L11 Need of Instructional Media

MODULE 4
Instructional Planning and Delivery
Unit 4.4.4
Instructional Media
L11 Need of Instructional Media

L12 Classification of Media
L13 Design of Handouts, Assignments
and Laboratory Worksheets
L14 Media Design Principles and
Effective Board Work
Unit 4.4.4: Instructional Media L11: Need of Instructional Media
L11: Need of Instructional Media
Contributor
Dr. Sandip S. Kedar

Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Media
Editor: Dr. Joshua Earnest, Professor of Electrical Engineering
National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research

Shamla Hills, Bhopal M.P. - INDIA 462 002
AICTE-NITTT Module 4: Instructional Planning and Delivery © NITTTR, Bhopal All rights Reserved L11 Page 1
Learning outcomes: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
LO 1. Justify the need for media for effective classroom communication.
LO 2. Explain the importance and role of instructional media in T-L process.
Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 3
2.0 BASIC CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION MODEL ............................................................. 3
3.0 MEDIUM, MEDIA AND INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA ............................................................. 5
4.0 IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA .................................................... 5
5.0 MEDIA FOR TEACHER DIRECTED AND TEACHER INDEPENDENT INSTRUCTION ............. 7
6.0 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA ....................................... 8
7.0 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 9
8.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 10
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Education system in India right from school level to Ph.D. level has also not remained
untouched with the technological advancements. Use of instructional technology as well as
Information and Communication Technology to enhance teaching learning process has
become the need of the day. The teaching-learning (T-L) process mainly depends upon various
factors such as teaching skills of the teacher, instructional methods and strategies,
instructional media used, learning experiences provided to the learners, learner’s
characteristics, classroom environment, and so on. With the knowledge explosion, technology
and information explosion, the role of a teacher is changing from pure information provider
to the facilitator of learning. Therefore, a teacher needs to be resourceful enough to use the
latest instructional technologies to facilitate learning. This lesson is intended to convey the
role and importance of instructional media in improving the T-L process and the use of
instructional media. This lesson has been written with the premise that the teacher has
already studied the lessons L5 to L10 of this module and has understood the concept of
learning and instruction.
2.0 BASIC CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION MODEL

In any classroom situation, either traditional or virtual, teaching learning process plays an
important role to facilitate the learning. Any classroom could be considered as a system having
some inputs, processes, outputs and feedback mechanism for ensuring learning. There is
always an interaction between teacher or instructional designer and the student or the
learner. So, a normal classroom has different elements such as teacher or instructor, students
or learners, environment, teaching methods and strategies, messages, channels, medium,
barriers, etc. (Figure 1).
Teaching Methods and Strategies
Instructor Medium Message Learner
Feedback
Figure 1: Communication between Instructor and Learner
During the instruction teacher creates and transmits some messages in varied forms which
are received and perceived by the receiver or the learner. The messages may be anything such
as factual or conceptual knowledge which consist of facts, concepts, principles, laws, rules,
procedures, applications, or directions to the learners, questions about the content, feedback
on the appropriateness of responses, or any other information. These messages are
transmitted by the teacher, instructor or sender through some medium so that they reach the
learners. The medium may be anything such as text written on the chalkboard, handout, text
book, computer-based presentation, video, animation, real objects, maps, simulator, virtual
reality setup, etc. The medium carries the message. It is received by the learners through
channels or senses of perception. These are seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting. The
learner extracts the meaning out of the received message. This process of communication is
depicted in an engineering model based on signal processing (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Engineering Model of Communication
The sender encodes the message or an idea to be transmitted in various media forms such as
verbal language, visuals, symbols, formulae, diagrams, graphs, sketches, photographs,
animations, models, real things, and by using different instructional methods and techniques.
The receiver receives the message through sensory channels and decodes it based on his/ her
intelligence, previous knowledge, language capabilities, interests, etc. In the process of
communication, some barriers or noise cause disturbance. Such barriers are previous
knowledge, Social and cultural backgrounds, prejudices (beliefs and preferences), disinterest,
imperceptions, day dreaming, verbalism, referent confusion and physical discomfort.
Some of these barriers such as previous knowledge, Social and cultural backgrounds,
prejudices are not under direct control of the teacher, but others could be controlled and
reduced by the teacher to make the communication effective. Communication in the
classroom situation is a two-way process. There is always a feedback channel present which
reduces the errors in transmission of the message from sender to receiver. The feedback may
be in terms of discussion, questions and answers between teacher and students. This makes
the communication process a complete cycle. If learner perceives same meaning from the
message sent by the teacher, then maximum learning takes place, and that is possible when
sender (teacher) takes care of various communication barriers. The communication barriers
and the ways of reducing them are explained in the Annexure A. After going through the
communication model, it is clear that medium, media and message hold a prominent place in
any communication. Need and importance of these is discussed in subsequent paragraphs.
3.0 MEDIUM, MEDIA AND INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

