32

           Resource Centres of Educational

           Technology

          

 CHAPTER OUTLINE

·       Introduction

·       Resource Centres- Meaning

·       Objectives

·       Functions

·       Organization

·       A Few Leading Resource Centres

·       Summary

·       Review Questions

·       Reference and Suggestive Reading

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 forthe 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 bya single individual or institution. It is here arises the need of establishment ofsome appropriate resource centresat the local, regional, state and central levels for catering the needs of individuals and institutions for enabling them to utilizethe services of Educational technology in achieving the desired educational andinstructional 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,attitudes

and interest related with the use of education technology and theconcerned persons for improving the process and products of education in the general and the teaching learning process in particular.

 OBJECTIVES

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. 

1.     To work as a coordinating agency for the development and application of

educational technology.

2.     To work as a centre of providing guidance and counselling for the development and application of educational technology.

3.     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.

·        Have production of varying  types  of audio-visual aid material needed  for carrying out various types of instructional activities

at the school level.

·        Acquire teaching learning aid material from various resources

availableat the local, regional, state and national levels free

 of cost or on price.

·        Acquire the needed information, knowledge , skills and

Application of educational and technology from the various

Sources for its storage and use.

·        Remain in touch with the latest developments in the application of educational technology.

·        Provide incentives and opportunities  to the staff for the development of the need improvised teaching-learning material.

·        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):

·        Enquiry counter

·        Teaching and training

·        Guidance and counselling

·        Motivation and inspiration

·        Extension service

prblem solver and 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 :

A.    Proper coordination  and understanding

B.     Coordinating and integrated activities

C.     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 class

room 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

1)    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.

2)    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 tech-

nology (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 education 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

1.     Audio-Radio Department

2.     Distance Education Department

3.      Special Project Department

Role and function

TABLE 32.1The function and role of CIET

Functions

Role activities

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