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Perceptions of teachers towards educational broadcasting: a case study of Victers Educational Channel Kerala

V.S. Pradeep Kumar & Priya Pradeep 2026, Vol. 14, No. 1, 111-124 Himachal Pradesh University Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.64692/hpuj.v14i1.51
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ABSTRACT

Broadcast technologies like television recently played an important role in delivering education, especially during the period of Covid -19 pandemic. The present study explores teachers‘ perceptions towards broadcasting of educational programmes by Victers Educational channel of Kerala. In recent years, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, Victers emerged as a critical platform for continuing formal education when traditional classroom teaching was disrupted. The channel not only ensured continuity of learning but also positioned Kerala ahead of other Indian states in terms of delivering online classes and educational programmes through television. Despite the apparent success of Victers in educational broadcasting, comprehensive research studies remain scarce regarding its effectiveness, accessibility, content quality, and impact on various student populations. The present study tries to provide teachers‘ perceptions on the educational broadcast by Victers channel and its impact on school students in Kerala.

Introduction

Television forms one among the most prevalent and favoured means of mass communication. As an advanced medium in mass communication, television is capable of delivering a diverse array of information to a broader audience in an easy way. The distinctive characteristic of television is that it combines audio and visuals, which makes the delivery of information more effective compared to other media. It additionally possesses the ability to connect a diverse population simultaneously which makes it a perfect communication tool for conveying information to a wide audience. With the support of satellite technology, it connects people from all walks of life by transcending cultural, geographical, and physical confines and constraints. Due to its enhanced availability, television is considered as more efficient media for delivering information in a direct, personal, and captivating manner than any other media (Saltrick et al., 2004; Rathore, 2013).

Television has a significant importance in many countries as an instrument for delivering educational content both in the formal and non-formal system. The remarkable combination of sound and visual technology renders it a powerful tool for advanced educational drives (Valdivia et al., 2013). Observations on the usefulness of television has shown that it can be a powerful tool for students when utilized wisely. Appreciating the prospects of television, educational experts and policy makers have made initiatives to tackle it for accelerating children‘s education by encouraging their academic, linguistics well as social skills. The research conducted by Bates (1981, 1983, 1987, and 1988), Olson and Bruner (1974), and Salomon (1979) propose that television is distinct from other forms of media as it has the ability to convey knowledge, alongside its instructional and teaching implications. Kirkorian (2008) indicates that educational television shows, specifically created in alignment with a curriculum having a distinct aim to impart academic or social skills, successfully instruct their planned teachings. Available research studies on the role of television in imparting education indicates that television can perform variety of roles within an educational framework. Present study tries to evaluate teachers‘ perceptions regarding Victers channel- the educational broadcast initiative operated by General Education Department of Kerala to provide televised learning resources for school children.

Victers is a non-interactive channel first of its kind in India, which exclusively modeled for school children to deliver the educational content in large level. Since its inception in 2006, Victers channel was telecasting its programmes via EDUSAT network with an aim to provide educationally related programmes to students and teachers of Kerala. In 2017 channel is re-named as KITE-Victers (Versatile Information and Communications Technology Enabled Resource for Students) under Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), to add more scope and authority for imparting ICT enabled education to the school children in the state (Ali, 2010; KITE, n.d.).

Research area

The research area was selected to reflect the diverse geographical, educational, economic, and socio-political contexts of Kerala. Four districts were purposefully chosen: Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Wayanad, and Kasaragod. These districts represent a cross-section of the state‘s population in terms of development, demography, and accessibility to educational resources. Thiruvananthapuram, being the state capital, is known for its urban-rural mix and population diversity. Ernakulam, as the economic capital, represents a highly urbanized and economically developed region. Wayanad, the largest district in terms of area, has a substantial tribal population and predominantly rural landscape. Kasaragod, one of the most socio-economically backward districts, was included to understand the challenges faced in remote and underserved areas.

The study was conducted among a random sample of 400 teachers working in high schools and higher secondary schools in the selected districts. Data regarding the demographic details of teachers, accessibility and usage of the Victers channel by their teachers, content quality, program feedback, perception on effectiveness the programs were collected using the ―Victers Educational Channel: Feedback Questionnaire for Teachers‖

Concluding remarks

Based on the comprehensive findings from the quantitative data analysis the following suggestions are made to improve the reach, effectiveness, inclusivity, and impact of the Victers Channel.

1.Introduce interactive features: The lack of real-time interaction is a key limitation of the current Victers model. Implementing interactive tools—such as live chat, moderated Q&A sessions, or scheduled teacher-student video discussions—would allow students to clarify doubts immediately, making learning more responsive and engaging.

2.Diversify content with skill-based learning: To prepare students for 21st century challenges, Victers should integrate programs on practical skills such as computer literacy, financial management, entrepreneurship, and basic coding. These skills are critical for both academic growth and employability in a rapidly evolving world.

3. Personalize Content with AI Integration: Artificial Intelligence can help deliver customized content recommendations based on student preferences, academic performance, and learning pace. This personalization would increase relevance and motivation, fostering more consistent engagement with the channel.

4. Expand evaluation and feedback mechanisms: Students currently lack structured opportunities to assess their understanding after watching programs. Embedding short quizzes, polls, or reflection exercises—accessible via QR codes or online platforms—can enhance learning retention and offer valuable feedback to content creators.

5. Enhance content appeal through multimedia and AR/VR: Incorporating animations, info-graphics, and immersive technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) can make abstract concepts more tangible and appealing. This would be particularly useful for science, geography, and art related subjects.

6. Provide teacher training on Victers integration: Teachers play a pivotal role in encouraging students to use Victers content. Regular workshops, orientation programs, and resource toolkits can help educators effectively integrate the channel‘s content into classroom instruction and homework planning.

7. Use TV and digital platforms complementarily:B While television remains the primary medium, the growing use of smartphones presents an opportunity to diversify access. Broadcasting content across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp can increase reach and offer replay flexibility for students with busy schedules.

8. Improve accessibility in remote areas: Infrastructural limitations like erratic electricity and weak network connectivity continue to exclude students in tribal and hilly areas. Government and community-level partnerships should focus on providing solar-powered TV units, community learning centres, and subsidized access to digital devices.

References

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