| The communications between learners and instructors in distance education must be
provided by technologies. There is a wide variety available. They include broadcast radio
and television; audio- and videotapes; interactive audio and video teleconferencing;
various computer and Internet technologies, and print technologies. Different devices may
be used for courseware delivery and for interpersonal interaction, but the backbone
technologies along which the signals travel are often the same. The Technology domain
provides information about the varieties of each of these technologies, and describes
their different strengths and weaknesses as vehicles for education. Among features to be
considered are the relative merits of recorded technologies for delivering presentations
of subject matter and the merits of teleconferencing technologies for facilitating
interaction between teachers and learners. Administrators and teachers have to consider
the benefits of relatively high cost technologies such as broadcast television and
interactive video compared with the lower costs of text, audio recording and telephone
conferencing.
Mixtures of technologies will always produce better results than any single technology.
Getting the optimum mixture though requires great skill and knowledge. Ultimately it
depends more on the quality of course design and the quality of instruction than on
technology itself.
Print and Recorded • Broadcast and Computer-Based • Interactive • Backbone
Resources on Using Technologies in Southern Africa
Butcher, N. 1998. The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Harnessing ICTs to
Accelerate Social Development: A South African Perspective. SAIDE: Johannesburg
(South Africa contribution)
SAIDE Telematics
for African Development Consortium Information Updates Archive (South Africa
contribution).
Magetse, T. 1997. Information and Communication Technology Policy in
Education, A paper presented at the nationale workshop on 'ICT in Swaziland
Eductaion' held October 2, 1997, Royal Swazi Spa, Swaziland. (Botswana contribution) |