In the two models of communication discussed above the most important factor is medium
or channel which carries the message from the sender to the receiver. A medium (plural is
media) is a channel of communication or message transmission. The term instructional media
as described by Adekola (Adekola, 2010) means all available human and material resources
which appeal to the learners’ sense of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching or feeling
and which assist to facilitate teaching and learning. As per Onyeozu (1997), instructional
media are resource materials which help to facilitate teaching and learning. This may include
traditional media such as chalkboards, white boards, print material, handouts, text books,
charts, slides, overhead transparencies, magnetic cut outs, real objects, video programme or
film, 2D and 3D animations, radio, audio DVDs, television.
Presently, newer media such as computers, smart mobiles, smart TVs, interactive boards,
interactive panel, interactive pads, opaque projector, multimedia projector, internet,
multimedia presentation, simulators, open source learning material and software, interactive
video conferencing, podcast, blogs, wikis, e-learning, e-books, mobile-learning, social
networking, virtual and augmented reality. Each of these media has different strengths and
limitations in terms of the types of messages that can be recorded and displayed.
ACTIVITY
Write at least two media used in classroom teaching, along with their purposes.
4.0 IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

Instructional media are important elements of teaching and learning process and they play a
key role in the design and use of systematic instruction. Brief outline of roles and purpose of
media in teaching learning process (Banthiya, 1999) is given below.
a) Media stimulates more than one sense during T-L process (eye, ear, touch). If properly
used, they can bring in stimulus variation in the classroom.
b) Tiny and big objects, any event or process may be shown at rest or in motion. The
smaller objects are difficult to perceive by naked eyes, but could be enlarged with the
help of video camera- zoom in facility. Slow and fast motion objects could be shown at
a desired speed. (Figure 3)
c) Dangerous or distant objects and events could also be shown which are difficult to
observe by normal vision, like blasting event of a mine. (Figure 4)
d) Media create continuous change in stimulus; hence they gain and sustain the attention
level of students.
Figure 3 Fast objects could be shown Figure 4 Blasting event of a mine

with reduced speed in video
(Courtesy: Childcraft Dictionary, World Book, Inc., USA 1993)
The impact media are also varied. Adekola (2008, 2010) states the following:
a) Increases the rate of learning by the learners.
b) Makes learning to be real and permanent.
c) Saves teacher’s time which would have been wasted on oral presentation and
explanation of subjects’ contents.
d) Promote learner’s participation in learning activities.
e) Makes learning available to wider audience and helps teacher and learner overcome
physical difficulties in teaching and learning.
In addition to the above purposes and impact on the learner, instructional media can:
a) Be designed, developed such as simulators, working models, cut section models could
be used to develop skills and to explain internal structure of any object or system
b) Be developed and made available to the learners in digital form, in synchronous or
asynchronous mode catering to the learning needs, learning style of the individual
learner. They may access it from anywhere, and at any time.
c) Offer interactivity which further enhances the interest, active participation and
engagement of the learner in learning process.
d) Present the content in various forms such as text, visuals, graphics, video, animation,
and sound with user control.
e) Be developed with quality by taking services of best media designers.
Media can be used to support one or more of the following instructional activities: (Instruction
at FSU Handbook, 2011)
a) Gain attention: A picture on the screen, a question on the board, or music playing as
students enter the room all serve to get the student’s attention.
b) Recall prerequisites: Media can be used to help students recall what they learned in
the last class, so that new material can be attached to and built upon it.
c) Present objectives to the learners by projecting the day’s learning outcomes.
d) Present new content: Not only can media help make new content more memorable;
media can also help deliver new content (a text, movie, or video). It supports learning
through examples and visual elaboration. One of the biggest advantages of media is to
bring the world into the classroom when it is not possible to take the student into the
world.
e) Elicit student response: Present information to students and poses questions to them,
getting them involved in answering the questions.
f) Provide feedback: Media can be used to provide feedback relating to a test or class
exercise.
g) Enhance retention and transfer: Pictures enhance retention. Instructional media help
students visualize a lesson and transfer abstract concepts into concrete, easier to
remember objects.
h) Assess performance: Media is an excellent way to pose assessment questions for the
class to answer, or students can submit mediated presentations as classroom projects.
5.0 MEDIA FOR TEACHER DIRECTED AND TEACHER INDEPENDENT INSTRUCTION

