Education by Radio (1932)

EDUCATION BY RADIO VOLUME 2. NUMBER 20. JUNE 23 1932 NEXT ISSUE. JULY 7. 1932 The Illustrated Radio Meeting VanRensselaer Sill Agricultural Extension Service, Ohio State University Radio has recently been synchronized with a film projector using radio station WEAO of the Ohio State University. In an experiment just completed by the agricultural extension service, adult extension classes in poul¬ try problems were successfully conducted by this method. Educational institutions maintaining broadcasting stations are the leaders in conducting research to further the cause of adult education. It was the search going on in the various universities for a method providing an incentive for adults to attend radio meetings, holding the attention of groups and at the same time increasing the effectiveness of teaching by air, that inspired the experiment. This use of radio should prove helpful to universities in extending their facilities to the public. The agricultural extension service at the university in co¬ operation with the writer secured the support of five county agricultural agents and with the help of P. B. Zumbro, exten¬ sion specialist in poultry, and other members of the poultry department, conducted an illustrated radio meeting on some of the poultry problems faced by Ohio farmers. Description of method — In broadcasting the illustrated radio meeting, a film projector was set up in front of the speaker in the studio. This apparatus is not a motion picture machine but a device which separately projects each of a series of pictures contained on a strip of film. The projector was operated by an attendant who at the signal of a gong struck by the speaker turned to the next picture. This method insured that the speaker would not forget to warn county agricultural agents, who had similar film strips and radio receivingsets at their local meeting places, of a change in the picture. Before the speaker discussed the next picture on the strip, he warned agents that they should turn to slide number so and so. Each slide was conspicuously numbered and at each sound of the gong five agents in five different counties in the state turned simultaneously to the next picture. Pictures of the various speakers were shown in local meet¬ ing places while they were being introduced over the radio. This helped to personalize the talks. Local discussions on the subjects emphasized in the radio talks and film strips were led by county agricultural agents immediately after the illustrated radio part of the program. During this discussion period, questions were phoned in to designated phones at the university. Later the questions were answered by radio. Evaluation — At the end of the meetings, summaries of the radio discussions were passed out, and the visitors an¬ swered a questionnaire. Data obtained thru the questionnaire, questions phoned from local meetings to the university, com¬ ments made by agents participating in the experiment, and the statements of observers attending meetings from the col¬ lege of agriculture, served as a basis for evaluation. The possibilities in the illustrated radio meeting as an ex¬ tension method are indicated by the fact that 98 percent of those attending the meetings indicated that they considered them successful. Many others asked for additional meetings on various subjects. Questions and answers popular — The radio questionand-answer forum was, perhaps, the most popular part of the program. More questions were sent in than could be answered over the radio, and from 14 to 50 percent of the visitors at the various local meetings asked questions they wanted answered from the broadcasting studio. Statements made by observers and county agents as to its importance led to a recommendation that a long period be devoted to the question-and-answer forum in future illustrated radio meetings. Timing easy — Contrary to predictions, detailed reports from all five counties conclusively show that proper timing of the film strips is about the simplest part of the procedure. In not a single case was there any difficulty whatever in keep¬ ing the pictures synchronized with the speaker’s discussion. Those attending the meetings almost had the impression the speaker was operating the film projector himself instead of being scores of miles away. Illustrated radio versus “talkies” — The illustrated radio meeting has been compared by some people to the “talkie” meeting of the future. Obviously such a comparison is not based on fact. The radio provides flexibility, speed in reach¬ ing large scattered groups simultaneously from a central point, a more personalized form of contact — inasmuch as the in¬ terests of the groups listening can be mentioned — a better adaptation to the needs of known audiences, and a greater ease in keeping subjectmatter presented in the talks uptodate. When these points are considered, in addition to the radio question-and-answer forum, it is readily seen that the “talkies” and the illustrated radio method of instruction are far from being the same. After analyzing data obtained from the five meetings, it would appear that in agricultural extension work the illus¬ trated radio meeting can be used effectively in a large number of projects. Indeed, any project requiring the use of illustra¬ tive material may be partly conducted by this method with a consequent saving in time and travel expense. Other uses — Sunday schools and day schools may find the illustrated radio method of instruction helpful in supple¬ menting some of their classwork with talks by authorities from universities. Subjects cover a wide range, varying from geography to the higher phases of engineering. Night schools for adults, study groups of many different types, community organizations, libraries, cooperative asso¬ ciations, museums, women’s clubs, and the like, may find the illustrated radio meeting helpful in broadcasting discussions on some of the problems of interest to their memberships. [77 ]