Home Science: Class 11 (Book 1) — Chapter 6: Media and Communication Technology

Communication is the continuous process of thinking, observing, understanding, analysing, sharing, and transmitting feelings, ideas, and knowledge to others. Derived from the Latin word communis, meaning common, it aims to establish a shared understanding between the communicator and the receiver.

• Based on Type of Interaction:
  • One-way communication: Receiver receives information but cannot respond immediately (e.g., radio, TV, lectures, internet search).
  • Two-way communication: Active exchange of ideas between two or more parties (e.g., mobile phone conversations, chatting, a baby crying and being fed).
• Based on Levels of Communication:
  • Intra-personal communication: Communicating with oneself; a mental process of observing, analysing, and planning (e.g., mental rehearsal before an exam).
  • Inter-personal communication: Face-to-face sharing of thoughts between two or more people using verbal and non-verbal modes. Highly effective due to proximity and immediate feedback.
  • Group Communication: Direct communication involving more than two persons, facilitating participatory decision-making and collective action.
  • Mass Communication: Disseminating messages to large, heterogeneous, and anonymous audiences using mechanical devices (e.g., radio, TV, newspapers). Characterized by delayed and indirect feedback.
  • Intra-organisational Communication: Communication within a structured organizational setting, following hierarchical ranks (two-way at the same level, one-way across levels).
  • Inter-organisational Communication: Communication systems developed between different organizations to foster cooperation and coordination (e.g., coordination between the Government of India, ministries, and international agencies).
• Based on Means or Modes:
  • Verbal communication: Auditory modes including speaking, singing, and tone of voice. Individuals spend about 70% of active time in verbal communication.
  • Non-Verbal Communication: Non-auditory modes including gestures, facial expressions, posture, eye contact, touch, clothing, symbols, and sign language.
• Based on Senses Involved:

  Involvement of multiple senses makes learning clearer and more permanent. The retention rates based on sensory involvement are detailed below:

  Senses Involved	Retention Rate	Mode of Communication
  Read	10%	Visual
  Hear	20 – 25%	Audio
  See	30 – 35%	Visual
  Seen and Heard	50% and more	Audio-Visual
  Seen, Heard and Done	90% and more	Audio-Visual and Kinesthetic

• Traditional media: Indigenous channels of communication deeply rooted in local culture. Examples include puppetry, folk theatre, oral literature, fairs, and festivals.
• Modern media: High-tech communication channels developed with modern technology. Examples include mobile phones, computers, satellite television, and the internet.

The table below lists various traditional folk media forms across India:

1. Information: Providing and exchanging information to empower individuals.
2. Persuasion/Motivation: Convincing the audience to accept constructive ideas.
3. Entertainment: Providing recreation through traditional and modern channels.
4. Interpretation: Making complex concepts easy to understand using visual aids like maps and globes.
5. Transmission of values: Fostering a healthy society by teaching wholesome values.
6. Education or training: Enriching learning experiences through interactive media in local languages.
7. Coordination: Facilitating the management of large-scale projects across vast distances.
8. Behavioural change: Driving direct and indirect behavioral changes in health, literacy, and environmental issues.
9. Development: Acting as a catalyst in national development by bridging the gap between specialists and laypersons.

• Cable (land) based technologies: Cheap and less complicated systems (e.g., landline telephone, personal computer without internet).
• Wireless technologies: Systems requiring less physical infrastructure but often more expensive (e.g., radio, microwave, satellite wireless telephony, Bluetooth Technology).

• Radio: Commands a universal audience across geographical and demographic barriers. Transistors enabled reception in remote areas.
• Television: Introduced in India in 1959 to promote education and rural development. Uses advanced visual and sound techniques to maximize impact.
• Micro Computers: Classified into mainframes, mini-computers, and micro-computers. Used for data processing, record-keeping, and global information sourcing.
• Video text: Interactive electronic text service transmitted from a central computer to a home TV set via telephone or cable networks.
• E-mail: Electronic mail system that passes information electronically from sender to receiver via computers or mobile phones.
• Interactive video: A multimedia system combining computer and video technologies to deliver customized content based on user responses.
• Teleconferencing: Interactive group communication linking geographically dispersed participants for meetings and dialogues.