32
Resource Centres of Educational
Technology
CHAPTER OUTLINE
·
Introduction
·
Resource Centres- Meaning
·
Objectives
·
Functions
·
Organization
·
Summary
·
Review Questions
· Reference
and Suggestive Readings
Introduction
Educational
technology is concerned with the supply of and skills needed for improving the processes and product of Education. It stands for helping the teachers in their
teaching and learners in their learning functions by providing needed
theoretical grounds, suggesting useful teaching-learning material for the
development of personal skills for achieving the teaching learning objectives,
in the most effective and economical as possible. In this way, equipping the teachers and learners with the essentials gradients of educational technology is a big challenge. It can only be face by resorting to the pooling of different type of
resource at their disposal. Such multiple resources can
hardly be afforded by a single individual or institution. It is here arises the
need of establishment of some appropriate resource centres at the local, regional, state and central levels for catering the needs of individuals and
institutions for enabling them to utilize the services of Educational technology
in achieving the desired educational and instructional purposes.
Resource Centres-Meaning
The term
resource centres, as the name suggests, stands for those places where different types
of resources may be pooled and are available. However, in the Field of
educational technology, resource centre of technology mean the centres and places
where we can have provision of needed men-material resources for providing
essential theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, applications,attitude and interest
related with the use of education technology and the concerned persons for
improving the process and products of education in the general and the teaching learning process in particular.
Objective
Working on the
local, regional, state, or central level, and properly functioning
resource centre
may be supposed to serve mainly to the ff.services.
1.
To
pool, produce, organize, maintain and provide services of the various types of
men material resources related to the use of educational tech.
2.
To
conduct and help in the organization of various type of activities, programmes, simenars, workshops, etc.
3.
To
conduct and help in the organization of training and refreshing courses for
helping students and teachers to acquire knowledge, information and skills related to educational technology.
4.
To
make provision for conducting action and fundamental researches for the development
and application of principles and
practices of educational technology.
5.
To
work as a motivating and inspirational source for the development and
application of educational technology.
6.
To
work as a centre for the dissemination of information and knowledge related to the
development of educational technology.
7.
To
work as a coordinating agency for the development and application of educational
technology.
8.
To
work as a centre of providing guidance and counselling for the development and application of educational technology.
9.
To
have provision of extension services to the community in extending application.
FUNCTIONS
In view of the
above objectives of resource centres, we can summarize their functions and roles in the following ways:
Pooling and developing needed resources (men and
material)
The resource
centres are supposed to have an adequate supply of men and materials resources. So, these are supposed to be engaged in carrying out of the following
activities.
1. Have
production of varying types of audio-visual aid material needed for carrying out various types of
instructional activities at the school level.
2. Acquire
teaching learning aid material from various resources available at the local, regional, state and national levels
free of cost or on
price.
3. Acquire
the needed information, knowledge , skills and Application of educational and technology from the
various sources for its storage and use.
4. Remain
in touch with the latest developments in the application of educational
tech..
5. Provide
incentives and opportunities to the
staff for the development of the need improvised teaching-learning material.
6. Have
an adequate provision for the in service and pre- service training of the personnel related with the organization and functioning of resource center.
Providing needed services
The resource
centres are supposed to carry the following types of services on their users (
teachers and students)
A. Enquiry counter
B. Teaching and training
C. Guidance and Counselling
D. Motivation and inspiration
E. Extension service
F. Problem solver helper
Working as liaison and coordinating agency
There are
various types of resources centres which maybe founded to be operating at the institutional, local, regional, district, state and central levels.They all stand
for helping the teachers and learners at the root level to understand the
development and application of educational technology.However, they
differ in their functioning and potential. Therefore, all levels should be
have :
1. Proper
coordination and understanding
2. Coordinating
and integrated activities
3. Proper
link and coordination
Organization
The following
things should keep in mind while taking care of the establishment and
organization of the resource centre in schools:
1)
It
should be centrally located for providing convenient access to the classroom and subject related instructions.
2)
It
should have adequate space, lighting and ventilation, essential furnishing and accommodation.
3)
The
success story of the functioning of a resources centre is essentially linked with the personnel associated with its
management and working.