The media requirement for teacher directed instruction and teacher independent instruction
vary to a large extent. For appropriate selection of media in these situations, teachers must
evaluate the learning outcomes, teacher characteristics and learner characteristics. A
conventional classroom and laboratory situation call for teacher directed instruction. In these
situations, the instructional media provide supplemental support to the teacher. Teacher may
use media for recalling previously learned content as well as for explaining and demonstration
purpose for achievement of learning outcomes. Depending on the content and learning
outcome teacher select video, animation, real objects, models, chart, graph, diagram etc. for
making teaching learning effective.
Now days in engineering education, self-learning and online learning through Massive Open
Online Courses (MOOCs) is being promoted. Such scenario falls under the category of teacher
independent instruction. For achievement of the learning outcomes a complete packaged
material which is self-sufficient is developed and provided to the student. Customized media
which include self-learning material, video, audio, virtual laboratory, multimedia packages are
developed in advance and provided to the registered student. If required, student may contact
teacher through video conferencing, phone, discussion forum.
6.0 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

By now the advantages of the use of instructional media may have become evident;
however, it is summarized as a ready reckoner.
a) Media can be used for large group, small group presentation or for individual learning.
b) Media like chalkboard, whiteboard can be used for incidental content writing. These
are more suitable for explanation and development of content in steps.
c) Due to availability of millions of colors in digital media, its display brings realism in the
content presentation.
d) Most of the media can be prepared once and then reused, thus saving teachers’ time.
Media like video, animation and other ICT based media bring dynamism, realism,
interactivity, which sustain interest of the learners in learning.
e) Media can be used when real things are too big or too small in size.
f) Media can slow down or raise the speed of an event when real things are too quick or
too slow. For example, movement of earth’s crust or plate tectonics, construction of a
building, manufacturing of product, and so on.
g) Media are useful when real things are too dangerous to handle, like mine explosion.
h) Media helps when real things are too difficult to visualise. For example, human
anatomy and internal systems of human body, top view of any area, city.
i) Media helps to represents the real things which are too expensive. Media help to bring
outside world inside the classroom.
j) For example, bringing actual satellite to classroom.
k) Media helps when the equipment is not usually available. For example, showing the
da-Vinci-Si Surgical Robotic System to students, or giving overview of mining
operations with machines and equipment and so on.
l) Media provide a flexibility to choose the appropriate one to suit the learning
outcomes, learning styles, preference of selection and use of media, competence and
resources available.
m) Media such as virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality could be used for
various purposes such as skill development.
As in every case, there are limitations to every aspect, so too for media. However, some of
them could be overcome too by taking some remedial measures:
a) Teacher needs the skill for careful selection, preparation, planning and appropriate
media for which relevant training could be imparted.
b) Preparation of media requires time, but once made, it can re-used again and again.
c) Production of some of the media such as video, multimedia, animations, e-content,
simulators, demands funds, resources and technical knowhow.
d) If teacher is using any media designed and developed by some other expert, then the
teacher may have to modify it to suit the exact purpose.
ACTIVITY
Case on First Classroom Experience
Mr. Raghuvir was very happy to join as a faculty of a renowned Govt. Engineering College
in Nagpur. He got this job after getting selected through MPSC. He had completed his
Masters from a renowned University. He did not have any teaching experience earlier
although he worked for quite some time in an automobile industry as an engineer. But he
was more interested to work as a teacher so he joined this profession. He was techno
savvy and so very confident in handling computer peripherals but due to lack of teaching
experience, he was not much confident in conducting his first session in the classroom. He
talked about his situation to his HOD, who advised him to prepare some media for his
class. He was not much aware about many media so he prepared only one computer-
based presentation incorporating mostly text material on the selected topic. In his first
class, he tried to explain the content to the students, who were only listening to him for
the whole session. Most of the students were not comfortable during his session. He was
also not satisfied with his first performance in the class.
Brief:
1) Why Mr. Raghuvir was not satisfied with his performance?
2) Why most of the students were uncomfortable in his class?
3) What are your suggestions to Mr. Raghuvir to make his next class more effective?
Write answers to these in your journal as a part of your teaching-learning portfolio.
7.0 CONCLUSION
In T-L process, any medium or media act as a means to achieve the learning outcomes. Media
helps teacher to impart instruction systematically and effectively so teacher needs to develop
the competency and mastery in designing, developing and using media in any teaching
learning situation. Based on the individual capabilities and skills, learning needs of students,
resources available, teacher can select a media mix considering the advantages and limitations
of media. While planning for instructional session, teachers need to decide about the media
to be prepared and to be used for effective session implementation. In next lesson you will
learn about classification of media based on various parameters.
*******
8.0 REFERENCES
Adekola, G. (2010, JUNE). The Impact of Instructional Media on the Education of Youths on
HIV/AIDS in Nigeria Urban Communities. International Journal of Scientific Research
in Education, Vol. 3(1), 64-72.
Banthiya, N. K. (1999, July). M-3: Use Correct Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication in
Classroom. REC Competency Based Self-learning Module. Bhopal, MP, India: TTTI,
Bhopal.
Banthiya, N. K. (1999, July). M6- Manage classroom transactions and make effective
presentation in classroom. REC Competency Based Self-learning Module. Bhopal, MP,
India: TTTI, Bhopal.
Instruction at FSU Handbook. (2011). Instruction at FSU: A Guide to Teaching & Learning
Practices. Retrieved January 01, 2019, from distance.fsu.edu:
https://distance.fsu.edu/instructors/instruction-fsu-guide-teaching-learning-
practices
Oklahoma State Department of Education. (2013, October). B, Technical Assistance Guide

