Question- Give the advantages of using radio as mass media in education.

Answer -

Following are the advantages of using radio as mass media in education-

1. Educational radio broadcasts provide "listening participation" In current history - In radio the emphasis is on sound rather than on picture. So many programmes especially for the purpose of teaching are broadcast over the radio and special events and (occurrences in the world are brought from the source immediately into the classroom.
   As a part of classroom teaching, an educational programme may be preceded by an introduction by the class teacher and followed by long discussion among student on the subject-matter under the broadcast discussion. A talented teacher may teach through radio for the benefit of the students. So important happenings, elections, inventions, political developments in other countries and other current topics may be heard and discussed in the classroom.

2. Educational radio broadcasts are effective means of presenting music, drama and appreciation: Radio is also a very important source of entertainment. Various talks, debates & discussions held over the radio are extremely informative and useful. For the school children, different items of the school subjects can be presented in the form of dramatized programmes.
   Educational radio has excellence through dramatization, dialogue, musical features and other creative programmes which are not possible in day-to-day classroom teaching. Besides these, school concerts, folk and classical music, drama and discussion programmes of school, local and from other states are sometimes broadcast for listening in by other schools in India.

3. Educational radio broadcasts are team-teaching demonstrations: The radio also provides opportunity for student participation in various programmes such as quiz competitions, travel talks, plays, stories, development of lessons, projects and work programmes in the form of team teaching demonstrations. This is being arranged by the combined efforts of the best resources in consultation with the specialists and some other subject experts. Subject content, curriculum validity, suitability for age groups and teaching methods are all kept in mind while accomplishing the programme.

4. Educational radio broadcasts enlist the participation of local teachers and pupils: Well-planned radio broadcasts are presented in such a way as to engage the active participation of the local teachers and pupils. So there should be preliminary study and discussion on the topic before broadcast time. The class may be encouraged through broadcast suggestions to carry on follow-up discussion, projects or creative activities.
   The teachers and the pupils both should prepare material thoroughly before presenting the programme. They should utilise all resources possible to make the programme of a very high quality and worth-listening into from the point of view of content, speech, style, audibility and presentability.

5. Educational radio broadcast helps in the long run, to make learning an open system: Educational radio can offer corrective programmes for self learning by the individuals. It can reach the participants while at work, at play, at drawing room, at recreational centres breaking all boundaries and constraints of formal education. Being an expensive medium, it has reached villages and is now available in very corner of the society.
   Since learning directly from the teacher is minimal and there is increasing stress on a system of open learning to overcome the rigidities of formal education, and there is more emphasis on learning through various mass media. Educational radio broadcasts are expected to play an important role towards a system of open learning. The non-formal approaches of educational radio can supplement the movement for de-schooling society. All the programmes lead towards a learning society where everybody can learn at any time at any place.

Radio is, at present, not only one of the popular mass media, but also a potential instructional tool in the formal, informal and non-formal education. It is now giving more emphasis on the planning and production of science programmes in both the formal and no-formal spheres of educational broadcasts.

There are also special programmes for teachers and teacher-education in most of the stations. These are intended to familiarize methods of teaching. These services have been more necessitated in recent years on account of large changes in school curriculum and methodology particularly in subjects like science, mathematics, social studies and English.

Secondary School Broadcasts aim at helping students and teachers by giving up-to-date content knowledge, providing new approaches and methods of teaching. A few non-syllabus programmes are however, broadcast in order to break away from the stereotyped formal education, for doing away with monotony in the curricular topics and also to stimulate awareness and curiosity about the modern world dealing with them ranging from popular science to current affairs.

Besides secondary schools broadcasts, primary school programmes have recently assumed greater importance. This has been done in order to reduce wastage and stagnation at the primary school stage by making the school situation more attractive and interesting.

The radio with its vast resources can organize a series of programmes in order to bring universalization of primary education and promote adult literacy. The programmes are being related to their education, health, hygiene, nutrition etc. with a thrust on bringing the audience into the mainstream of national life.

So, radio is an effective medium. It has occupied a significant place in communication. It is also playing an important role in education. It not only informs, but also inspires. It not only inculcates values and virtues, but also creates attitudes, interests and appreciation.

Television: Today, television has become an extremely popular source of entertainment among youngsters. We listen and see the instruction of the speaker from the television. So the whole personality of the child is engaged in the task. Hence, it has become the most important and powerful agency of mass communication. In television, news items are not only read out but the events are shown. As a result of which not only problems are discussed but practical remedies and solutions are also suggested.

So, educational television is the most recent audio-visual media for class instruction. There are programmes on the television especially for the school children. These programmes are aimed at educating the school children and they instill good moral values. Television can give a very good idea of the history of the country through dances, short-films on historical places, museums etc. Thus television plays a vital role as a means of mass media in educating the masses.

Advantages of Educational Television

The advantages of educational television are many. The young people watching the television can get a very good idea of how it really happened. For example the nuclear explosions of the launching of rockets are programmes of extreme educational value.

The students can see for themselves how science has advanced:

1. Educational television is capable of making available many needed and so far inaccessible learning experiences.
2. Educational television brings about continuing co-operative planning by teachers, supervisors, learning materials exports and skilful production teams.
3. Good and effective educational television broadcasts result from the outgrowth of curriculum planning, of content analysis and of the selection of this most appropriate instructional media.
4. It can use a variety of audio-visual aids, motion pictures, film-strips, slides, recordings, drawings, maps and other projected and, non-projected aids can be demonstrated through Television. Video-tapes and recordings on television bring us the launching of space rockets, of political and social events.
5. Educational television brings us a new kind of teaching team into existence.
6. It can acquaint the children with past culture, history and social life.
7. It can motivate both children and adults, because not only it is educative but also entertaining.
8. The televised-lectures are more thrilling as they bring to the listeners not only verbal information and the instruction of the speaker but also the whole of his personality engaged in the task.
9. National problems like those of population and poverty and illiteracy are often highlighted and discussed over the television.
10. It plays an important role to play in educating the children on the history and culture of our country. It gives a very good idea of the history of the country by telecasting various programmes through dances, short films on historical places, museums etc.

Thus television plays a very vital part, as a means of mass media in educating the masses. It is a dynamic and powerful medium which influences education. Its effective use is based upon the fundamental psychological principles of learning which apply to all successful processes of learning.

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