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

FILMSTRIPS by Irene F. Cypher There is a lot of activity in the world today. There is a lot of information to be secured if we are to learn how to live in this world— and the solution seems to be to contact all possible sources in order to secure adequate information. Education is a matter of concern to many people and many organizations. That peculiar phenomenon known as the "curriculum" needs a lot of interpreting if it is indeed to be meaningful for the pupils it serves. This means that we need accurate information, details based on correct statistics, careful research and just as careful planning in the preparation for presentation. The educational producers realized this years ago, and now other organizations wishing to prepare material for educational purposes are coming to realize it. There is no place in our schools for incorrect or one-sided material; there is no time to waste with shallow, hastily whipped up, amateurish materials that are neither stimulating to the intellect nor valuable in terms of pupil interests. A majority of those who are teaching today went through the period of what was so poorly termed "progressive" methods. We need to be progressive and forward looking in education, but this does not mean that "anything goes." The truly progressive teacher today wants materials that pertain to the most modern of methods, but this does not mean that there will he no planning, no system, no foim, no discipline. We have noted frequent use of the word "creativity" when referring to materials and activities. Now this is a very nice word when used properly, but we do hope it does not go through the same mis-use that "progressive" suffered. We are all in favor of allowing pupils to create materials; we are heartily in favor of anything that stimulates pupils to look about them and to really see things for themselves. But we are not in favor of hit-or-miss activities. Some of the danger signs we personally hate to see are to be found in the well-meaning but not always welltrained efforts to produce films, filmstrips and other materials. The camera is a wonderful instrument— but behind the camera should be a planned shooting script; a definite outhne of shots or scenes to be included; a good session of editing; an opportunity to reshoot if necessary or at least to get other originals if the first ones are inadequate. Many communities have unique resources that should be made available for use in the schools. We need films, filmstrips and slides based on such original and regional resources, but they should be photographed or produced by those who know something about production and who devote careful efforts to making these resources available in a format worthy /ludic CARDALOG® Record Reviews on Cards Box 1771— Albany 1, New York D Please enter_ .1 year subscription(s) to Audio CARDALOG, 400 cards — 10 issues — $25.00 n Please -send us full information about Audio CARDALOG. Name Organization or School . Address . Gty and State of viewing and study. If anyone reading this column has dreams of setting about a program of creative production of local or regional materials, we beseech them to hold a first session to think through all facets of such a program, and then to organize steps so that the end product justifies the time spent in creating the material. Study Prints— li you are looking for prints to illustrate units dealing with Oceanography and Moon Exploration, let us direct you to the new series produced by the Communitij Educational Resources Dept. of the Dept. of Education, San Diego County, San Diego, California. There are four sets of prints— "What Is Oceanography?" "The Oceanographic Tower"; "Moon Exploration (Part I)" and "Moon Exploration (Part 11)"; and a wall chart "Exploration of Inner Space." The picture sets have from 14 to 16 prints, and are well photographed. San Diego is an area where many scientific, educational and governmental groups are engaged in oceanographic research. It is in the laboratories and production rooms that many of the missiles and materials of modern exploration are being created. Therefore the diagrams and pictures included in these study print sets bring us the latest information from such groups. The set devoted to moon exploration shows us present equipment to be used and also designs for future manned vehicles. It is interesting to see what has been planned for the production of space stations and lunar bases. And it is equally interesting to see how man proposes to continue plumbing the depths of the ocean to continue research first instituted with the Beebe Bathysphere. There is no questioning the fact that the subject content of these prints will be of interest to today's pupils; it is equally true that the prints are well organized for study purposes and well reproduced. (For prices write to Community Educational Resources, San Diego County Educational Center, San Diego, California.) Ancient Rome and Modem Rome (2 filmstrips, color; produced by Knowledge Builders, Visual Education Building, Floral Park, Long Island; $6.00 each with script; $7.50 for additional 3314 L.P. record). We understand many of today's problems if we have a concept of the historical foundation provided by Rome, both ancient and modern. These strips take us to this historic city and show us how the Eternal City has influenced the course of development through the ages. The 390 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — July, 1962