Assistive Technology for Children and Youth with Disabilities IDEA Part. Oklahoma
City, OK 73105. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from
https://sde.ok.gov/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Assistive%20Technology%
20(AT)%20Technical%20Assitance%20Guide%20(Oct%202013).pdf
Shodhganga. (2018). Retrieved December 2018, from shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/101198/11/11_chapter%202.pdf
*******
Annexure A
Communication Barriers and ways to reduce them. (Banthiya, M3 Use Correct Verbal and
Non-Verbal Communication in Classroom., 1999)
1) Previous knowledge - Knowledge here includes all kind of previous exposure to the subject
matter in the form of cognitive learning, skills, attitudes and experiences. Students
normally have some prior knowledge of the subject and related topics due to earlier
exposure to these. Whenever you teach a new concept or principle pertaining to a subject
to students, they tend to relate these concepts and principles with the ones already stored
in their memory. In case the context and the concepts already learned are similar, the
learning of new concepts and principles is facilitated. Sometimes, previous knowledge
becomes a barrier when the topic is known to the students and you start teaching it in
great detail. Students may start showing disinterest in this case. Before teaching a new
concepts, you should recall the pre-requisite knowledge by asking questions and based on
the student’s reply you may decide upto what extent the recall is necessary. Previous
experience of the student may also become a barrier sometimes. Previous experience of
students can be converted from a barrier to facilitator by your making use of such students
in giving their practical insight into various problems.
2) Background- Intellectual, social and cultural backgrounds of a teacher as well as students

may become a barrier sometimes. A teacher coming from high social background and soft-
spoken, may misunderstand something said by a student coming from rural and socially
unprivileged background. Similarly, a teacher from a socially unprivileged background may
cause some resistance in the minds of students from higher strata of society. Individual
differences also affect perceptions of students. Background of students also influence
their understanding the new concepts and principles taught by you. The pace and rate of
learning is also immensely affected due to background since each learner has his own
learning style. In order to take care of this barrier the old maxim 'know your subject, and
know your students' could serve a useful guideline for you for designing and delivering the
instruction. You must also show understanding and caring attitude for those students who
come from different background than yours, and especially for those who come from rural
and unprivileged background.
3) Prejudices-These are unfavourable opinions formed beforehand. Prejudices may cause

personal likes and dislikes, thus becoming a barrier between you and students. These
preconceived notions may be by teachers towards students, by students towards teachers,
and by students towards some subjects. For example, some students find difficulty in
understanding subjects which have abstract concepts like engineering drawing and
mathematics. They form a barrier in their minds about these subjects due to this prejudice.
Use of different instructional methods, media, graded assignments may encourage
students to learn the subject with interest. Unbiased delaing, polite and understanding
behaviour with students will help in removing the prejudice about you in the minds of
students.
4) Disinterest- In a teaching situation, sometimes the students start loosing the interest in
the classroom activities.This may be due to the nature of the subject as well as teaching
style of the teacher. Slow moving lesson, repetitions, irrelevant matter, poor presentation,
lack of enthusiasm and monotony are some of the reasons for such a situation. Some
external social or cultural activity or sports event may divert attention of the students. The
students might become bored because they need to be treated as important individuals
possessing variable interests, needs, and abilities. In order to remove this barrier and make
the communication effective, skilful application of variety of instructional media, use of
different instructional methods and strategies to arrange for active participation of
students, will make the presentation interesting with stimulus variation, and by breaking
the monotony. This will transform a dry, uninteresting lesson into a live experience for the
learners.
5) Imperception- It is just the opposite of perception. It acts as barrier in the communication

