In today’s advanced world, where everything is changing at lightning speed, mass media plays an important role. With that being said, education is also advancing day by day. It isn’t confined to the four walls of a classroom anymore. Mass Media is responsible for this development to an extent. In this article, we will learn about Role of Mass Media in Education.

What is Mass Media?

Mass Media comes in various forms.

In other words- Mass Media consists of the tools used for circulating information and ideas. It conveys the information to the masses, both generic and targeted.

Historically, the ability to transfer information was dependent upon only a few things. They were limited to oral information and some manually written information. It was in the form of books, scrolls, documents, etc. As the world became more advanced and complex, the quality of education also enhanced. Therefore, this helped in imparting education quickly, efficiently, and without geographical limitations.

As such, the old-fashioned medium of information was found to be too unworthy for fulfilling the technicalities of the task. Thus, technology made its introduction into the area of delivering education. In other words, various mediums are now available to deliver information.

Categories of Mass Media

Mass Media is divided into 3 categories – 

• Print Media
• Electronic Media
• Digital Media

Print Media

The oldest form of media is print media. It consists of any type of printed material. They include books, newspapers, magazines, journals, newsletters and many more.

Electronic Media

Secondly, we have electronic media which made information entertaining. It was made possible with the help of television, radio, movies and more.

Digital Media

With technology evolving by leaps and bounds, digital media has in a way overtaken the other forms of media. With its help, the conversation became two-sided. Digital Media is a fast and efficient form of mass media. It encompasses all types of social media, blogs, forums, web portals, and others. You can learn more about social media and its effects here.

Role of Mass Media in Education

The technological innovation in mass media of educational communication means that education can now be transmitted to far off places. That too without geographical hindrances. A person sitting in India, for instance, can benefit from a lecture being delivered in the United States. This saves a lot of time, effort, and money. With ever-growing innovations in technology, education can now be transmitted in real time over the computer screen from far off places. The major roles mass media plays in the education field are:

• Universal reach

Mass media has made the world smaller; it has connected people like never before. Education is something which must be universal. Mass media has helped tremendously bridge that gap. In other words, it is now within everyone’s reach and making the world a better place.

• Storage of information

Mass media allows storing information which can be accessed from anywhere at any time. It is available at our fingertips literally, which saves a lot of time and energy. Therefore, it serves as a rather useful resource in the field of education.

• No Physical Constraints

One of the major drawbacks before mass media was a physical constraint but not anymore. Mass media has reduced the distance and made the world smaller for good. For instance, it is not necessary to be present at the place physically to gain knowledge now.

• Organized Influence

Previously, the medium of information was rather unorganized. Now, the mass media of information offers much more organization and sophistication in delivering information. In addition, the authenticity of the information being imparted can be readily checked and reviewed. It is possible with the availability of mass media. This results in the reduction and elimination of false information or rumors.

• Fruitful Results

Another huge advantage of current technological innovation in mass media is the increased memorization capability of students. Many scientific pieces of research have proven that transmitting lectures via an audio-visual format is quite effective. It has a far more positive impact on memorization capacity of the brain than merely an audio lecture.  Above all, this is only possible because of the mass media.