APPROACHES OF

EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY
SWAPNA H
NATURAL
SCIENCE

Educational
technology
Educational technology deals
with the application of many
fields of science to the
educational needs of the
individual as well as society.
Marilym Nickson

Hardware Approach
physical science and applied
engineering asits basis.
Finn and his colleagues.
mechanised the whole
teaching-learning process.
adopts a Product-oriented
Approach.

 has the potential to hand over the educational

benefits to the mass with greater ease and
economy
Silverman (1968), called this type of educational
technology 'Relative Technology
it is concerned with the production and utilization
of audio-visual aid material, such as charts,
models, slides, filmstrips, audio cassettes, etc.,
sophisticated instruments and gadgets, such as
radio, television, films, projectors, tape-recorders,
video player, teaching machines , computers, etc.
and mass media

 Hardware Technology utilizes the products of

Software Technology, such as teaching
strategies, teaching learning material, etc.
for its functioning.
Davis (1971) thinks that the hardware
approach is based on the application of
physical science to the education and
training system which mechanizes the
process of teaching gradually so that
teachers would be able to deal with more
students, resulting in less cost and economy
in finances

Software technology
Teaching Technology, Instructional
Technology or Behavior Technology.
Its origin is in Behavioral Sciences
and the applied aspects of
Psychology of learning.
This approach to educational
technology originated from the
efforts of B.F.Skinner, Gagne and
Norman.A.Crowder
It is a Process-oriented Approach. It
utilizes the knowledge of the

 It does not provide direct services to its users.

Instead, it helps in the production of various Software
materials which are used for developing the hardware
appliances.
It includes teaching strategies, learning material,
evaluation tools, teaching models, programmed
instruction, etc.
Software technology does not require any aid form
the hardware technology for its delivery. It becomes
more useful and productive when assisted by the
Hardware Technology.
Software technology does not have mass appeal and
is costlier in the long run, as compared to Hardware
technology.

 Davis (1971), observes, "This view of

educational
technology
is
closely
associated with the modern principles of
programmed learning and is characterised
by
task
analysis,
writing
precise
objectives,
selection
of
appropriate
learning strategies, reinforcement of
correct responses and constant education
Silverman (1968) termed this educational
technology as 'constructive educational
technology

 Both software and

hardware approaches
are so interlinked that
they cannot be
separated from each
other. One without the
other is incomplete. It

Role of hardware
and software
approaches
Individualized
instruction
Programmed learning
modules
Computer managed
learning
Video and audio recorded
learning

 E mail interest teleconferencing

and online educational facilities
Use of multimedia and multi
sensory approaches to teaching
and learning
Planning organizing leading and
controllingof teaching and
learning
Learning objectives in most
efficient and cost effective way

 Fullfilling of distance and

correspondence education
Suggesting suitable teaching
learning methods and devices
Putting various a v aids for
teachers and leaners
Providing a variety of
instructional and self learning
materials

THANKU