Empowering School Teachers with Educational Technology using the Distance Education Mode

Abstract

Educational Technology deals with defining overall and specific objectives, analysis of learning situations, selection of methods and media, development of educational materials and evaluation tools, implementing and validating teaching-learning process at all levels and sectors of education, ranging from pre-primary to university levels, from formal to non-formal, including Distance Education. The classroom input needs to be strong for a quality process resulting in a quality product/students coming out after programme completion. The teacher plays primary role in classroom by using Educational Technology to function as a classroom manager. Swaziland is a small developing country having 7551 Primary and 5024 Secondary teachers spread in 575 Primary and 227 Secondary schools. Distance Education mode may be used for staff development regarding Educational Technology among these teachers. Major objective of this research is “To develop and try out a training package in the field of Educational Technology for staff development among school teachers through distance education mode”. Major Hypothesis is “The proposed learning package, in the field of Educational Technology, would enhance teachers’ competency up to a significant level.A sample of 380 primary and 250 secondary teachers had been drawn using stratified random sampling method with due representation to rural & urban areas from all four regions of Swaziland. They have undergone a pre- test in Their ‘Knowledge’, ‘Skills’, and, ‘Attitude’ towards Educational Technology. They will study using a Module entitled “Educational Technology for Effective Teaching” for three months and will participate in a two days contact session followed by a post- test in all three tests. Statistical analysis of pre-test and post-test data will reveal effectiveness of this study package for empowering school teachers with Educational Technology. If the proposed package is found effective, it may raise the knowledge levels among school teachers about their role in classroom communication, equip them with many skills being essential, and strengthen their positive attitude towards a competency-based teaching-learning process. // Paper ID: 319