IMPORTANCE OF MASS MEDIA IN EDUCATION

IMPORTANCE OF MASS MEDIA IN  EDUCATION

Education today, therefore, has a far greater responsibility than it had ever before. It has to meet the demands of a dynamic world which change its character every day. Contemporary education has to be more comprehensive and complete than it was ever before. Educational technology consisting of various media of mass communication are essentially required. Both qualitative improvement and quantitative expansion of education can be facilitated and accelerated with the help of this mass media under educational technology. Education of tomorrow will be able to play its role more effectively by making the individuals creative, active and efficient. Success of education cannot be achieved merely by substituting mechanical methods for human beings, but by developing new patterns using both human beings and technological advancements in order to teach more people better and more rapidly.

 The role of the various agencies of education like home, society, community etc. has consequently increased, so has the role of the mass media like television, radio, cinema, newspaper increased. So now-a-day, press, radio, cinema, television, etc. are becoming more and more important in an individual’s life.

Mass media in education are press, radio, motion-picture, television, etc. So mass media are many and these are technically called passive agencies of education. They influence the attitude and behaviour of the people indirectly. These agencies cover entertainment, informatory propaganda, historical record, education and improvement of moral judgment and moral tone of the people.

The mass media is a diversified collection of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Mass media means technology that is intended to reach a mass audience. It is the primary means of communication used to reach the vast majority of the general public. The most common platforms for mass media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the Internet. The general public typically relies on the mass media to provide information regarding political issues, social issues, entertainment, and news in pop culture. Broadcast media transmit information electronically, via such media as film, radio, recorded music, or television.

Digital media comprises both Internet and mobile mass communication. Internet media comprise such services as email, social media sites, websites, and Internet-based radio and television. Many other mass media outlets have an additional presence on the web, by such means as linking to or running TV ads online, or distributing QR Codes in outdoor or print media to direct mobile users to a website. In this way, they can utilize the easy accessibility and outreach capabilities the Internet affords, as thereby easily broadcast information throughout many different regions of the world simultaneously and cost-efficiently.

Outdoor media transmit information via such media as AR advertising; billboards; blimps; flying billboards (signs in tow of airplanes); placards or kiosks placed inside and outside buses, commercial buildings, shops, sports stadiums, subway cars, or trains; signs; or skywriting.

Print media transmit information via physical objects, such as books, comics, magazines, newspapers, or pamphlets. Event organizing and public speaking can also be considered forms of mass media.

Previously, the mass media in the form of illustrative were only put to marginal and individualised use. There was neither any coherent thinking nor a scientific organisation of these materials in the educational process. But their increased use has been mainly due to interest and initiative of certain teachers.

The media of communication is the medium by which a piece of information or knowledge is communicated to us. This medium is the message, which is of greater importance. Because, the same piece of information when conveyed on a printed page or over the telephone by radio, or television will appear different and have entirely a different effect on us. Hence the effectiveness of a piece of information depends upon the medium through which it is imparted. Thus, the mass-media are not only the messages, but also the massage.

In fact, the mass media have become a well of message around the world of today and have entered into all the structures of daily life, h can be used and in fact is being used as a means of education. So the role of mass media in education is gaining importance every day.

Importance of Mass Media:

The greatest advantage of mass media is the power to reach a large number of people all around the world in a very short period of time. It plays an important role in our everyday lives. Mass media influences our likes and dislikes, opinions regarding many important issues, views, behavior, our values and our style. Its primary purpose is to inform, but looking at it from the perspective of the viewer its main purpose is to entertain. On everyday basis children are being exposed to television and what is on it. Unfortunately, violence has taken over the entertainment world not only on television, but also in video games and movies. For many years massive amount of violence in media has been of great concern not just for parents, but also for researchers and psychologists. In this study my main focus is on the effects media violence has on children and how parents can approach children to reduce the effect of media violence.

1. Mass Media provide information to the mass within a less time.

2. It takes a wide coverage of information regarding anything that is happening in any comer of the world.

3. It brings the entire world to the individual or to the classroom. Children spend hours together sitting in front of the television and can visualize, hear and acquire knowledge about the world.

4. These media easily reach groups, allow repeated use, give more reality, influence attitudes, show cause and effect relationships and ultimately motivate the audience.

5. It sends information to remote places and helps in distant learning.

6. It helps in modification of attitudes, inculcation of desirable values and acquaintance with cultural heritage.

7. Mass media acts as an agency of social change.

8. Mass media are useful for reinforcing group dynamics and interpersonal communication.

9. Mass media as means of communication make ideas clear to children and help them to acquire correct knowledge. They help in simplifying and in giving vividness to explanation.

10. Mass Media make the instruction concrete and stimulate interest and excite curiosity in things.

The role of some important mass media are discussed below:

(a) Radio:

Radio acts as the medium of mass-communication. It is used mainly to broadcast events to far and wide places of the world. It is also a very important source of entertainment. Every day, we listen various talks, discussions and debates from radio. These are extremely important and useful for the students. Especially for the purpose of teaching, many programmes are broadcast over the radio. So radio acts as a great recreational and education force. It broadcasts scientific and cultural facts. It enlightens public opinion. It stimulates curiosity and interests.

