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

FILMSTRIPS by Irene F. Cypher The Forgotten Slide To change slightly the wording of a very well-worn saying, "There is nothing like seeing how the other half works" to give yon greater appreeiation of your own work and work tools. Those of us \vho are familiar with audiovisual materials of instruction and who have been close to them for a goodly number of years sometimes wonder why all teachers do not share our enthusiasm for the effectiveness of these materials. If we ciiuld only take some of the.se teachers out into the great industrial plants and laboratories it might be of some help in stirring up some enthusiasm. For industry today is making full use of many of the same type of materials we use in classrooms. If our pupils are to be prepared to use these materials when they go into industry, it would be a wise move on the part of teachers to see that such materials are already familiar to these same pupils. The thing that brought this to our consideration is an article published recently in an industry journal, the General Dynamics News, (San Diego Edition) and published by the General Dynamics Corporation. Among the articles was one devoted to an account of how audiovisual job stations were operating at the Pomona, California unit of this company. As the article stated: "Audiovisual production of electronic missile components is in full swing at General Dynamics/Pomona. "Introduced on a limited scale last year, audiovisual has been so success Comments and materials for review should be sent to the department editor—Irene F. Cypher, New York University, 26 Washington Square, New York 3, N.Y. Visual letters DIE-CUT CONSTRUCTION PAPER ALPHABETS 10 COLORS 2, 3 & 4 INCH SIZES Write for information Stik-a-letter Co. ot. 2, bm 1400. Esconditfe, cam. ful that some 29 AV work stations have been activated and are now in use in the electronic assembly department. "Use of the .system has resulted in more imiformly-built components, a somewhat higlier rate production rate, and a reduction in assembly errors. "Heart of the audiovisual work station is the AV unit, a combination recorded tape playback unit and color photographic slide projector. The tape gives a step-by-step narrative of the assembly procedure while a series of slides, coordinated with the tape, shows each step visually. "Although the time sequence is carefully controlled during the preparation of each set of aids, the operator can start and stop the AV' machine at any time, thereby setting her own pace. This also prevents arbitrary speedups." The article goes on to report that the same type of unit is also working successful])' at the Fort Worth, T(>xas, plant of the same organization. The article ends by stating, "Performance to date indicates a 'strong potential' for use of audiovisual technicjues. A guidance committee composed of representatives from the major potential u.sers in plant is looking further into its potentialities." To the audiovisual supervisor or director in schools there is nothing radically new in the idea of coordinated tape recorders and colored slides. But how often do we hear of some good projects and results from the use of such units? Colored slides can be a marvelous device; tape recordings can provide both the narration needed to make such slides useful and the type of information needed for a specific purpose and for the particular pupils in the group. Why don't more teachers use this combination? Any one can take his own slides today (certainly photography has become almost foolproof if \<)u read the directions on labels and boxes of film). Slides and a tape recording are, in essence, an individual teaching machine-type device. They can be used in any subject area; they can be used by individuals and by groups. Why, oh why, don't we u.se more slides? This reviewer is honestly puzzled and would just as honestly like to remind teachers that the s a m e projector which projects filnistrips also projects 2x2 slides. Such a projector is therefore a double-barreled source of usefulness in the classroom. Why don't we give some thought to the use of slides and do the same thing industry is doing— provide another type or way of allowing the worker (pupil) to do better work (study)? Colar Slidcsets (2.5 slides to a set; produced by Society for N'isual Education, 1345 Diversey Parkway, Chicago 14, 111.; $10 per set, with Teachers Guide. ) These slide sets give us a glimpse into the land and people of Vrance. \V c s t Ccntiamj, Mexico, Spain. Tlie producers state that such slides provide a background for study of the language of the countries. This statement is certainly true, for they show us famous places, typical rural and city scenes, people in action and geographic locations. If the study of languages is to be meaningful, it is time language teachers had material of this type for discussion, study and analysis by the pupils who are learning to speak the language of these countries. How can we expect pupils of any grade to become familiar with foreign words unless they can use them in a framework of realistic scenes and "atmosphere." These particular slides sets would be excellent for language work, and there is no reason why they would not also be equally effective for social science and geography studies; the same slides would also be interesting to use as background material for a study of literature. In other words, slides can be very effective for many reasons! Building Self-confidence (color filmstrip series; produced by Filmstrip-ofthe-Month Clubs, 3-55 Lexington Ave., New York City 17; $33 per club, see catalog for details of special groupings.) Every pupil needs to be given self-confidence if he is to be the kind of adult who can stand on his own feet, lead a healthy, sane and happy life. In this series we are provided with an opportunity to consider and discuss the significance of individual responsibilities in s(«:iety, need for training for job skills, and the need for building up self-respect. The strips do not provide trite answers to these problems; they pose the problems, and by means of leading questions direct the thought of the viewer to i^ossible answers that have meaning for him as an individual. The arrangement of material is good, and 324 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — June, 1%2