4)
An
adequate budget amount should be allotted for equipping as well as the functioning of the resource centre by the
management or administrative authorities of the institution.
5)
A
proper execution plan/schedule should chalked out of the activities and
functioning
of the resource centre. Such as:
Ø
Pooling
and development of material resource
Ø
Maintenance
and providing service
Ø
Orientation
and training
Ø Collection
, storage and dissemination of knowledge and information
Ø
Guidance
and counselling
Ø
Coordination and integration
Ø
Establishing
link
Ø
Popularizing
6)
The
field of science and technology and principles and practices of effective management should be made into use of proper planning execution and
control of the functioning of the resource centre.
7)
The
fact and practice of establishing proper link and seeking due help, assistance
and guidance from the chain of resource established outside the boundary of
one’s institution in the shape of the resource centres of the colleges of
education, DIET’S, state resource centres of educational technology (ET cells), SCERT, NCERT and its centre of
educational technology (CIET).
A Few Leading Resource Centres
Central Institute of Education Technology (CIET
CIET Works as a
constituent of the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, NCERT, is an autonomous body set up in 1961 by the then
Ministry of Education, Government of
India.It is an apex resources organization responsible for the bringing
qualitative improvement in the school education and consequently assist and
advices the centre and the state government
in the area of school education including teacher educ. through its
constituents like the:
1.
National
Institute of Education , New Delhi
2.
Central
Institute of Education Technology
3.
PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education,
New Delhi
4.
Five
Regional Institute of Education located at Ajmer, Bhopal Bhubaneswar, Mysore
and Shillong.
Organisation of CIET
Different
section or departments:
1.
Educational
Technology- Planning and System Design Department
2.
Educational
Technology and Training Department
3.
Graphics
Exhibition and Printing Department
4.
Information
and Records
5.
Television
Department
6.
Film
AND Photo Department
7.
Research
Evaluation and Coordination Department
8.
Technical
Planning and Maintenance Department
9.
Audio-Radio
Department
10. Distance
Education Department
11. Special Project Department
Role and function
TABLE 32.1 The function and role of CIET
Designing and Alternative system
|
To deal
problems with education
|
Orientation
|
Engage in the
orientation of educational planners, administrators and educators in the
concept of educational technology and to the development, production and
utilization of the system
|
Training
|
Training in
specialized areas such as audio-video production and low cost teaching aids
as well as use and maintenance of equipment
|
Production
|
Engage the
production of educational audio visual material such as tv,radio, film and
low costing teaching aids
|
Research
|
Engage in
research and evaluation to test and improve systems, methods and materials
developed, adopted and adjusted in IT
|
Extension
|
Provide
extension services for supplying and screening of educational
film/vediotapes/audio tapes to doordarshan and organize and organize and
participate in educational media consent
|
Consultancy
|
Provide consultancy
for educational technology and distance education programmes
|
Coordination
|
Work as coordinating
agency and clearing house for educational tech. with MHRD, state,
international organization and UN agencies
|
Activities and achievement of CIET in some of major areas
1. Production and development of audio video programmes.
2. Training
and consultancy
3. Transmission
of ETV programs
4. Broadcast
of educational radio programmes
5. Research
and evaluation activities
6. Library
services
7. Providing
help for the implementation of EDUSAT
programme
Educational Technology Cells (ET cells)
At the state level
we have Educational Technology (ET) Cells located and functioning either under
the supervision and administrative control of the SCERTs/SIES of respective
states /union territories or established to function independently in the name
of State.Institution of Educational Technology (SIETs). SIET
represents the type of institution (functioning at present in seven states )
supposed to carryout the similar function as performed by CIET at the center.
Objectives
The ET Cells
are supposed to carry out of the following purposes:
1. Assist
and advice the Department of Education of the respective state/Union territory in respect of the development, application and educational technology,and the implementation of the educational policies and major programmes of the
state at all levels both informal and non-formal sectors.
2. Produce
or develop all necessary materials resources at reasonable cost and undertake all such activities which me seem appropriate for the achievement of the above objective.
Activities and function
1. Analyze
educational needs of the districts/regions of the state.