The radio has proved a valuable supplement to class teaching and learning Educational broad-casting is comparatively a new experiment and is catching on well. Through school broadcasts, expert leaching in such diverse fields of science, social studies, art, music, languages, politics, current affairs and other areas, can provide information and enrichment for pupils and for the teacher.

The educational programmes are broadcasting by the expect teachers with effective methods which demonstrate new ideas and approaches to classroom procedures. Programmes are especially designed in-collaboration with the experts for different age groups in the schools.

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 students 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 dramatised 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 comer 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. 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.

(b) 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.

 (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 influence education. Its effective use is based upon the fundamental psychological principles of learning which apply to all successful processes of learning.

(c) The Press:

The Press covers the entire printed matter. These printed matters are books, magazines, journals or newspapers. Reading matter has vast potentialities. It exerts good influence on the individuals. It acts on the intelligence and emotions of the individuals in shaping out attitudes and philosophies of life.

An educated individual one who has an open mind, a general awareness and knowledge of the world around him. His field of knowledge is vast and varied. Newspapers contribute very largely in education for the above end. Press not only gathers events, they also present their own views on issues.

So the reader gets an opportunity to consider an issue from many angles. Press also contributes to the study of History, Geography, Science, Literature etc. The knowledge is supplemented to these subjects by the newspapers.

It is possible to link certain topics with everyday life by means of the press through newspapers and other journals. The child must be aware of what is happening in the world around him.

So the press is an important service that can render to education by imparting knowledge of current affairs to children. News regarding earthquakes, cyclones, new planets and political changes may be brought to the notice of the pupils by the press. It also gives a great deal of historical information.

The pupil’s limited knowledge of history may be elaborated and enhanced by this press. So the press is to serve as one of the important medium of education and instruction.

(d) The motion Pictures:

The motion pictures exercise a great influence on human mind very skilfully. They help to create lasting values in the pupils. There is also wider use of films in education. Educational films are coming into the field to meet the challenge of commercial pictures, to supplement them and to explore new avenues of educating children and adults. These films can give more reality, influence attitudes, show cause and effect relation and motivate the students. Thus these motion pictures have great instructional force which can be used intelligently in the class­room.

There are many areas of learning which can be properly dealt with the help of films. For example, in teaching of geography or science, we can use these motion-pictures. Rivers of India, climate of India etc. can also be taught effectively with the help of the motion pictures.

Advantages of Motion Pictures:

1. The educational films make the concept more clear, durable and realistic.

2. Motion pictures arouse interest in children and satisfy their emotions.

3. They can present abstract and abstruse problems of life and nature in concrete reality, illuminate the hidden meanings of events and mysteries of nature, reconstruct history in a short mirror of life.

4. Motion pictures bring the past, the distant to the class room. It can bring the whole world to the classroom.

5. Events which occur over-days can be made to appear in seconds. So Motion pictures can also be replayed many number of times when and where required.

6. Motion pictures can best be used for demonstration of skills and experiments.

7. Motion pictures can serve the purpose better, if they are made for specific age and ability groups, if they can be fitted into the school syllabus, if the commentary is simple and straight forward.

8. Motion pictures can be of great service in teaching the backward children, because they do act on the imagination of children.

Today, education plays a vital role. It has to meet the demands of a dynamic world. The role of the various agencies of education has consequently increased. Thus the role of mass media as passive agencies of education cannot be under-estimated. Because it has tremendous influence on the attitude and behaviour of the people.

e) Mobile:

Mobile is the way of faster communication. By the use of mobile, people can communicate in real time and having seen picture between people and can be teleconference meeting from long distance such as from Bangladesh to America without going out both side party from their own office. Mobile is just like internet. The advantages of using mobile technology in education are:

1. Preparing Students for the Future

First and foremost your job as an educator is to prepare your students for the future. Well in order to do so you need to incorporate mobile technology in the classroom. Working with mobile devices will not only be a part of their everyday lives as adults, but it will also be vital part of many career paths. Knowing how to appropriately use mobile devices is an important aspect in this increasingly connected world. In order to properly prepare your students for the future as they transition into the workforce, incorporating mobile technology in the classroom is key

2. Up-to-date learning

The old days of looking for information in encyclopedias are long gone.Having mobile devices in the classroom allows students instant access to the latest news, information, statistics, etc. Virtually every question they have is at their fingertips, keeping them connected with what’s going on around them and ensuring they are always well informed with the most up-to-date information.

3. Alternative to textbooks

Many textbooks are not the most relevant sources of information. Today’s generation has grown accustomed to instant, updated information. Textbooks can’t provide students with the latest information like a mobile devices can. Also, having digital textbooks on their mobile devices keeps students more organized and gives them easy access to their materials. No one likes lugging around big textbooks. Many digital textbooks are constantly updated and often more vivid, helpful, creative, and a lot cheaper than those old heavy books.