process. Perception is the process by which the human brain constructs an internal
representation of the outside world. It is the process by which we become aware of changes
through the senses of sight, hearing, and it is an act or power of perceiving. On the contrary,
the inaccurate conclusions drawn on the basis of what our senses tell us results in
imperception. Objects and things are perceived wrongly when complete information is not
presented before the observer. To remove the imperceptions, you should present the
information in such a way that it reaches the students in the original form. You may use the
real objects, working models, video, photographs to explain the content. This will remove
probable imperception about the concept.
6) Day Dreaming- It is a state of mind under which human beings are pre-occupied with idle
and pleasant thoughts. Everyone is engaged in this activity at one time or another.
Daydreaming may be the source of most powerful and ideal thoughts. Even if a student is
physically present in the class for fear of attendance, his/her mind may be engaged in
pleasant or unpleasant experiences outside. These may be due to some exciting news or
some one's sickness. As you know adolescent students now a days live in a world of their
own having variety of pre-occupations also they have variety of electronic gadgets and
information sources to get distracted or daydream. A slow-moving lesson, long silence and
many such other things might make the students daydream. Active student participation in
the teaching-learning process, use of short class assignment, buzz session, group discussion,
may compel students to remain mentally present in the class. Continuous feedback taken
by you about students' learning can make them feel attentive.
7) Verbalism- Verbalism refers to the practice of using too many words while explaining the
topic. Too many words may confuse the students. Words are the abstract symbols which are
often used to explain concepts. But mere use of words which is input to the sense of hearing
only will not result in effective learning. It has been found that the effectiveness of sense of
hearing is only about 13%. So, to minimise this barrier, you can use variety of instructional
media which provide input to the channel of sight (eyes) having the effectiveness of about
75%. Some time teacher repeats some of the words or phrases such as “OK”, “Isn’t it?”,
“Understood”, and so on. Such verbalism distracts the attention of students. Teacher need
to avoid such verbalism.
8) Referent confusion- This can be the result of hearing a new meaning attached to a word
for which a different meaning has already been learnt. Spoken words and terms may have
a totally different meaning to different listeners. The confusion in meaning occurs as the
same technical words have different dictionary meanings altogether. For example, when
students hear words like ‘work’ ‘chip’ ‘power’ ‘system’ ‘hole’ ‘table’ and many other such
words which have particular connotation in engineering context but have different
dictionary or general meaning, create confusion. Confusion may be due to similar
‘sounding words, for example ‘week’ and ‘weak’ or ‘brake’ and ‘break’. In such situations
it becomes essential to explain the meanings of the new terms by writing them on the
chalkboard. Also, graphic and visual presentation may be helpful.
9) Discomfort- Physical discomforts could result from some illness or a physical trouble on
the part of the learner. Empathising with the suffering student and showing affection
towards him/ her will reduce physical discomfort to some extent. Discomfort may be due
to the inadequate arrangements inside the classroom such as lack of proper ventilation,
improper lighting, glare on the board, a poor seating arrangement, too hot or too cold
inside, too much noise outside. So, it is not that difficult for a teacher to eliminate these
in-class discomforts. Neat and clean as well as well-ventilated and well-illuminated
classrooms helps in improving the in-class situation for effective teaching learning process
to occur.
DISCUSSION FORUM
• Discuss on the issues related to the use of media in the classroom, problems
faced and strategies adopted to overcome them.
• Some of the instructional media are highly acceptable to teachers and
students in today’s context. Discuss the reasons.

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MODULE 4

Instructional Planning and Delivery

L11 Need of Instructional Media

L11: Need of Instructional Media

Dr. Sandip S. Kedar

Editor: Dr. Joshua Earnest, Professor of Electrical Engineering

National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research

L11: Need of Instructional Media

L11: Need of Instructional Media

2.0 BASIC CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION MODEL

Teaching Methods and Strategies

Instructor Medium Message Learner

Figure 1: Communication between Instructor and Learner

Figure 2: Engineering Model of Communication

3.0 MEDIUM, MEDIA AND INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

4.0 IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

Figure 3 Fast objects could be shown Figure 4 Blasting event of a mine

5.0 MEDIA FOR TEACHER DIRECTED AND TEACHER INDEPENDENT INSTRUCTION

6.0 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

Oklahoma State Department of Education. (2013, October). B, Technical Assistance Guide

Shodhganga. (2018). Retrieved December 2018, from shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:

2) Background- Intellectual, social and cultural backgrounds of a teacher as well as students

3) Prejudices-These are unfavourable opinions formed beforehand. Prejudices may cause

5) Imperception- It is just the opposite of perception. It acts as barrier in the communication

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