2. Produce
educational video and audio programmes and other material in broadcast and
non-broadcast mode.
3. Design
develop and disseminate teaching-learning aids and other necessary software material.
4. Conduct
training and orientation programmes.
5. Provide
orientation and training to teachers.
6. Conduct
orientation programmes for the users.
7. Undertake
evaluation and research of programs and materials.
8. Coordinate
with the agencies responsible for carrying out educational technology.
9. Encourage
innovation and excellence in the production and use of educational materials and media programmes.
10.Develop
concepts and provision. Of users services.
11.Develop
and promote facilities on its part and promote awareness and competencies among
students, teachers and parents on the possibilities of application of
educational technology.
12. Provide
guidance and assistance to the promoters and users of educational technology.
District Institution of Education and Training (DIETs)
Diet is an
acronym for District Institution of Education and Training. The DIETs were established by the government of India after the adoption of National Policy on
Education- 1986.The first lot of DIETs were sanctioned in February-March 1988.
Human resource
Development Ministry Go Of India (MHRD)
National
Council of Educational Research and training
(NCERT)
Councils
of Educational Research and Training State
(SCERTs)
State Institute of Education (SIEs)
District
institution of Education and Training (DIETs)
All School Of the District
Figure 32.1 The hierarchical position of DIETs among training
institution
General Functions
1. Training and orientation of the following target groups:
A. Elementary school teachers
B. Headmasters, heads of school complexes and officers of education department up to block level.
C. Instructors and supervisor and non-formal and adult education.
D. Members of District Board of Education (DBE), village education committees (VECs),community leaders youth and other volunteers who wish to work as educational activists.
E. Resource persons who will conduct suitable
programmes for the target group as previously mentioned at the centres other
than the DI
2. Academic and resource
support to the elementary and adult educational systems in the district in the
following various ways:
a. Extension
activities and interaction with the field
b. Provision
of services as resource and learning centre for teachers and students.
c. Development
of locally relevant materials, teaching aids,evaluation tools, etc. d. Serving
as an evaluation centre for elementary schools and programmes of FFE/AE.
3. Action
research and experimentation to deal with specific problems of the district in achieving the objectives in the areas of elementary and adult education.
Specific functions performed by ET cells of DIETs
1. Develop
with concerned staff and other resource persons, simple, effective and low cost
teaching aids for various subjects/areas relevant to elementary education and elementary teacher education viz.
2. Help
the DRU in the developing low cost teaching aids, for adult and non-formal education to maintain:
* All AV
equipment of the institute
* Computer
lab
* Display
area of goods, low cost teaching aids in-house as well as elsewhere
* A
library of educational video/audio cassettes if the Institute has a film
projector
3. Make
slides, cassettes and films for institutions having playing playing/projector facilities.
4. Liaise
with nearby radio station for arranging educational broadcast suitable for elementary school children, AE/NFE learners, teachers /instructions, etc. of
the district.
5. Conduct
appropriate in service programmes for teachers in the area of
educationaltechnology.
6. Provide
ET-related inputs into all other programmes/activities of the institute.
SUMMARY
1. The
term “resource centres of educational technology” stands for centres or places where we have provision of the needed men-material resources for providing, essential
assistance in the use of education technology to the concerned persons
for improving the process and products of education in
general and the teaching, learning process in particular.
2. A
resource centre of educational technology is mainly supposed (i) to pool
produce
organize, maintain and provide services of the various
type of men-material resources,
(ii) to conduct and help the organization of various
type of activities, programmes, seminars, workshops, etc.,(iii)to conduct and
help in the organization of training and refresher courses, (iv) to make
provision for conducting action as well as fundamental
Resources,(v) to work as a motivating and
inspirational source for the development
and application technology, (vi) to work a centre for
dissemination of information and
knowledge,(vii) to work as a coordinating agency
for the development and application of educational technology, (viii) to work
as a centre for providing guidance and counselling for the development and application of
educational technology and(ix) to have
provision of extension services to the community.
