Notes for students

Class: B.Ed. IV Sem

Subject: Educational Technology,      Topic: System Approach

Compiled By: Dr. Jyoti Gangrade

System approach has been introduced in the field of education to manage, control and improve the process and products of education. It acts as a link between hardware and software approach. Before going in detail to the system approach, firstly let us try to know what the system means. Webster's dictionary defines a system as "a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole". In simple terms we can say that a system comprises several interrelated components and change in one component in its structure or function affects the functioning of all other components directly or indirectly and of the system as a whole. For example, the human body has a digestive system for digesting the food and converting it into nutrients. Various parts of the digestive system put separately do not constitute the digestive system. Education is regarded as a system consisting of various components; each of these components contributes to and supports the functioning of the system and system approach is a systematic way of designing an effective and economical education system. The concept of educational technology is based on system concept and its application could be made optimally effective with the help of system approach – the methodology emerged out of the concept of wholeness. The system approach to design and analysis of teaching/learning situations is the basis of the great majority of modern educational technology related development. Instead of attacking the problem in an arbitrary manner, the system approach helps solve the problem systematically. It can be looked upon as a mode of thinking that emphasises problem identification and problem resolution. System approach can be applied to many areas in the field of education, such as instruction, curriculum development and so on.

DEFINITIONS OF SYSTEM APPROACH 

Deardeb (1972) says that "the system approach is nothing more or less than what a competent, smart, adequate business executive adopts in the ordinary conduct of his business".

Makridas (1971) says that "the system approach to management is basically a way of thinking. The organization is viewed as an integrated complex of independent parts which are capable of sensitive and accurate interaction among themselves and with their environment".