TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND

LEARNING 1
Parts of Education
According to John Dewey, education is a tripolar process. It has
following three important ingredients:

(1) The Teacher. In ancient times, the teacher had the main role
to play while the learner's role was subsidiary. In modern time,
the role has been reversed. Though the place of teacher has now
become secondary, yet his responsibility has increased because a
teacher is not only an important factor in the educational
environment of the learner, he is also a builder of the whole
educational environment which is very comprehensive and all
inclusive.
In the process of education, a teacher's role is of two fold. First,
being the important factor of the educational
environment, he influences the personality of the learner
through his own magnetic personality. Second, as a builder of
the educational environment, he provides suitable
experiences to the learner to develop and use fully his skills and
capacities to achieve the good of his ownself and the welfare of his
society, of which he is an integral part. Besides, by his own
attitudes and behavior, the teacher builds the character of learners
and infuses in them respect for moral and spiritual values.
(2) The Learner. According to psychological findings and
democratic feelings, education starts from the child. Thus,
education has become child-centred today. Adams was the first
educationist to point out this truth by his remark, "The teacher
teaches Latin to John". John is more important than Latin.

Modern educationists are unanimous about the importance of

child in the educational process. Education should develop the
personality of the learner according to his interests, inclinations,
abilities and capacities.
Everything concerning education is now child-centered. Aims,
curriculum and methods keep the child at the centre of their
formulation and planning of educational programmes.

No teacher can be successful in his activities if he fails to

understand the learner with which he is to deal. To make teaching-
learning normal, natural and effective, the teacher should not only
be the master of content but also know fully well the stages of
child development and their characteristics.
(3) Curriculum. The essential link between the teacher and the
child is the curriculum. It serves as a vehicle for the realization of
educational aims. The teacher uses the items of curriculum
according to modem methods of teaching to educate children to
realize the predetermined aims of education.

The teacher and the child both co-operate in building and

formulating experiences conducive to learning. Curriculum is
structured according to the ever-growing needs of children and
changing demands of dynamic society.
Definitions of Educational Technologies
The following definitions suggested by the different scholars are
being given in order to make the meaning of educational
technology more clear—
"Educational Technology is the form of detailed application of
psychology of learning to practical teaching problems." —John.
P. Dececco

"Educational Technology is the application of scientific

knowledge and learning and the conditions of learning to
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching and
training." —G.O. Leith
"Educational Technology may be defined as the application of the
laws as well as recent discoveries of Science and Technology to the
process of education."—S.S. Kulkarni

"Educational Technology is the application of scientific process to

men's learning conditions." —Robert A. Cox

"Educational Technology is that branch of educational theory and

practice concerned primarily with the design and use of massages
which control the learning process." —E.E. Hadden
"Educational Technology is concerned to provide appropriately
designed learning situations which, holding in view of objectives
of the leaching or Training, being to bear the best means of
instruction." —Richmond

"Educational Technology is an applied or practical study which

aims at maximizing educational effect by 'Controlling‘ such
relevant facts as educational purposes, educational environment,
conduct of student, behavior of instructors and interrelations
between students and instructors." —Takashi Sakamato
Objectives of Educational Technology
The main objectives of Educational Technology are as follows:

(i) The first objective of educational technology is to modernize

the learning methods and techniques after systematizing them so
that these may be turned effective according to the needs of the
changing era for the unknown future.

(ii) The second objective of educational technology is the

desirable modifications in the behaviors of the teachers and
pupils by improving the teaching, learning and evaluation
conditions.
(iii) The third objective of educational technology is to make the
classrooms teaching easy, clear, interesting, effective,
understandable, objective and scientific.