4. Learning goes outside of the classroom

By allowing mobile devices in school you can expand learning outside of the classroom. Students will not only have access to information during computer lab time (which is also becoming extinct). They can look up information from anywhere on campus. Collaboration will increase as students can use these devices as research tools during projects and group work. Plus students love technology so they are likely to be excited about it and continue learning outside of school hours. Having those learning apps, digital textbooks, etc. on mobile devices allows them to get in extra studying and learning in during downtime. They can carry their books and notes with them at all times and have instant access to materials. If students are really excited and engaged in learning inside of the classroom, they are likely to continue learning outside of the classroom and they can do so with mobile technology.

It is remarkable how mobile technology can transform education into something more enthralling and engaging than you could of ever imagined.

 Disadvantages of mobile phone:

Mobile phone addiction is a big social problem. Psychiatrists believe that mobile phone addiction is becoming one of the biggest non-drug addictions in the 21st century. Along with the age drop of the mobile phone users and the ease of prepaid method provide by the system operators, most teenagers now own their own mobile phone and network service. Teenagers are engaged on their mobile phones all the time, no matter on phone calls, using SMS text messages, personalizing the mobile phones with ringtones and pictures etc. Besides this, many people are running after the latest mobile phones. New models of mobile phones are released almost every day. In order to get up-to-date, people tend to change their mobile phones once in a while. These became habits among the mobile phone users causing them to spend unnecessary cost on mobile bills and costs.

Cyber bullying is also another issue among the disadvantages of mobile phones. Cyber bullying is a bullying act using offensive words and behavior via online chatting, emails or SMS text messages. It was showed that the psychological effects of cyber bullying are much severe that face-to-face bullying. This problem now is among teenagers especially the secondary students.

Symptoms caused by the radiation of mobile phones are one of the most argued problems. Many scientists believe that the radiation from the mobile phones may cause the users to have different symptoms such as headache, earaches, blurring of vision and even causing cancer.

h) Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to link several billion devices worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope, linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services, such as mobile apps including social media apps, the inter-linked hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web (WWW), electronic mail, multiplayer online games, telephony, and peer-to-peer networks for file sharing. Many people use the terms Internet and World Wide Web, or just the Web, interchangeably, but the two terms are not synonymous.

The World Wide Web is the primary application that billions of people use on the Internet, and it has changed their lives immeasurably. However, the Internet provides many other services. The Web is a global set of documents, images and other resources, logically interrelated by hyperlinks and referenced with Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). URIs symbolically identify services, servers, and other databases, and the documents and resources that they can provide. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the main access protocol of the World Wide Web. Web services also use HTTP to allow software systems to communicate in order to share and exchange business logic and data.

World Wide Web browser software, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Apple's Safari, and Google Chrome, lets users navigate from one web page to another via hyperlinks embedded in the documents. These documents may also contain any combination of computer data, including graphics, sounds, text, video, multimedia and interactive content that runs while the user is interacting with the page. Client-side software can include animations, games, office applications and scientific demonstrations.

Email is an important communications service available on the Internet. The concept of sending electronic text messages between parties in a way analogous to mailing letters or memos predates the creation of the Internet. Pictures, documents and other files are sent as email attachments. Emails can be cc-ed to multiple email addresses.

Principles of using Mass Media:

The teacher should make all necessary arrangements for using the mass media very effectively. He should select the mass media according to the age level of the students. He must know some general principles of using the mass media.

1. Organisation:

Mass media should be organised as integral part of the educational programmes. They should not be separated from other curricular activities.

2. Selection:

Mass media should be properly selected and coordinated by the teacher. An experienced and trained teacher can select the mass media according to the needs of the students.

3. Planning:

Mass media should be available according to the need of the instructional programme. The teachers should possess skill in the use of mass media. They should have special training in their preparation. So they should be properly planned.

4. Experience:

Mass media should be related to pupil’s experience.

5. Preparation:

There should be adequate preparation on the part of pupils. The teacher should prepare himself before using it. He should know what the mass media teach and where they fit into his plan of teaching. Adequate preparation should be followed by proper presentation and an adequate follow-up.

6. Evaluation:

Mass media should be evaluated at regular intervals in regards to their use, effect on learning and their functions.

Conclusion:

Mass media have proved to help in classifying concepts, stimulating group and individual activities, developing a collective critical awareness, changing attitudes, imposing a new structure or organisation on certain subjects and encouraging originality and creativeness. Therefore, teachers have to be properly motivated and made interested in the use of such materials. And they have also to be trained and oriented in the adequate use and maintenance of the materials.

As we know, good teachers are not born, they are made. Training in the methods, techniques, use of various means and media help a teacher to be good and efficient. All illustrative materials will be “aids” to his teaching. His educational outputs will be optimized through judicious uses of modem methods, techniques, means and mass media Educational research has also proved that instruction can be greatly improved through the wise selection and utilization of modem media of communication.