Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

Let The Students Handle The Work by Virgil Nutt X-t ET'S take a new look at some of our methods in using audiovisual materials in the teaching of science. We spend, as teachers, a great deal of time preparing visual and audio materials that possibly could be prepared by the children themselves. Possibly we are missing an educative opportunity by not making full use of their talents. Children not only do an acceptable job but they teach themselves in the process. In order to demonstrate the potential values of student participation in preparing materials for visual and oral communication, the author has completed several units of science study using the following described method. Students participating in this project were members of eighth grade science classes at Skiles Junior High School, Evanston, Illinois. There are several units of study adaptable to this particular type of class project. Earth science units taught at the eighth grade level in our school— geology, astronomy and meteorology— are ideal. There are several pieces of audiovisual equipment that can be used to produce our materials. The three pieces of equipment we chose were the overhead projector, the tape recorder and the record player. These three were selected because, used together, they could communicate the basic understandings in a unit of study and also allow for students participation. The overhead projector, a relatively new device in the classroom, has many possibilities not only for teacher use but for use by students. It is relatively simple to use. The preparation of materials for use with this machine, however, is not quite so easy; it takes time, patience, and imagination to create worthwhile visual communications for the overhead projector. The tape recorder, a fairly simple machine, is the ideal medium for producing audio materials related to visual materials. It is simple to operate, and the tape is an excellent means of permanently recording the script necessary to explain, support, or supplement each individual transparent visual. A record player can also be used to produce music as a background for the tape recorded script. Mood music is an excellent way to create atmosphere and can make an entire presentation more colorful. At Skiles Junior High School, the art instructors are available upon request to any teacher in any particular subject area for consultation and actual class assist Virgil Nutt is chairman of the science department of the Evanston (III.) junior high schools and has taught science at the Junior high level for 14 years. He is a consultant to three film producers and has contributed extensively to a children's science encyclopedia. ance. They are always ready with materials, ideas, technical advice and assistance with any project related to the education of children. It is necessary, of course, to confer with the art department and relate to them the details and help needed in the ensuing activity. The cooperation and enthusiasm of the art instructor in such a venture is of prime importance. It is the art teacher who can furnish the ideas and advice concerned with perspective, design, texture, color, etc., that the science instructor usualh' docs not l)ossess. The entire project needs a large degree of pupilteacher planning and a permissive, self-controlled, self-disciplined atmosphere. Children possess a remarkable number of ideas. It is only good sense to make use of their contributions. Actually only an outline of the project is necessary. The students then plan the details while the teacher gives thoughtful consideration to their ideas, takes time to screen them in class, and plan down to an outline of procedure. The instructor is responsible, of course, for the overall course of action. It is also quite necessary to introduce and orient the class to the advantages and limitations of the ecjuipment and materials to be used. The first step we took was one of research reading. Students are encouraged to read not only the subject material in their basic textbook bvit also many of the supplementary texts, pamphlets, library references and science encyclopedias available to them in the classroom and library. It usually takes several days to read and take notes on the subject to be researched. They are allowed class time to do this reading in addition to assigned homework time. It is the task of the science instructor and librarian to make available many sources of information. Each student is instructed to ferret out the basic understandings he thinks are important to the specific unit being studied and to jot them down together with their sources. JL HE next logical step is the compiling of a list of those effects the student would like to create on transparencies. This will take several class sessions. There will be disagreements as to the importance of various facts, and there will be times when a vote will be necessary. It is suri^rising how adamant an eighth grade pupil can become when defending an idea he thinks important. There is value in these discussions, and although it will take time and patience, it is worth the effort. Usually the class will end up with from twenty to thirty topics or basic understandings that are considered important enough to visualize. When all topics are listed, a secretary is appointed to record and ditto the master list so that each pupil has a copy of his own. Each pupil should choose two to four topics he would like to work on. One method for determining topics is to draw names from a box and allow them to select their topics one at a time from the master list. Another method is to just assign topics. 260 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — May, 1962