PCF5:Community radio

Title of session
... Appropriate learning technologies Community Radio...

Session details

 * Date: ... July 16, 2008...
 * Time: ... 11.00-12.30..
 * Room: ... Jeffry Hall, Level 1...

Session papers

 * R.Sreedher, Science for Women:Health and Nutirtion , (Film)
 * Rukmini Vemraju, A healthful recipe for development: a space called community radio (195)
 * Matha Macwani Sitali, Open and distance learning for children and young people in Zambia (435)
 * Monjur-e-khoda Tarafdar, Community Radio and education for all : Bangladesh perspective (641)
 * David Thomas ,Broadcasting skills development and good governance: encouraging online learning communities in media organisations (421)

Key Issues that arose in the session

 * Can radio- a simple low cost technology become an effective tool for ODL? How can radio be made participatory and interactive instead of a one way communication
 * What relative advantages can radio offer- with its low profile compared to other more “glamorous “ and new technologies?
 * Are there enough trained personnel who can engage radio creatively and meaningfully for learning for development?

Points for future action (Policy, recommendations, commitments etc.)

 * Radio, even without before its potential was fully developed or utilised gave way to more glamorous and glitzy technologies like television, video and other Information Technology  inventions.  But in the digital age, radio has thankfully reinvented itself   as a simple and effective tool- for  learning, entertainment and interaction.   It stresses on the  “C:” (communication) in  the ICT array, and needs to be developed, explored and exploited further in all learning engagements.
 * Presentations from India and Zambia demonstrated the participatory potential of this medium among marginalised learners in resource poor settings like women (India) and out-of-school children (Zambia), two most vulnerable groups deprived of  access to means of education and learning.
 * Lack of trained and effective  community radio  broadcasters is a serious issue  and helping communities build capacities in the whole range of skills as broadcasters, station managers, content developers,   participatory processes and developing a radio listening culture have to become a priority area in order to appropriate this medium for development
 * future action 3