3. For
realizing the objectives and purposes, resources centres of educational
technology
may be usually engaged in the functions and activities
like (i) pooling and developing needed an and material resources (ii) providing
needed services to the teachers and
students through the resources at their disposal, and
(iii) working as a liaison and
coordinating agency among the resources centres
operating at the institutional, local, regional, district, state, and central
levels.
4. A
resource centre must occupy a prominent significance in the planning and
schedule of a school management by taking cognizance of the things like (i)
being centrally located for providing a convenient access to all, (ii) having
adequate space, lighting and ventilation, essentially furnishing and
accommodation, (iii) having proper provision of trained staff for its management and functioning,(iv) allotment of an adequate budget amount for for its equipping as well as
functioning , (v) chalking out proper execution plan/ schedule for the activities and functioning,(vi) making use of the latest advancement in the
field of science and technology and principles and practices of effective
management for the proper planning, execution and control of the functioning,
and (vii) establishing proper link and seeking due help, assistance and guidance from the chain of resource centres established outside the boundary of
one’s institution at the district, regional and national
levels.
5. At the
national level in the centre we have resource centre of educational technology
in
The name of Central Institute of Educational
Technology (CIET), a constituent of NCERT, It is an autonomous body set up in 1961 by the
Ministry of Education (now known as Ministry of Human Resources Development)
Government of India. CIET is concerned with nearly all the tasks that go with management of
educational technology, viz. fo identification of themes, development of
programmes briefs and audio -video script ,Planning and coordination of facilities for media
production, training programmes; Transmission of audio-video programmes; (telecast and
broadcast) duplication, sale and supply cassette; access, installation and
custody and maintenance of hardware ; research and evaluation and monitoring of
transmission; utilization and dissemination of information on ET, etc. At present, the services
provided by CIET in the form of radio broadcasting and TV programmes for the
educational purposes are specially serving the cause of the application of ET in
an appreciate way.
6. At the
state level we Have Educational technology (ET) cells located and functioning
either under the supervision and administrative control of the SCERTs/ SIES of
respective states /union territories or established to function independently in
the name of state. Institute of Educational Technology (SIETs). SIET represent
the type of institutions (functioning at present in seven state) supposed to
carryout the similar function as performed by CIET at the centre. The State ET
cells are usually expected to discharge the functions like (i) produce educational video and audio programmes, (ii) design develop and disseminate
teaching learning material, (iii)
conduct training and orientation programmes,(iv) undertake and encourage, innovation and research activities, (v) coordinate with agencies
functioning at the centre , state or district level (vi) encourage the use of ET on the part of the
students and teachers, and (vii) provide guidance and assistanceto the
promoters and users of educational technology.
7. At the
district level , we have District Institute of Educational and Training (DIETs)
for functioning as the resource centre of educational technology. In general,
these are expected to preform the function broadly categorized as (i) training
and orientation of the largest groups associated with the organization of
elementary of education and non-formal and adult Education, (ii) providing needed
academic and resource support to the elementary and adult education system in
the district, and (iii) carrying out action research and experimentation to
deal with specific problems of the district I achieving the objectives in the
areas of elementary and adult education.
Review Questions
1. What
do you understand by the tern resource centre of educational technology?
Mention, in brief, main objectives and function of
such resource centres.
2. How
can an educational technology resource centre be organized in an effective way? Discuss.
3. Describe
the role of resource centre and educational technology in teaching and
learning.
4. Describe
the role, function and organization of the following institution as resource
centres of educational technology:
a. Central
Institute of Educational Technology (CIET)
b.Educational
Technology Cells (ET Cells)
c. District
Institute of Educational and Training (DIETs)
d. Central
Institute of Educational Technology (CIET)
e. Educational
Technology Cells (ET Cells)
REFERENCE AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Kendal/ Hunt Pub., 1975
De
Carlo Julia E. and Constant A. Madon (EDS), Innovations in Education for the
seventies:
Selected Readings, New York,
Behavioral Publication, 1973.
http//www.ciet.nic.in/
Central Institute of Educational Technology, NCERT. New Delhi
http//ncert.nic.in/sites/Annual report pdf,
chapter 20, NCERT, Annual Report 2005-2006 and 2006 -2007
http//diksha.nic.in/htm
State institute of Educational Technology, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
