Educational Broadcasting Strategies In an Age of Changing Technology

Abstract

In various parts of the world, social changes are accelerating in the past ten years, including new developments in technology, increasing financial pressures, etc. Under such circumstances, broadcasting is changing greatly as well, both in terms of program contents and in terms of the range of projects by broadcasting organizations or by educational authorities. One of the new technology which has been spread into relatively many countries in connection with educational broadcasting is VTR (video tape recorder). In some countries distributing educational programs packed in VTR cassettes is much more popular and practical than broadcasting on-air TV programs. CATV and broadcating satellite have been and are now developed for the purpose of the spread of educational programs in various countries, too. Among these, the new approach of educational broadcasting in the United Kingdom is now most attracting attention around the world. Especially after entering 80s, social change is accelerating in this country, with new developments in technology, worsening economic situations including unemployment, and several kinds of reforms in its educational system. The BBC (British Broadcating Corporation)-a public broadcasting corporation in the united kingdom which has longest history of school broadcasting in the world-is one of the first to take an initiative in developing the potentials of the new technology such as computers and video discs in educational broadcasting. There was a basic idea that educational broadcasting of the BBC could disappear, if the BBC is not prepared to "change," as a broadcasting organization: technological change, change in methods of distribution, rapid social change and all sorts of change. Thus, first of all, the BBC started to produce various kinds of radio and TV educationnal programs to tell about those new technology through the BBC Computer Literacy Project. The BBC has also started to develop computer and video disc software related to educational programs as support materials, especially for school use. The BBC has put emphasis on support materials such as teachers' notes, pupils' pamphlets, film strips, audio cassettes, video cassettes, from the beginning of its broadcasting. They have been thought to be inevitable for better understanding of BBC's educational programs: and now, computer software and interactive video disc software are added to them. In this "multi-media learning package strategy," many learning materials are produced, which can be used with broadcasts, and also independently. In the BBC, at this moment, it is thought very important to give the audience/viewers a wide range of possibilities to receive educational materials not only through broadcasting but also through many other ways including new technology.