Instructional Technology and Multimedia Production for Agricultural Scientists

Improving the quality of agricultural education and research is an area where the innovations and initiatives are required to be taken to make it more purposive, directed and useful to the society.  It should be remembered that knowledge is expanding and technologies are advancing very fast and the agricultural are advancing very fast and the agricultural education has to acquire wings in this era of information and communication technologies.  Specializations in various allied areas of agricultural science is integrating computers in every sphere of activity.  To cope up with this unprecedented explosion of knowledge, the agricultural scientists have to be equipped with this knowledge and skills, as they are required to function efficiently and effectively in the changing agricultural scenario.  Modernizing the methods of teaching and learning needs to be pursued vigorously.  With the advent of computers entering into every sphere of educational activity, research in the educational delivery should be focused on the effectiveness, innovativeness and creativity.  Teachers who play a pivotal role in the entire process should put in all their efforts for imperative to think that higher order concepts have to be given in the classroom instruction and concepts which are relatively easier need to be developed as the multimedia lesson modules.  The role of teacher and learner in instructional process has also changed.  Now emphasis is on learner centric education provided with unprecedented facilities for storing information and reviewing what has been learned. Positive reinforcement for students and teachers and stimulating interest in learning and teaching are being advocated.  The commercialization of education represents critical challenges.  The new technology environment in the ‘information society’ is transforming the way knowledge is produced, acquired, experienced and transferred, thereby triggering a cascading cycle of reinvention of education and its delivery mechanism, Edutainment and distance learning are among the information products and services that will develop most rapidly in the next few years.  In changing scenario, to meet the challenges the education sector must organize itself as a major technology costumer.  For this teachers have to be skilled in instructional technology and ICT.  They will have to learn different aspects of instructional technology.  This book will serve as a practical guide for IT in agriculture and allied areas.