{"id":16780,"date":"2016-01-14T15:54:17","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T19:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=16780"},"modified":"2016-01-14T15:54:17","modified_gmt":"2016-01-14T19:54:17","slug":"why-shortwave-radio-is-still-a-superior-educational-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/why-shortwave-radio-is-still-a-superior-educational-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Shortwave Radio is Still a Superior Educational Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"PES-SouthSudan\"

Children in South Sudan listen to their shortwave radio (Photo: PESS\/ETOW)<\/p><\/div>\n

Reader and contributor Dr. Ed Harris recently authored an excellent article in which he describes why shortwave radio remains\u00a0a practical and accessible educational technology in today’s\u00a0world.<\/p>\n

And he should know.<\/em>\u00a0 Ed\u2013\u2013a long-time DXer and world traveler, currently studying to be a ham radio operator\u2013\u2013is also a professor of educational leadership at Oklahoma State University<\/a>\u00a0College of Education, where he teaches courses in leadership, ethics, and research. Additionally, he\u00a0oversees the Brock International Prize in Education<\/a>, which discovers and awards the best ideas in education and showcases them to the world.<\/p>\n

Ed is also an\u00a0Ears To Our World<\/a>\u00a0advisory board member\u2013\u2013not to mention, a good friend: we’ve travelled together on behalf of Ears To Our World to offer support with educational technologies in parts of the world where they’re needed.<\/p>\n

Ed\u00a0has kindly allowed me to post his full article here on the SWLing Post,<\/em> as I believe many of you will appreciate this.<\/p>\n

\n

\"whole-earth-catalog\"<\/h1>\n

Using\u00a0 \u201cWhole Earth\u201d Criteria to Explain Why Shortwave Radio is Still a Superior Educational Technology<\/h1>\n

Ed Harris, Oklahoma State University – College of Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As a professor of education, I see concerted efforts across the planet to increase educational opportunities for all global citizens. Governments and institutions are acknowledging that education is vital to social and economic sustainability for everyone, everywhere. For some global citizens, the convergence of the Internet with modern instructional technologies has provided advanced and rewarding educational opportunities.\u00a0 However, numerous geographical regions are still plagued by educational inequities that result in social and economic disparities.<\/p>\n

While there are no quick fixes for these inequities and disparities, the issues can be boiled-down to two interrelated factors: \u00a0(1) isolation (i.e., insulation from available and accessible services) and (2) poverty (i.e., insufficient means to procure services). Isolation is a huge problem domestically and abroad. In all parts of the world, rural is rural<\/em>.\u00a0 In those areas where people are geographically or politically isolated from available services, the Internet and innovative technologies actually perpetuate educational inequities and widen the digital divide between the have and have-nots. \u00a0Moreover, in many areas, the lack of money for basic electricity and Internet subscriptions compound the problem, making educational inclusion virtually impossible.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, a colleague and I published an article regarding the above dilemmas in light of the accessibility and sustainability of modern educational technologies.[1]<\/a> We explained that although we live in the 21st<\/sup> Century, we could benefit significantly from the criteria that \u201cWhole Earth Catalog\u201d used to select sustainable, user-friendly tools for their publications.<\/p>\n

For you non-Baby Boomers, the \u201cWhole Earth Catalog\u201d was a collection of creative articles and durable, practical tools published from 1968 to 1972 and sporadically thereafter.[2]<\/a> Whole Earth editors did not just curate tools; they curated ideas and promoted a philosophy by which to use those tools. Whole Earth technologies were timeless and provided opportunities for personal growth and social development. Before any product was included in the Catalog, it must have met a rigid set of standards:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. High quality at a reasonable cost,<\/li>\n
  2. Easily accessible,<\/li>\n
  3. Useful and relevant to independent or self education, and<\/li>\n
  4. Capable of launching a cascade of new opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Rather than applying the above criteria specifically to radio, we applied them to a wide array of instructional technologies. However, when shortwave radio is held up to the scrutiny of Whole Earth\u2019s standards, readers can see below that radio clearly ascends to the top of the \u201ced-tech\u201d pyramid.<\/p>\n

