E-Media can play a positive and proactive role in Education

( 11th November is the National Education Day of India )

Down the memory lane, I go back to mid-seventies when Doordarshan was on its developmental stage. Almost an hour or so was dedicated to the programs relevant to school education. As a teacher on the small screen, it was indeed a challenging task to work on a live program as the technology itself was almost in a primitive stage. Every class on the live channel was a breath-taking experience and I do recall how small things did matter and therefore the meticulous planning that was called for.

With the introduction of Edusat, we entered into a world of a separate satellite for the purpose of education with huge support systems and dedicated theaters. I think we miserably failed in achieving the goal as the utilization of this powerful tool was abysmally small (well, statistics may reveal a convincing data to justify its existence) – but reality, both the reach and quality of the programs left much to be desired. The TRP rates were very low and even if some existed, they were based on the ceremonious and compulsive schedules put in place. The viewers were really disinterested in witnessing the faces of the lecturers – as a large no of the screen presentations followed the lecture model- defeating the very objective of the visual media. The challenges of connectivity, structuring the time and space in a predefined school system, poor motivation, unlimited thrust on examinations than learning only ticked off these programs to fulfill the requirements of the bureaucracy rather than the intent.

With the advent and explosion of e-media and television channels which air a number of programs for  news, business, entertainment, trade, sports, serials, debates and the like, it may be a great idea if they could think of having an E- Hour (Education Hour) every day and put in place meaningful programs scaling not only the K-12 spectrum but the higher pedestals of learning. The power of the media need not be re-emphasized, but given the support systems, reach and their lateral thinking practices, the non-routine creative urge in some producers, the entire content and pedagogy can be re-positioned which could act as a trendsetter for the routine classrooms. The focus should be on enabling learning and empowering creative thinking rather than the curricula focused on examinations.

What appears important is a proactive and generic thinking – an effort to improve their TRP rates in student viewership in these learning portals as they would seek in their much sought after Prime Time shows. With a mind-boggling range of subjects – formal and informal – available and the reach they have with their international counterparts, the library of visual, audio and human resources at their disposal these programs can indeed reset our approach to learning systems. These could also be sponsored with CSR initiatives

Schooling and learning are no more formal time-space dominated or controlled activities. Social constructs of learning experiences and articulation of knowledge systems webbed with skills could help in synthesizing new knowledge, facilitate innovation, promote enterprise and impact meaningful development of human resources. “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged and increased constantly or it vanishes.” Says Peter Drucker, the celebrated Management Guru. This view is also endorsed by the cognitive psychologists. E-media can certainly play a proactive role in this direction.Technology intervention in education need not be limited to school utilities and “Reach out” programs of such nature by media will also promote their social profile as effective partners in social change and in furthering social consciousness. But in doing all this and more, it must be remembered that the TV channels and the E –Media have several unlimited sources of doing their business and hence this effort should not be conceived with a commercial objective.The early birds who would pick such ideas – might provide a different type of community leadership – not only in their known and perceived fields, but as architects of the future destiny of education in the country. While media has certainly a responsibility to project the inadequacies and latent negativity in the system, they also have a responsibility to play a positive and constructive role - and if it is possible, why not?