State institute of educational technology(SIET)

introductionSIET Kerala , the State Institute of Educational Technology is responsible for the planning, research, production and evaluation of educational software like video, audio programmes and computer multimedia. SIET Kerala also aims to implement schemes to generate teaching technologies and learning process in the modern context.

SIET Kerala is the latest in the array of 7 SIET's in the country. Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India sanctioned the State Institute of Educational Technology for Kerala in 1998.

ExistenceSIET Kerala was constituted under the Travancore Literacy Scientific and Charitable Societies Act 1951 on 08.09.1999 as an autonomous society with register No. T.1373/99. it works as an agency under the Department of Education, government of Kerala. It is responsible for planning, research, production and evaluation of educational schemes to generate teaching technologies and learning process in the modern context. The institute has adopted itself to play a catalytic role in fostering as well as supporting and supplementing the educational movement in the state particularly bin the areas of primary education. Its area of operation covers the preparation of video/audio programs for the children of 5 to 17 yrs.' of the ages ( Class I to 12) and the teachers in the regional language in the form of supportive factor for the conventional class room teaching.

Reasons for starting programs

It works as an agency under the Department of Education. It is responsible for the planning, research, production and evaluation of educational schemes to generate teaching technologies and learning process in the modern context. SIETs are a unique organizations in the government of India in developing educational content and its dissemination to support new age educational policies like ICT in Education, proposed Digital Class room Projects, and National repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER) being organised by MHRD and NCERT, New Delhi

Functions of SIET

Academic Wing: The Academic wing including erst while ET cell of SCERT designs the media curriculum and finalizes scripts for Audio and Video Programmes and also previews the programmes after completing.It organises the training courses and workshops for teacher educators, user-teachers and other field functionaries. Production Wings: the production Teams consist of

producers, Production assistant , cameraman, Graphic Artists and other skilled personnel. Strive for producing qualitative media programmes.

Engineering Wing: The Engineering wing places the facilities and technical services at the disposal of the production at the time of training courses, evaluation studies, field surveys etc.

Functions of SIET

Administrative Wing: With the requisite staff in different cadres , the administrative wing looks after the entire functioning of the institute in its administration, financial aspects and provision of transport and other basic amenities.

Ongoing Activities of SIET

Production of Education media material for both TV and Radio and transmission through Doordarshan and All India Radio

Conduct of workshops and training programmes for persons involved in the use of media material.

Evaluation & Research on material produced by the institute. Monitoring, Utilization of ETV and ER transmission Conversion of Video programmes into CDs and supply to

schools. Production of Audio programmes for SSA for classes I to VII

for schools. Production of IMLOs for class 9th & 10th funded by MHRD,

GOI

Ongoing Activities of SIET

Production of Interactive Multimedia Learning Objects(IMLOs) for class 1st & 2nd for SSA.

Dissemination of Audio, Video, and Interactive Multimedia content for schools and repositories for E-learning.

Educational Video programmes

The educational media programmes primarily assist in the UEE, they cover very wide area, which includes instruction in 3R’s . Programmes of immense value acts mainly as stimulants to create interest and awareness in children. Stories, Songs, Dance Ballets, Experimental Demonstrations etc. are used as formats in programmes making not only develop the skills and talent in participating children but also appeal to the viewer group.

Through this persuasive medium of communication attempts are made to instill right attitudes and social values, which are in consonance with the needs of modern society and secular democracy.

Educational Audio Programmes.

The All India Radio is allotted days in School Radio Broadcast Chunk for broadcasting SIET produced programmes. The Programmes in regional language, Environmental Studies I to V will reach the target audience through Radio.

The institute has also been producing Audio/Radio lessons for SSA for broadcasting time slot.

Interactive Multimedia Programmes SIET has started developing e-content in the form of Interactive

Multimedia Learning Objects for classes 9th and 10th under ICT in schools plan with the financial assistance and guidance of MHRD, GOI, NEW DELHI.

Apart from this SIET has developing Interactive Multimedia Learning Objects for 1st & 2nd class curriculum with financial assistance of SSA.

Objective of the programme/project/initiative To assist the Department of School Education in Implementation of

educational policies and programmes both in formal and non- formal sectors.

To undertake all activities which may seen appropriate for improve the quality of education technologically at the state level.

Management of SIET

Ever since the Institute became an autonomous body, it has been slowly expanding its activities and improving its performance on the basis of guidelines providing by the committees.:---

Governing Body: it is the apex body, which gives overall policy guidelines for efficient functioning of the institute. It has the Principal Secretary, School Education Department as the President and 21 members from the various departments and organisations. It also reviews working of the Institute with reference to Annual Plan and expectations of Central and State Government

Management of SIET

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of the Secretary, School Education Dept. exercises control and manages all the affairs, funds and various resources of the institute under the supervision of the governing body. It also has the Principal Secretary, School Education as the Chairman and 11 other members.

Media & Academic: This committee is responsible for planning software production i.e., Audio, Video, Print, Multimedia etc. Training Programmes, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation and recommends work plan and production facilities.

Finance & Establishment Committee: This committee recommends administrative and financial matters of the institute of the Executive Committee . The finance & Establishment Committee scrutinizers the receipts and expenditure of grant – in aid received and makes recommendations on all establishments matters to the Executive Committee for perusal.