    Standard 1: A Good Tool Offers High Quality at a Reasonable Cost<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"EtonRadio\"High quality and affordability are obvious factors in any discussion on sustainable technologies. Educators must consider the cost of ownership and return on investment as they seek to adopt new educational technologies. While computers and mobile devices are quite popular in today\u2019s educational settings, their cost prohibits them being used by many across the globe. On the other hand, shortwave radio is relatively inexpensive. Low-cost shortwave receivers can be purchased in almost every part of the world. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Moreover, simple, inexpensive shortwave regenerative receivers can be easily built with a few parts. Even in the most disadvantaged parts of the world, one can find shortwave receivers, and many radios now include hand-cranked devices that provide power without batteries. To add to radio\u2019s cost appeal, listening is absolutely free and does not require special apps or subscription fees.<\/p>\n

    Standard 2: A Good Tool is Easily Accessible<\/strong><\/p>\n

    In the \u201cWhole Earth\u201d days, accessibility was expressed in terms of how easily the technology could be mailed or shipped. For instance, while large harvesting combines were not seen in the publications, sickles, pocketknives and books were prominent. An inaccessible tool is useless, while an accessible tool is invaluable.<\/p>\n

    Academic fields such as Educational Technology differentiate between (1) availability<\/em>, which concerns how readily obtainable a technology is, and (2) accessibility<\/em>, which concerns the skills one needs to successfully employ the technology in the manner intended. An example might be digital library services. Most universities make available<\/em> a wealth of research materials online for anyone who has university credentials to log in to their system. However, while these materials are available, they are not necessarily accessible to users who are unable to navigate the library website, remember his or her login credentials, or have the search skills to interact efficiently with digital databases. Thus, when adopting new educational technologies, both availability and accessibility must be considered and planned for.<\/p>\n

    \"Earth-ClipArt\"Regarding the accessibility of shortwave transmissions, radio may be the most available and readily accessible technology in the world. Shortwave radio remains the only medium capable of direct communication from one country to listeners in another country without intermediaries such as satellites, cable companies, or Internet providers. Shortwave signals can be accessed anywhere on the planet, and radio is a safe way of providing information to areas of conflict or during an emergency.<\/p>\n

    Unlike most other radio communications frequencies (such as those used by FM radio, WiFi networks and Mobile Phones) which are limited to local or line-of-sight propagation, shortwave radio signals bounce off the ionosphere and blanket earth with broadcasts and information.\u00a0 Every corner of the globe can receive shortwave radio broadcasts with even a simple $20 portable radio. When radio is seen as an available, accessible, and affordable educational tool, potential educational opportunities sources dramatically widen and serve to bridge the digital divide.<\/p>\n

    Standard 3: A Good Tool is Useful for Self-education<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"ETOW-Uganda-Radio\"For educators, self-directed learning (SDL) is a top goal in the educational process. In SDL, the individual learner takes the initiative and the responsibility for what occurs and has the opportunity to choose from a range of available and appropriate resources. Thus, since opportunity and choice can empower a person to grow in his or her capacity to be self-directing, these factors should be nurtured and promoted in educational processes.<\/p>\n

    The Internet is example of a technology that nurtures self-direction and promotes both informal and formal learning opportunities. However, even the Internet does not surpass radios usefulness in self-education. Research indicates that radio is more than just music, news and entertainment. Rather, radio listening can meet educational needs such as individualized learning, belongingness, self-esteem, independent learning, and even self-actualization in a variety of different ways. Listeners can engage simply by selecting the format type that meets their requirements at any specified period of time.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

    Moreover, radio listening is edifying because listeners hear current events and ideas from different perspectives across the world. The choices of the learner in radio listening are paramount because he or she can choose the station, choose what they want to get from the experience, and choose with whom they would like to share that experience.<\/p>\n

    Standard 4: A Good Tool Launches a Cascade of New Opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"Opportunity-ClipArt\"Whole Earth editor Kevin Kelly often reminded readers that all technologies create their own set of problems; however, superior technologies result in new opportunities and ways to solve problems.[4]<\/a> \u00a0Whole Earth was at the forefront of reminding readers of the cycle of\u00a0 (1) new tool, (2) new challenges, and then back to (3) new tools. In educational terms, when a learner completes a learning cycle, he or she is not only gaining personal and professional knowledge and skills, but impacting future learning as well.[5]<\/a> The cyclical cascade of opportunities from shortwave radio is impressive. For example:<\/p>\n