Tuesday, January 19, 2010

ManishChand:ASSESS THE ROLE OF AUDIO VISUAL AIDS IN EDUCATION

Audio-visual aid is the best tool for making teaching effective and the best dissemination of knowledge. Audio –visual material can be included tape recorder, radio, movie, projector method etc. If we use the audio-visual material for elementary education as curriculum, the objectives would be followings.
Augmented Instruction
This is one of the important objectives of using audio visual material, using the application of slides and films in the classroom. Here teachers can use the audio visual aids to reinforce their teaching in the context of a lecture or activities based lesson. Thereafter, teachers can demonstrate any motivational movie according the needs of situation and relevant topic.
Independent Learning
In the classroom, films, audio tapes and video tapes can be used instead of personal student teacher contacts. This forms of instruction can be used in continuing government schools where the teachers are not available adequate. Typically, informative and motivational films on selected topics and video tapes transmitted via various TV networks are typical of these types of material.
Self-assessment, Evaluation and Role playing
At the elementary school, the introduction of video tape recording equipment which does not require elaborates production facilitates stimulating the use of television for the self-assessment of children. Tape recorders can be replayed for the purpose of self-analysis by the children or peers analysis with their classmates.
Therefore, “small group is an integral part of the Problem Based Learning approach, used consciously and conscientiously to achieve the learning outcomes”. (Benson et al., 2001).


Enhance capacities for learning

It is argued that purposefully designed and successful small group learning facilitates learning through the development of audio-visual material that supports and promotes both cognitive and meta-cognitive development. Teachers may show some movie, cartoon and slow-motion animation for the use of teaching. Having finished, teacher can instruct children to sit in small group and tell what they saw. The ‘structures’ in small group can be applied as problem based learning, along with the tutorial process and the use of scenarios, help the students to learn how to learn in groups and learn how to anticipate, prevent, cope and deal with the difficulties that they will experience working in this way.

Manner of Using Audio and Visual Aids

Learning of children can be influences effectively by the audio-visual aid. Teachers can use television or projector method to explain the scientific phenomenon. It will take less time in describing the minute details of the things comparatively traditional method. Through television children can watch the big image of the object such as solar eclipse, use of water cycle , vermi composting, vermiculture , stories , drama, and composting in elementary education text book etc..
Audio visual will very useful and meaningful for those students belonging to literature background. All the genre of literature (novel, drama, tragedy, comedy etc.) can be shown easily through this device. Students will learn to understand it very soon without reading. Reading may seem little boredom but audio visual aid will maintain and hold the interest of students. The impact of television would be hundred times more than book.
Nature of learning

Audio visual aid will serve effective method in disseminative knowledge even in overcrowded classroom. Without this technical device, poorly teacher prepared cannot hold the class properly. If teachers use the help of audio visual in class such as projector, which would definitely stimulate imagination and catch the attention of students. Teachers often give instruction heavily loaded abstract verbalisms which seem meaningless sometime. So in case, teaching should be in simple and lucid manner. Hence, use of audio visual aid in classroom, will lead towards learning with understanding, learning by watching and learning as fun not as burden. Teachers should know which things of it are relevant and which are irrelevant, specially which how audio visual aid may contribute to an understanding of the lesson being taught. Therefore, it is essential for any teacher who wants to be successful teacher, must plan carefully and worked out in advance.

Benefit of Audio Usual Aid

Teacher may demonstrate in many types of slide and movie in the classroom. It will enrich their understanding and vocabulary about the uses of language. Through recording, radio and tape, teacher can tell telecast many interesting and informative news, history and story. These will build a creative environment in elementary class children. Apart from that “an understanding of the arts-painting, sculpture, the dance, handcrafts-can readily be taught by means of television. And both radio and television are valuable media for teaching musical forms”. (R. Murray Thomas,chapt. 4 p. 116)

There is no doubt that technical device have greater impact and dynamic informative system. No other than this, can excel in providing knowledge. education, informative, knowledgeable, and motivation movie may be the milestone in imparting the quality education in lowers classes. Audio is a very effective medium of communication, which catch the heart and mind of people. audio visual aid may also lead towards wrong path way if it is misused. If children are shown excess movie, it could also bring serious repercussion in the life children. Therefore, teacher should not totally dependent upon audio visual aid. They should also encourage and promote self learning and textual culture.

It is needless to say that in certain area of schools at elementary level, the use of audio-visual materials is essential to the dissemination of the information and the skills or technique which is being taught the children. When audio- visual material are compulsory for the teaching –learning process, then it is obvious that the teacher could be replaced for these schools by a well-trained projection , functioning equipment and well-prepared self-explanatic material, such as audio visual software materials. When such areas of curricula can be identified in advance, it is clear that a great saving of time and talent of the teacher can utilized in another creation of innovative work.