Management of SIET

Director: The director is the principal Officer of the Institute. He/ She is responsible for the proper administration of the affairs of the Institute under the direction and guidance of the chairman and the statutory Committees i.e., Media & Academic Committee, Finance and Establishment Committee, Executive Committee and Governing Body

The director is also:The chairman of the Media and Academic committee.The member- Secretary of both Executive Committee and Governing Body.The Head of the Institute who co-ordinate activities of the different wings in the Institute and Financial affairs.

Target Group: higher secondary and vocational higher secondary level. Geographical Reach With In India: India Geographical Reach Outside India: Non applicable for current deployment

Innovations of the project/ program initiative

Production if educational/ enrichment programs for tele cast / broadcast through TV/ radio and communication through CD/DVD.

Designing and production of teaching aids. To administer the educational technology programs and

assignments of work to agencies in govt. and non- govt. sector.

Imparting training to production personnel and teachers. Conduct research and evaluation of new media education

materials Assists schools to set up infrastructure to schools and

monitoring their utilization activities Dissemination of TV /radio(audio visual) programmes

through available commercial channels. Patronizing production of TV and audio educational materials Implement CD library project in all the140 constituencies of

Kerala state and declare Kerala as the 100% E-learning state

Achievements of the programs/ project/ initiative The high professional excellence , technical quality and

educational value of its programs have earned the laurels of victory for its efforts in the different National Educational Vides/ film festivals in different years.

The programs produced by SIET, Kerala have consistently bagged awards for their high professional excellence, technical and academic , quality and educational value.

 Successfully implemented the CD Library project in 1000 Higher Secondary schools, 2500 High Schools, 3200 primary schools in the State of Kerala. This is the first time in the history of India a SIET implemented this type of project for the promotion of E-Learning.

 

Achievements of the programs/ project/ initiative Successfully implemented a full –fledged e-learning project in

6800 schools in the state of Kerala  In the year 2006 the M.M. Panth commission constituted by

the MHRD, Govt. of India after evaluating the performance of all the SIETs in India selected Kerala SIET as an excellent model and directed all the SIETs in India to follow the “KERALA MODEL” in the field of E-Learning system.

Achievements of the programs/ project/ initiative SIET Kerala bagged many awards in the National Children’s

Film festival.

     1. In the year 2004 SIET, Kerala won two national awards for the best Educational film in India.     2. In the year 2005 SIET, Kerala bagged three National awards for the best Educational film in India.     3. 2006 SIET Kerala bagged 4 National Awards     4. In the year 2007 SIET Kerala bagged 10 National awards and the best SIET award in India.

Key challenges faced by while implementing the project/ programme / initiative

Providing effective teachers training Supplementing the curriculum based teaching. Greater community participation and monitoring. Providing access to quality resource persons Strengthening the distance education efforts initiative efforts

initiated by various agencies.

Dimensions of SIET

State Institute of educational technology has been set up in six states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh in order to implement the INSAT for education project effectively. These institutes are functioning under the administrative control of the SCERT in some states and in the Directorate of Education in other states.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) renders financial assistance of SIETs. The State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERTs) are mainly expected to implement the educational technology projects utilizing all kinds of modem media, methods and materials.

Dimensions of SIET

Now-a-days, more emphasis is given to the production of ETV programmes for the children in the age group 5-8 and 9-11 years and teachers of primary schools. Recently, it has taken up specific programmes for providing audio and video materials for supporting educational movements of Total Literacy Campaigns (TLC) and Universalization of Primary Education.

Under the “INSAT for EDUCATION” project, launched in 1982, State Institute of Educational Technology (SIETs) are being set up in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh and a Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) has been established in the NCERT, with 100% central assistance, to generate educational software for children. For the proper implementation and the developments of the potential of modem communication technology in the country, the Government has decided to make these SIETs autonomous in order to make them more professional.

Dimensions of SIET

SIETs in U.P., Maharashtra, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh have already been conferred autonomous status. However, the working of the SIETs and their output is still sub-optimal. There is a need to improve the quality of the programmes. The New Education Policy 1986, states that in order to live the education with the requirements of the 21st Century, there is urgently need for introduction of appropriate and feasible technologies in the educational system. Because the modem media can provide useful support to education related to the curriculum as well as its enrichment.

Dimensions of SIET

The New Education policy emphasizes the modem educational technology should reach out to the most distant areas and the most deprived sections of the population. Acknowledging the potential of modem communication technology the NPE, 1986 and Programme of Action 1986 (POA) had spelt-out the actions that need to be taken in this important area. But modern technology requires supporting infrastructures like trained manpower, competent teachers and proper school buildings;

The six INSAT states were expected to create State Institutes of Educational Technology to function autonomously. So far, only our state like Orissa has taken a decision on creation of this Institute. In the existing institutions, technical and professional posts have remained unfulfilled. The states are not providing full-time Directors. Consequently, the capability of the INSAT states to fulfil the objective of the New Education Policy has not been of the desired level

The Policy Says:

“Modern communication technologies have the potential to bypass several stages and sequences in the process of development encountered in earlier decades. Both the constraints of time and distance at once become manageable. In order to avoid structural dualism, modern educational technology must reach out to the most distant areas and the most deprived sections of beneficiaries simultaneously with the areas of comparative affluence and ready availability. Educational Technology will be employed in the spread of useful information, the training and retraining of teachers, to improve quality, sharpen awareness of art and culture, inculcate abiding values, etc., both in the formal and non-formal sectors. Maximum use will be made of the available infrastructure. In villages without electricity, batteries or solar packs will be used to run the programme. The generation of relevant and culturally compatible educational programmes will form an important component of educational technology and all available resources in the country will be utilized for this purpose. ”