The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 86 Proceedings of the Department of Visual Instruction Meeting The Educational Screen that many basic problems are not being solved, or even attacked—or else, that the published accounts do not tell some of the best things that are going on. Two criteria for judging written reports in this field should be: (a) What contribution does this article make to a more efficient use of the motion picture in eduoation? and (b) How does this use help in the achievement of modern educational objectives? In-Service Teacher Training in Visual Instruction A discriminating expose of the need, theory, practice and results of an effective teacher-training program. By PAUL C. REED Supervisor Visual and Radio Education, Rocnester, New York THERE is no need for any special in-service training in the use of visual aids for some teachers. These teachers are the ones who know what visual aids are and know how they can be used effectively in classroom instruction. Furthermore, knowing this, they are the ones who are making regular use of visual materials to the end that instruction for their pupils is full of meaning and valu- able outcomes. These teachers are the ones who have had adequate pre-service training or who through sound thinking and practice have trained themselves to use visual aids well. There are other teachers in our schools. There are teachers who do need some assistance in developing their philosophv- and techniques in visual instruction. My own experience has shown that many of these teachers recognize their needs for assistance and welcome opportunities to learn. Some don't. Even casual observation in schoolrooms discloses certain practices which seem to me convincing evidence that there is genuine need for in-service training in visual in- struction. I know that you are familiar with these teachers who misuse visual aids, but let me recall some of them for you. There are teachers who never depart from the textbook. They are "verbal villains." Teaching for them is just so many pages of words a day. They assume that all words are meaningful to all pupils and they fire away at the defenseless victims at the rate of one hundred fifty words or more per minute. Variations occur when pupils are able to save a few of yesterday's meaningless words to toss back at the teacher today in reply to questions. These teachers do not use visual aids at all. Then there are the "if you're good today, children, you can see a movie tomorrow" teachers. Visual aids are disci- pline tools to them. And there are the "parasitic visual instructionists" who borrow whatever visual materials the teacher in the next room happens to have on hand, or they may march their children into the next room to see their movie. Another kind of teacher you will recognize as the "methodical maiden." Rain or shine, whether it's needed or not, every Tuesday or every other Wednesday is visual educa- tion day. On that day her pupils regularly go to the visual room for their visual lesson of the week or month. There are two other kinds of teachers I want to mention. One is the "mass minded," who cannot think of projected pictures without thinking of an assembly hall crowded to the doors— kindergarten and eighth graders treated alike. The other is the "friend of the free." He is the one who for his visual aids depends entirely upon the special interest groups who glory in his naiveness which enables them to warp young minds to their selfish advantages. Probably this list is not exhaustive. There probably are others whose struggling efforts to use visual aids in instruction result only in misuse, but the errors of the ways of these six groups are clearly perceived by those who really understand instruction and visual materials. It would seem then, that if this is so, teachers who make errors in their procedure do not completely understand the media which they are using. To overcome this lack of knowledge should be one of the objectives of any in-service training program. But there are causes other than lack of knowledge which contribute to misuse of visual aids. For instance, lack of adequate facilities is an obvious cause. The "verbal villains" may never have had a chance. Maybe no visual aids are available to them—but I doubt this. The practices of the "methodical maidens" may be the result of a faulty ad- ministrative set-up which assigns teachers to the visual room without concern for needs. The "mass minded" probably got that way because in their schools expensive equipment was supplied for assembly entertainment and its use for instruction has come as an incidental afterthought or excuse. Some film libraries and other central depositaries which distribute visual materials may unknowingly contribute to the continued inefficient use made of their aids by the rules and regulations they prescribe and by their apparent lack of sympathy with the classroom teachers' needs. For instance, I believe that a distributing system which requires a request for visual aids six months or a year in advance does not result in a teacher using the materials when they will be most helpful. Block-booking or the circuiting of films to a group of schools in regular order regardless of specific needs can only encourage misuse of materials. Film libraries that attempt to serve a hundred schools without an adequate number of duplicate copies cannot possibly meet the needs if their films are to be used most intelligently. One day loans stimulate the bad practice of the "if you're good today, children, you can see a movie tomorrow" teachers and the "mass-minded" teachers. If these words about film libraries should happen to be read by those who are responsible for libraries where such practices pre- vail, much could be said in defense. Much of the defense would be entirely valid. But the fact remains that if visual aids are to be used most effectively in the classroom, they must be made readily available to teachers so that they may have them when they need them. Recognition of this fundamental in the planning of visual service and keeping in mind that it is a service for teachers will aid any teacher training in visual instruction program. This suggests that if teachers are to use visual aids more effectively, many factors must be taken into con- sideration. Taking a course in Visual Aids at best can only contribute to a teacher's success in using visual aids. It alone is not the final answer. The way materials are listed in the visual aids catalog may influence teachers' attitudes in their use of materials. Listings that are correlated with courses of study and which give some indication of the age level where greatest values may accrue will suggest the places and purposes for maximum effectiveness.