M.Ed. (Education) / This study of the design of support material for educational television programmes has been undertaken for the following reasons: in order to realize educational television's full potential it must be supplemented with support material; several types of support material had to be identified; problems regarding the design of support material had to be identified. A literature study concerning learning and the learner was undertaken. It was concluded that the adult learner may choose whether he is going to enter the learning situation or not. If he feels threatened by or dissatisfied with the learning situation he can leave and seek a learning situation that suits his needs. The adult learner also undergoes different stages of adulthood and this determines his specific learning needs. A literature study of specific institutions and projects that utilize support material as well as specific types of support material was done. The following conclusion was drawn that the majority of projects or institutions make use of television, textbooks and/or study guides. A variety of other media may be used to support the above...

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / Teaching and learning activity is characterised by effective communication. Teaching and learning as communication is successful when the learner has taken in new information with understanding. Effective teaching cannot take place unless effective communication takes place. On the other hand effective communication depends on media that are used in the teaching-learning activity (Heinich, et al, 1989: 13). In the teaching and learning of biology, educational media are important. The study of biology is a practical venture that requires the use of media e.g. realia, models, pictures and chemicals. Biology needs to be learnt through active participation, experience, observation and investigation by both the learner and the educator. This is not possible without the . use of media. In real life, the learner's senses are stimulated by media such as real objects, pictures, radio, television, books, etc. In the teaching of biology, the learner's senses must be equally stimulated. It is therefore necessary that the biology teacher be continuously reminded of the Chinese proverb which says, " I hear, and I forget; I see and I remember. I do, and I understand" (Dwyer, 1993: 194).