Notes on:
Bates, A. (1975) 'Obstacles to the
effective use of communication media in a
learning situation'. In Baggaley, P.
et al (eds) Aspects of Educational
Technology VIII. Pitman Press: Bath:
15-28.
Dave Harris
One problem is the existence of BBC codes which
value 'smoothness and imagination of the
production'. Instead, there is a need for
more rational control in terms of setting
objectives, measuring effects, considering
organization and costings. Educational media
has been developed in some other countries,
including Thailand, where the resources were first
made available, but this has led to a subsequent
search for the most effective use [this pretty
much describes the situation at the UKOU as well,
where the BBC was roped in and told to provide,
partly to cover costs and also to lend
prestige].
25 functions for television have been identified
for the OU, including to 'increase the sense of
belonging to the OU', to demonstrate experiments,
to change student attitudes to unpopular parts of
the courses, and to be able to demonstrate
educational processes through performance, as in
televised drama. The use of case studies is
both popular and interesting, because they offer a
strong storyline, but they often also
feature unclear objectives: they need backup, and
students need to be taught to use them [one
example of the ways in which the audience read
case studies conventionally is provided by
Thompson]. Contradictions with the
correspondence texts to be avoided.
The whole process requires organization and a
rational division of labour. The media are
only one 'means of distributing information.
It requires coordination. The course team
offers the most promise here as the greatest
innovation (23) [a bit disingenuous, because
although BBC producers sat on course teams, they
were lords of their own domain once they got into
the studio. It was hard to criticize the
advice and practice of the professionals].
The whole Open University needs to be organized
like this rather than being dominated by Faculties
and Regions. Only the course team represents
'the interests of the University as a whole' (24).
The piece ends with a plea for a separate
specialist internal research outfit to investigate
the use of the media.
more education studies
|
|