International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

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18 THE CINEMA IN TEACHING The greater part of scholastic edifices in America require, as has been mentioned, a quite special equipment which is beginning to be largely used in view of the fact that it not possible to use for the projection of talking pictures halls only built for silent pictures. The very acoustic qualities of these old halls is not suitable. Such building provision has already been made in several localities, notably in the new junior high schools in Providence, Rhode Island. The significant feature of such halls or rooms are : proper acoustic treatment of walls and ceilings, adequate projection booth, picture screen and sound amplifier, screen placement in correct relation to eyes of pupils ; provisions for optimum light regulation and convenience for film storage. The list of essential points necessitated by the installation of talking picture apparatus in school may be briefly summed up according as to grade and according to the nature of the work of the teacher and the requirements of good technique. As far as the teacher is concerned, what is required is : (a) the teachers 's proper acquaintance with the use of visual aids ; (5) the utility of the film in the particular course or lesson under consideration : (c) the film to form part of the didactic curriculum and not merely serve to illustrate extra-curriculum subjects ; (J) the precise degree of utility of the film as a visual aid should be determined ; (e) due account should be taken of the special characteristics of the sound film such as its different technique. Mechanical problems involved in the class-room operation of talking pictures equipment are simple and easily mastered by the teacher, or even by pupils on the upper elementary levels Given a few outlet electrical connections, the securing of operating power is as simple as plugging in a bridge lamp or an electric toaster. A very little practice renders easy the process of " threading up " and rewinding film. When sound-on-disc is used ; synchronization of sound is achieved by first placing a portion of the film marked " start " in the projector aperture, and then setting the needle of the tone-arm on a similarly labelled grove in the sound disc. Sound level once regulated is as automatically controlled as focussing the film. Most important of all aspects of the educational use of the talking picture is an appreciation of the teacher of the peculiar contributions which the talking picture can make toward the educational outcomes desired. The talking picture is effective not only in direct learning, but also in stimulating the pupil's critical thinking and in fostering his desire to carry his study further and into related fields. Because of the reality of impressions gained from the talking picture, it is a power in developing attitudes and appreciations. The teacher should be aware of this potency and should coordinate accordingly. TALKING PICTURES IN PRIMARY EDUCATION Mrs LAURA Krieger Eads, Ph. D., Research Associate of Erpi Pictures Consultants Inc. reports to us as follows. The pre-school child is a questioning child — he explores his immediate environment, and plies his listeners with innumerable questions concerning the things he observes. His curiosity increases as his environment expands. He is eager to learn, and looks forward to any new experience which may extend his intensely interesting little world. Thus he enters school. Does the primary school enrich the environment of the primary school child ? Does it foster increased interest in the things about him ? Or does it attempt primarily, to teach the tool subects which will aid, after their mastery, in enlarging his world ? Does the young pupil feel that his school life is quite separate from his out-of school existence, where he learns about things in which he is really interested ? Progressive schools definitely aim to provide the pupil with experiences which will aid in his understanding and appreciating his immediate environment. In such schools we find an aquarium, a window garden, a library table and a stereopticon machine. Pupils are taken upon numerous excursions in order to increase their experiences. The aquarium, however, may reveal a most valuable and interesting phenomenon while the pupils are out of the class-room ; pictures, models or objects brought into the class-room are divorced from their original setting ; the printed word is a cumbersome, often meaningless medium for the