an integral part of the educational program.
- A.v. aids should be centralized, under specialized direction and leadership in educational programs.
- An advisory committee consisting of representative from all areas of curriculum should be appointed to assist in selection and coordination of a.v. materials.
- An education program should be flexible.
- A.v. material should be carefully located to eliminate duplication, easy accessibility and convenient use.
- A.v. material should be available whenever and wherever they needed for effective utilization as an integral part of curriculum.
- Budget appropriations should be made regularly for a.v. education programs.
- • Periodic evaluation to be done to assess the function of, utilization and expenditure of the program.
AV technology in schools
AV technology has been used in schools for decades, but only in the form of a TV and video player to show short educational films. Now it is the computer that shows these educational films and home work is also being done increasingly on PCs.
Children learn differently and audio visual equipment gives teachers the chance to stimulate each child’s learning process with a combination of pictures, sounds and attention grabbing media. We are surrounded by audio visual equipment and children are keen to understand technology and keep up to date with applied science. Having this opportunity in the classroom helps to facilitate learning.
More and more schools are taking advantage of AV technology to teach their students. This equipment can be used to present information to students but also the fact that they are interacting with AV technology on a daily basis also makes them proficient in using technology.
Not exposing children to different forms of technology is depriving them of vital learning opportunities that could benefit them in later life for example through increased career opportunities. AV lessons should not just consist of children working in pairs on a Power Point presentation or rewriting a piece of work using Word, ICT should be challenging, exciting and fun. Webster’s Encyclopedia Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, defines Audio-Visual aids as “training or educational materials directed at both the senses of hearing and the sense of sight, films, recordings, photographs, etc used in classroom instructions, library collections or the likes”. The term has also been defined by (Dike,1993) as; those materials which do not depend solely upon reading to convey meaning. They may present information through the sense of hearing as in audio resources, sight, as in visual resources or through a combination of senses. Indeed, the variety of such resources is a striking characteristic.
According to (Anzaku,2011) “the term audio-visual materials is commonly used to refer to those instructional materials that may be used to convey meaning without complete dependence upon verbal symbols or language”. Thus according to the above definition, a text book or a reference material does not fall within this grouping of instructional materials but an illustration in a book does. Some audio-visual components are in the nature of process and experience, for example, dramatizing an event or a procedure or making diorama. Some of the audio-visual materials like the motion pictures require the use of equipment to release their latent value.
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Q.5 How you will teach students through emerging technologies?
Answer:
As online and blended learning reshape the landscape of teaching and learning in higher education, the need increases to encourage and support faculty in moving from delivering passive, teacher-centered experiences to designing active, student-centered learning. Our new social era is rich with simple, free to low-cost emerging technologies that are increasing experimentation and discovery in the scholarship of teaching and learning. While the literature about Web2.0 tools impacting teaching and learning is increasing, there is a lack of knowledge about how the adoption of these technologies is impacting the support needs of higher education faculty. This knowledge is essential to develop new, sustainable faculty support solutions.
Driven by my own experiences as a full-time and part-time faculty member and early adopter of VoiceThread --a Web 2.0 tool that fosters asynchronous voice, video and text conversations around media--I designed my dissertation research study to investigate how the use of Web2.0 tools is impacting the support needs of higher education faculty. I performed this action research study in collaboration with the VoiceThread organization with the purpose of improving the support needs of their higher education users.
The study’s sample included 50 higher education faculty members, comprised of a mix of part-time and full-time faculty from two-year and four-year institutions in the United States with a VoiceThread account (free, an individual higher ed account or a site license).The interview and reflection data revealed unique support needs of faculty who teach with emerging technologies, a growing demographic. These include:
Just-in-time resources. Faculty support programs comprised of face-to-face workshops and consultations will not meet the needs of faculty. The issues underlying this finding are related to the significant changes in the demographics of faculty. Today, most classes are taught by part-time faculty, and many of these individuals also have full-time jobs and teach at multiple institutions. Online resources that can be accessed from any where at anytime from multiple devices are essential to supporting innovations in teaching and learning.
Nonlinear PD experiences. Faculty who adopt new technologies desire nonlinear professional development experiences to support the integration of technology into their classes. Faculty noted that accessing an e-book to learn new strategies to teach with VoiceThread was “less risky” than spending the time in a workshop, as the e-book provided non linear pathways, allowing a faculty member to engage with the topics that align best with their needs.
Community. The adoption of emerging technologies by faculty is resulting in pockets of innovation on campus. As a result, faculty who integrate emerging technologies into their teaching feel isolated from their peers. Professional learning networks designed to connect faculty and promote sharing of practices and ideas will be key to supporting faculty. Social technologies like Twitter, Hangouts on Air and Google+ Communities will continue to play important roles in connecting faculty innovators across campuses.
Funding for accounts. The freemium model employed by most ed-tech companies provides faculty with a low barrier to entrance and encourages experimentation. However, as the adoption cycle for Web2.0 tools matures, many faculty are finding themselves paying out of pocket for the premium version(s) of their tool(s) of choice. We will need to consider new funding approaches for supporting faculty within these pockets of innovation.
LMS integration. Learning management systems (LMSs) remain the most pervasively used technology in higher education. Learning technologies interoperability (LTI) is an industry standard that provides a simple way for web-based technologies to integrate with major LMSs, offering stream lined teaching experiences that may eliminate the need for students to create accounts and provide the ability to grade the activity inside the LMS.
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