edu-tech

The United States and other countries have begun to take advantage of the ability of audiovisual devices to transcend geographical barriers. Audiovisual devices can expose students to experiences beyond the classroom, and they can disseminate instruction across large areas, making education accessible to more people. In the U.S., communication satellites distribute educational programming to all public television stations; some programs are broadcast and others may be viewed on closed-circuit systems. India has also experimented with satellites to broadcast educational materials. In England, the Open University provides a college education by using radio, television, and regional learning centers. Other nations that have used audiovisual devices to transmit educational materials over large distances are France, Canada, and Brazil.
As the technology improves, educational capabilities increase correspondingly. The emergence of inexpensive computer technology and mass storage media, including optical videodiscs and compact disks, has given instructional technologists better tools with which to work. Compact disks (the CD-ROM and CD-I) are used to store large amounts of data, such as encyclopedias or motion pictures. At new interactive delivery stations with computers and CD-ROM, CD-I, or videodiscs, a student who is interested in a particular topic can first scan an electronic encyclopedia, then view a film on the subject or look at related topics at the touch of a button. These learning stations combine the advantages of reference materials, still pictures, motion pictures, television, and computer-aided instruction. With even newer technologies now being developed, such learning stations will eventually be commonplace in homes for both entertainment and educational purposes.