(iv) The fourth objective of educational technology is to help in

increasing various facilities by solving the most
complicated problems of human life so that the human life may
carry on its progress continuously.
Types or Educational Technology
As Lumsdane suggests, educational technology has the
following three forms—

1. Hardware Approach.
2. Software Approach.
3. System Approach.
1. Hardware Approach. The use of engineering machines in
teaching is called Educational Technology-1. It is to be
remembered that physical science and engineering technology
have given birth to Educational Technology-1. Davis has said
clearly that Educational Technology-1 or Hardware Approach is
the application of physical science in education and teaching
with which the teaching process is being mechanized gradually
so that maximum pupils may be educated in minimum time
and at low cost.
Educational Technology includes cinema, gramophone, radio
tape-recorder, projector, computer, closed circuit television
(CCTV) and electronic video-tape etc., all the teaching machines
the use of which makes the teaching more and more effective in
order to achieve the teaching objectives. It has already been
mentioned that the human knowledge has three aspects. These
are—(1) Preservation (2) Transmission, and (3) Development.
It should be remembered that the history of preservation of the
knowledge is believed to exist since the printing machines
started. The knowledge is preserved with these machines in the
form of books which are shelved in the Libraries. Not only
this, now we see that the knowledge is also preserved through
tape-recorder and films in addition to books.
The second aspect of human knowledge is its expansion or
transmission. A teacher can impart knowledge himself to his
pupils but such direct benefiters happen to be small in number.
Now a days, transmission or expansion of the knowledge is
supported by machine like mike, radio and television etc.

With these, thousands of pupils enjoy this home-delivery of such

benefits. In this way, due to educational technology-1, surprising
changes have occurred in the process of education. The
correspondence courses and open-university are the gifts of
educational technology.
The third aspect of the human knowledge is its development.
For this aspect, provisions are made for research work. In the
research programmes, the main function is the collection and
analysis of data. For this purpose, presently the researcher uses
the electric machines and computers. Hence, all the three
aspects of knowledge allow the use of machines. In short, now
the teaching process has been mechanized. This mechanization of
teaching process is termed as Educational Technology-1 or
Hardware Approach.
2. Software Approach. Educational Technology-2 or Software
Approach is also named as Instructional Technology or Teaching
Technology or Behavioral Technology. It must be remembered
that Educational Technology-2 does not allow the use of
engineering machines. However, psychological principles of
teaching and learning are utilized so that desirable changes in the
behavior of the pupils may be brought about. If the machines are
even used, this is done only to make the
subject-matter effective. Hence, the Educational Technology-2 is
concerned with the teaching objectives in behavioral terms,
principles of teaching, methods of teaching and techniques,
reinforcement of instructional-system, feed-back devices and
evaluation.
Approach, it is tried to develop all the three aspects i.e. Input,
Process and Output.

The above description makes it clear that the Educational

Technology-1 or Hardware Approach means the use of
machines in teaching, while Educational Technology-2 or
Software Approach means the use of teaching and learning
principles. In this way, there is close relationship between
Educational Technology 1 and 2.
3. Systems Approach. Educational Technology-3 or System
Analysis is also known as Management Technology. It was
developed after World War-II. It has provided a scientific basis to
the decision-making regarding the problems associated with
administration, management, commerce, industry and army.
Remember that Educational Technology-3 helps to study the
problems of educational administration and management in a
scientific and conclusive way. By using it, we can make the
educational system, educational administration and management
effective. In short, Educational Technology-3 helps in
the development of educational administration and formulation
of instructional out-line.
Characteristics of Educational Technology
1. Educational technology is based on the application of the
scientific knowledge.

2. Educational Technology has contributed in developing various

methods, for example, micro-teaching method, simulated
teaching, interaction analysis, audio-visual aids and
programmed learning method.

3. In the field of educational technology, psychology, science,

technology, system, art, audio-visual aids and machines are
used.
4. Educational technology is helpful in making the teaching process
objective, easy, clear, interesting and scientific.

5. In educational technology, the provision of measuring tools is

emphasized for the evaluation of learning outcomes.

6. A desired changes is possible in the behavior of teachers and

pupils.

7. Educational technology is a continuous dynamic technology.

8. Educational technology encourages learning by controlling the

environment.
QUESTIONS FOR ANSWER
1. Define Educational Technology
2. Explain 'Hardware' and 'Software' approaches to
education and differentiate between the two. Also
write their relative importance.

3. Write short notes on the following:

(a) Functions and Need of Educational Technology
(b) Characteristics of Educational Technology
(c) Objectives of Educational Technology
4."Knowledge of Educational Technology is useful for a
teacher". Justify.