Describe the importance of Educational Technology. How is it helpful for teachers?

Describe the importance of Educational Technology. How is it helpful for teachers?: In This Post, We Will See the meaning and definition of Describe the importance of Educational Technology. How is it helpful for teachers?. Educational Technology is the most asked question in the B.Ed Examination. Describe the importance of Educational Technology. How is it helpful for teachers have been defined by several persons but the most important definitions are In this Post. The Related questions to this topic have been given below:-

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Describe the importance of Educational Technology. How is it helpful for teachers?

Meaning and Definition of Educational Technology

The term ‘Educational Technology’ has been defined by several persons but the most important definitions are given below-

G.O.M. Leith has given a comprehensive definition of ‘educational technology’, “Educational technology is a systematic application of scientific knowledge about teaching, learning, and conditions of learning to improve the efficiency of teaching and training. In the absence of scientifically established principles, educational technology implements techniques of empirical testing to improve learning situations.”

The scientific knowledge of teaching-learning refers to the following important features:

1. Systematic study of teaching.
2.  Objective knowledge of teaching,
3. Structure of teaching and its components.
4. Teaching tasks are goal-oriented, and
5. Cause and effect relationship is established among the components of teaching,

Behavioral science does not still permit to take all these features in the knowledge of teaching with all satisfaction.

According to B.C. Mathis, “Educational Technology refers to the development of a set of systematic methods, practical knowledge for designing, operating and testing schools.” B.C. Mathis has emphasized the development of teaching methods and skills for testing the students’ performance. He has not given any stress on learning objectives.

Robert A. Cox has defined the term ‘educational technology’ as “Educational Technology is an application of the scientific process to man’s learning conditions to what has come recently to be called Educational or Instructional Technology.” In this definition R.A. Cox has given major stress on the application of learning conditions for a child’s development. He has ignored the input and output system of education.

According to Takshi Sakamato, “Educational Technology is an applied or practical study which aims at maximum educational effect by ‘controlling’ such relevant facts as educational purposes, educational contents, teaching material, methods, educational environment, the conduct of students, behaviors of instructors and interrelation between students and instructors.” This definition seems to be comprehension. Takshi considers the major components of the teaching-learning process. He gives emphasis on the input, output, and process aspects of education.

E.E. Haddan has given a functional definition of educational technology, “Educational technology is that branch of educational theory and practice and which is concerned primarily with the design and use of message which controls the learning process.”

E. Haddan’s definition involves both the aspects-theory and practice and stresses the application for effective communication in the learning process.

According to Robert M. Gagne, “Educational technology can be understood meaning the development of a set of systematic techniques, and accompany practical knowledge for designing, testing and operating schools as educational systems.” In this definition, Gagne has pointed out two aspects of the educational system-development of teaching techniques and designing measuring instruments for testing students’ performance. He considers process and output aspects but does not refer to the learning objectives.

According to W. Kenneth Richmond (1970), “Educational technology is concerned to provide appropriately designing learning situations which holding in view the objectives of the teaching or training bring to bear the best means of instruction.”

Richmond has started three characteristics of educational technology in this definition-

• Designing appropriate learning situations.
• Realizing objectives of teaching or training.
• Bringing best means of instruction.

Unwin (1968) has also defined the term ‘educational technology in the following manner, “Educational technology is concerned with the application of modern skills and techniques to requirements of education and training. This includes the facilitation of learning by manipulation of media and methods and the control of environment so far as this reflects on learning.”

In this definition, Unwin has pointed out the following characteristics of educational technology–

• Application of modern skills and techniques in view of the objectives.
• Facilitation, of learning by media and methods.
• Control of environment for effective learning.

I.K. Davies has defined the term ‘educational technology’ as, “Educational -technology is concerned with the problems of education, and training context, and it is characterized by a disciplined and systematic approach to the organization of resources for learning.” This definition includes the problems of education and training but earlier definitions do not consider the problems of training. Davies has emphasized the approach to the organization of learning technology.

Indian educationist S.S. Kulkarni has defined the term ‘educational technology’, “Education technology may be defined as the application of the laws as well as recent discoveries of science and technology to the process of education.”

In this definition, Kulkarni has pointed out that educational technology improves the education process by employing laws and principles of science and technology. He has ignored the input and output aspects of education.

According to Shib K. Mitra, “Educational technology can be conceived as a science of techniques and methods by which educational goals can be realized.” This definition seems to be comprehensive and communicates the true meaning of the term educational technology. The development of techniques and methods in educational technology is meant for realizing the goals of education.

Specific Characteristics of Educational Technology

It may be noted by considering the above definitions that educational technology has the following characteristics–

• It involves input, output, and process aspects of education.
• It stresses developing methods and techniques for effective learning.
• It is an application of scientific knowledge and principles to education (teaching, training, and instruction).
• It includes the organization of learning conditions for realizing goals of education.
• It emphasizes designing and measuring instruments for testing learning outcomes.
• It facilitates learning by controlling the environment, media, and methods.

On the basis of foregoing meaning and definitions, the term may be stated as “Education technology implies a behavioral science approach to teaching and learning In that it makes use of pertinent scientific and technological methods and concepts developed in psychology, sociology, communications, linguistics, and other related fields. It also attempts to incorporate the management principles of cost-effectiveness and the efficient development and use of available resources in man and materials. It involves media, methods, equipment, and resources.”

General Characteristics of Educational Technology

In the above definitions, various characteristics have been enumerated. The following are the main characteristics of education technology-

1. It is an application of the scientific process to man’s learning,
2. Systematic and scientific principles applied to teaching, training, and instruction for achieving desired objectives.
3. It makes the teaching-learning process effective as well as more efficient. e. economical.
4. It refers to the systematic study of the educational process so as to make objective recede between teaching and learning.
5. It is an application condition of learning for a child’s development.
6. It is a branch of educational theory and practice which concerns the use of media to control the learning process.
7. It is an art of teaching as the science of learning as stated by B.F. Skinner.
8. It develops a set of scientific devices of made teaching, training, and institution more effective and efficient.
9. It concerns designing appropriate learning structures by employing teaching steels and competency so as to realize educational goals.
10. It makes use of feedback devices for regulating and controlling the environment for effective learning.
11. It is an application of the laws, principles, and recent discoveries of science and technology in education.
12. It can be conceived as a science of techniques methods and media by which the educational process is made efficient.
13. It is a systematic approach by the organization of available resources for effective learning.

Scope/Helpful for a Teacher of Educational Technology

Educational technology has revolutionized the education system. It has greatly influenced the teaching-learning process. We have been discussing too many ‘theories of learning in the field of education but these theories could not provide substantial solutions for teaching problems. Now, there is a shift from theories of learning to theories teaching as a result of educational technology. The great importance of educational technology is in the formulation and development of teaching theory. In addition, the following are major advantages of educational technology-

1. It helps in improving the teaching-learning process and makes it more purposive.
2. The common man has got radio and transistor which can be used for education purpose.
3. Mass education has reduced the standard of education.
4. The use of educational technology can maintain and improve the standard by the use of teaching aids and programmed instruction materials.
5. The correspondence education can be made effective by the use of radio, television, tape-record, and programmed instruction.
6. The Indian University has extended facilities for appearing in the higher examinations as individual candidates. Thus, students may be facilitated by organizing educational programs on radio and television.
7. Training institutions are not producing effective teachers. By using the mechanism of feedback devices for the modification of teacher behavior, effective teachers can be produced.
8. Educational administrative problems can be solved scientifically with the help of System Analysis.