It is important to note that utilization of audio-visual aid is very much dependent upon the ability of the teachers to be aware of their ability and have access to them.

Limitation
Due to use of audio visual aid in the classroom, many teachers feel fear making embarrassment errors. They do not feel comfortable. Using of audio visual aids decreases teacher’s autonomy in the classroom. They find themselves as motor which is run by remote control. It also creates frustration and panic fear of committing more mistakes. They do not find natural environment where they deliver their knowledge. This technical device leads disappointed performance. “ Electronic equipment may frighten teachers with its apparent complexity. At least part of this fear comes from the expectation that something may go wrong during the lesson causing the instructor the embarrassment of appearing inept, unable to control the teaching situation’’(R. Murray Thomas, Chapt. 4,p.118)

Regarding facilities, equipment and capabilities required for extend use of audio-visual materials in schools will differ depending upon a wide variety of factors like space, funding and electricity. The biggest factor is to note that it is not problem of hardware or software but the educational objectives of the teachers and the motivational issues of the children. Audio-visual aid is necessary to be typically and regionally in order to assist in gaining optimum learning. It is somewhat hard to achieve such learning if there is only one centre it is because of schools locations, educational objectives differ from place to place.

Purpose of learning
It is matter of fact that still teacher have old notion regarding use of audio visual instruction as only entertainment. They do not proper use of these modern technologies and its implication. They are out of sympathy with modern educational philosophy and psychology, both of which stress the vital part interest plays in learning. For those teachers, any electronic devices are made to reduce learning difficulties and make it more “soft pedagogy” entertainment and not education. But it’s real use and purposes something different. Audio visual aid not designed to amuse the pupil but to increase his interest in and their comprehension of the topic being studied by presenting several different slants on it especially through his most used senses-sight and hearing.” (Mckown and Robert, 1949,p.6)

Audio visual materials have always been used for instruction in hope of reducing the heavy teaching loads that have been increasing stress for children . it is seen that audio visual materials has been teacher oriented mechanism. It is not good thing. In such atmosphere, teacher either projects the visuals or plays the audio from a central position at his/her desk. After that, students are supposed to look or listen to the programme presented. It should not be like that rather teacher should encourage among students for healthy and fruitful discussion in the classroom. For growth of learning, interaction is dire of between students and teachers.

Specific subjects
As for as specific subject is concerned in schools’ curriculum, in practical there is no separate subject included for audio visual By and large, audio visual aid is part of teaching method which is designed to assist in the classroom along with presentation of material (concept, knowledge, and ideas). Audio visual aid is basically admired for best in the literature, mathematics, science, shopwork and other field, both as curricular and extracurricular. In these fields, with the help of technical device, children can have understanding and replicate it.

Age of students
Audio visual aid may be used by after 6th old age. Children can play play games and learn computer, typing functions. Children can learn at early age, faster than later period of their life. Children find computer as toy and like to play with it. Use of electronic device, can make learning fun and easy for children under 6-14 old age.
Socio-cultural context of learners

It is an important factor which impinges upon overall personality. It is very necessary for the use of electronic devices such as, tape recorder, television, computer, and radio, children‘s family must be educated and sensitive towards implication of these operation. After that, it is possible to make best use of these electronic devices in purposeful and meaningful way. Otherwise, it may bring complex repercussion for children. Children belonging to WSS (weaker section of society) may not be able to facilitate these things at home and send their children in decent school where these modern technologies are equipped.

Conclusion
In this way, we understood that audio-visual aid is the best tool for making teaching effective and the best dissemination of knowledge. Audio –visual material can be included tape recorder, radio, movie, projector method etc. Not to say that it has also some limitation that all schools cannot afford this modern technological devices because it is difficult to adopt this approach in government schools where still no adequate teachers, funding and proper infrastructure of classroom and water,toilet facilities. If this audio visual material is provided to govt. school, it will be a only show piece because teachers are also not very acquainted with it. Audio-visual material can be afforded by elite schools and also its use can be realized truly.



References

Benson, G., Noesgaard, C. and Drummond-Young, M. (2001) Facilitating small group learning. In Rideout, E. (ed.) Transforming Nursing Education through Problem-Based Learning. Sudbury: Mass, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 75–102.

Thomas, M, Kobayashi, (1987), Educational Technology-Its Creation, Development and Cross-Cultural Transfer, (Chapter 4, “Educational Radio and Television-Their development in advanced countries” and Chapter 5, “Educational Radio and Television-Their transfer to developing societies and Chapter 10 “The meaning of Educational technology in the modern world” Pegamon Press.(two articles)
Mc Known C. H 7 Roberts B. A (1949). Audio-Visual Aids to Instruction, Mc Graw Hill Book Co. Inc

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot. It relly helps me.