The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

October, 1923 Enriching Learning Through Visual Aids 379 analogous procedure which we need to follow. Before beginning his planting he inspects his seeder and makes all necessary repairs and adjustments which will put it into very good working order. Next he harnesses his well-kept horse to the vehicle and carefully spreads his tested seed over his prepared ground. Then he covers the seed just as painstakingly, not neglecting to smooth the surface so that the harvesting can be done most economically and efficiently. His returns are what we should expect. He obtains a bumper crop, while his more careless neighbor cited previously complains about his own meager one. What produced the good returns? You will say ''Careful previous preparation, thoughtful sewing, and just as careful turning over of the seed and finishing of the planting." Translated into teaching technique we have determined three principles which should govern our procedure : ( 1 ) Careful preparation before using visual aids in order that real interest may be aroused and meaningful needs felt; (2) Presentation of the essential visual material as a means of meeting the felt needs; and (3) Directing the pupils' interest and efforts growing out of the exposure to the visual aids, into channels of activities providing adequately for review of the content. Of course, this is nothing more or less than the application of the laws of learning — readiness, exercise and effect. The pupils will have in mind definite purposes; they will feel a desire to accomplish their ends; they are ready for the experience presented by the visual materials ; and the success of it will bring satisfaction to them. Hence, learning will have become enriched and effective. The teacher's technique must be just as thoughtful and purposeful whether she is using moving pictures, slides, flat pictures, or other visual education materials. It is not improbable that through such careful adherence to sound educational procedure she will find that visual aids "will supply some of the intermediate steps in the grasping of large conceptions" on the part of her pupils. (Bagley; Editorial in Visual Education Magazine, January, 1923.) The enrichment of the children's experience by means of the visual aids will be evident in any of the types of natural attacks in teaching. The solving of problems, the execution of projects, the use of appreciation lessons and the motivation of drill become productive of better outcomes as a result of the thoughtful introduction of the visual materials. In any one of these activities, it can be seen readily that right use of visual materials is in fact the presentation of an appreciation lesson. Some concrete examples of teaching through visual aids which it has been my good fortune to come in contact with in the Berkeley public schools during the past year or so will serve to illustrate the application of the principles to practice. The first case is indicative of the correct use of a motion picture as an aid to enriching learning in the execution of a project. The pupils of a sixth grade class were studying aboiit Africa. In order that they might construct a floor map of it, they were consulting a large collection of textbooks, books of travel, the National Geographic Magazine, and a variety of other materials which they had obtained. While they were in the midst of their activity, the pictures filmed in Africa by the naturalist, H. A. Snow, were advertised as a coming feature by a local moving picture theatre. The resourceful teacher turned the attention of her pupils to this possibility of getting first hand some important information about Africa. She visited a theatre in a nearby city where the picture was being presented and took notes while it was being shown. These she used as the basis of planning with the children so that when they saw the picture they would have in mind some very definite,