ROLE OF TELEVISION IN UPLIFTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Modern technology has transformed the way students learn and interact with their environment. Radio and Television are broadcast media meant to disseminate audio and video signal, messages, information or programs to wide range of audience. Broadcast media are regarded as eye and hear of the people because they look for information on behalf of the general public. Media have always formed an important part of modern education since the beginning of the twentieth century. From print to radio, television, and today’s Web-enabled e-learning, each medium has been seen as a potential solution for the problems, inadequacies and certain ills of education. Invariably, the purpose of inducting media into education has been two-fold: to increase the reach and thereby access; and to enrich the quality of educational content. The birth of a new medium has not however, supplanted the previous one; since each has found its own niche.

Broadcast media on its own help the populace to be conscious and aware of various events near and far away from them. Radio and television are now inseparable with the society because of the numerous roles they play including educational function. Educational broadcasting refers to television programming and radio programming providing or related to courses of study. The term "educational" is also applied at times to other programs that are particularly enlightening, informative or intellectually stimulating. Educational broadcast is the term given to the medium's use in formal learning systems, whether primary or higher education (Berman, 2008). It is typically used as a means for course material delivery, and often integrated with various kinds of interaction: for example, in classrooms, discussion groups, or via the telephone. Community radio, on the other hand, involves informal learning processes whereby communities plan, own, and operate their own radio stations. The informal learning topics of community radio typically include child nutrition, family planning, and agricultural tips. Community radio necessarily involves a non-profit enterprise, community ownership and participation, and usually a participatory approach to learning.

Wherever the mass media have been established, education has been put at the forefront of the fruits to be reaped or as on objective for the development of the mass media. Since education has been linked to the creation of communication systems that can reach wide populations, educational broadcasting has been identified with development and nation building. However, they are powerful socializing agents to reach large heterogeneous and widely dispersed audience. It is observed that millions of people over huge areas can be reached very quickly via radio and television by spreading news, information, entertainment and so on. Indeed, they represent powerful tools of socializing people and students in particular through their different educative programs which increase the level of literacy in the society.

Sambo (2012) noted that broadcast media are tools that invest the past with an air of reality. They provide the learners with realistic experience, which capture their attention and help in the understanding of the historical phenomena. They appeal to the mind through the visual auditory senses. Also, Ortyoyande (2006) noted that we receive knowledge through our senses; they also noted that if we hear we forget, if we see we remember, and if we do something we know it. So, access to educational radio and television makes learning process more effective and productive. Also, those educational programs can be recorded to benefit Learners by listening and viewing the lesson programs severally, hence aids their retention. Therefore, educational radio and television encourage learning, make it easier and interesting.

It should be noted that radio and television can effectively be utilized to teach individual or public the norms and values of society and reinforce same. Recent development in television has drastically affected educational procedure for improved quality of education offered to students. Television resource in instructional delivery will serve dual purposes and more efficient classroom instruction (Onabajo, 2000). The advancement which radio and television offer in education can be evident through accessibility to educative programs and instructional delivery like quiz, debate and so on. Productive situational delivery enhances learners’ creative and intellectual development through the use of television images, graphics, audio, test motion for high quality learning. Babalola (2005) states that radio and television offers five distinct roles in education which are: Socialization, Religion, Subject, Brain test and Sex Education.