APPROACHES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

There are 3 main approaches of studying Educational Technology:

I.HARDWARE APPROACH

• Its origin is in Physical Sciences & Applied Engineering and it is based on the concept of Service.
• It adopts a Product-oriented Approach.
• It is concerned with the production and utilization of audio-visual aid material[ such as CHARTS, MODELS, SLIDES, FILMSTRIPS, AUDIO CASSETTES, etc.], sophisticated instruments and gadgets[ such as RADIO, TELEVISION, FILMS, PROJECTORS, TAPE-RECORDERS, VIDEO PLAYER, TEACHING MACHINES , COMPUTERS, etc.] and mass media.
• Hardware Technology utilizes the products of Software Technology [such as teaching strategies, teaching learning material, etc.] for its functioning.
• Hardware technology has the potential to hand over the educational benefits to the mass with greater ease and economy Too much use of technical gadgets may mechanize the process of teaching-learning as the Hardware approach tries to enter education from outside, operating more in isolation than in combination.

II.SOFTWARE APPROACH

• It is sometimes referred to as Teaching Technology, Instructional Technology or Behavior Technology.
• Its origin is in Behavioral Sciences and the applied aspects of Psychology of learning.
• It is a Process-oriented Approach. It utilizes the knowledge of the Psychology of Learning to produce learning material, teaching – learning strategies, etc.[Software Technology] for the betterment of the process of teaching-learning
• It does not provide direct services to its users. Instead, it helps in the production of various Software materials which are used for developing the hardware appliances.
• It includes TEACHING STRATEGIES, LEARNING MATERIAL, EVALUATION TOOLS, TEACHING MODELS, PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION, etc.
• Software technology does not require any aid form the hardware technology for its delivery. It becomes more useful and productive when assisted by the Hardware Technology.
• Software technology does not have mass appeal and is costlier in the long run, as compared to Hardware technology.

III. SYSTEMS APPROACH

• SYSTEM: A complex whole; a set of things working together as a mechanism or interconnecting network.
• A System is a set or arrangement of things so related or connected as to form a unity or organic whole. It’s a regular, orderly way of doing things. Schools are viewed globally as social systems. Instruction/ Teaching are considered as a sub-system within the social system of the school.
• Classroom, faculty, student groups, informal groups, etc. are other subsystem within.
• Education is considered a complex organization of technical, managerial and institutional systems.
• The instructional system has three parts: The Instructor, the Learner, and the goals of Instruction.
• The System- Approach to education, thus, considers education as an Input-Output System.
• Instructor & his qualities, Learners and their qualities èfeedback process system, technique, method, etc.èChanged learners (cognitive, affective & psychomotor transformation).

Systems Approach to education emphasizes:

• Identifying and stating the goals to be achieved;
• Identifying the processes, methods, techniques and strategies that may be most relevant to achieving the predetermined goals;
• Building up theoretical foundation justifying the relevance of these processes to achieving the goals;
• Determining specific interactions visualized existing among various other components of inputs;
• Specifying the various kinds of controls needed in the total system at different points; and
• Keeping the whole in mind all the time while preparing the model or the system.