See and hear : the journal on audio-visual learning (1945)

We Filmed Our Ideas; ICONTINUED FROM THE PRECEDING PAGE) supplies, the Teaching Materials Center secured gratis a truck load of discarded wooden boxes and a sizable load of top-grade kiln-dried hard woods from the trash heap of a lumber compan\ in another county. By purchase, the Teaching Materials Service added ready-made games, and bought such miscellany as paints, oilcloth, canvas, duck, and attractive puppet stage stuffs. The materials made either bv individuals or class units in this audio-visual laboratory are absorbed into the school's collection so that they become available for dem- onstration and use b\ the campus at large. Completion of the games was hastened. Meantime, the class made arrangements for us to transfer the kits to' Riley Elementary School in Muncie where the children «ould use the materials noon hours during the closing weeks of Miss Woody s course. We Find Good Lighting Is Essential Then the film making began! In spite of the schedule limits and the handicap of having a very simple assortment of tools, ideas were plentiful. Film shooting was confined to two noon hours. We had planned to operate with a mini- mum of technical equijiment. \^ e wanted to prevent the distraction due to having lighting equi|)ment in the way. Also, since we were striving for a pure documentary rec- ord, we planned to forego the complexity of rehearsals before shooting the action. Critics, of course, have re- minded us that it is evident that we allowed shooting con- ditions which were under par. I now advise that one should use ample lighting and overlook the possibility of intrusion because children are miraculously free of camera shvness when so intent upon their activ ities. Among the film sequences of the children at play, it is easy for the audience to share experiences along with the young actors. For example, one can readily identifv the child's sensation of balance and imbalance which com- bine to fortify or deter progress in a trial walk on the ivalk- ing beam. The element of practice is apparent in the fal- tering steps of some as they negotiate this nine-foot trip vn the beam which is uid\ Sdnie lour inches above the surface of the floor. Further in the film, one is convinced that there is a fertile field for providing for the play periods of the older children. Singly or in groups they were equally diverted with this new supply of puzzles and games. Their re- sponses would lead to the advocation that they "enjoy play as much as the lillle ffilks" and hence need as many games. Reaction to Our Project Is Enthusiastic The final sequence of the film, though very brief, gives glimpses of "Woody" and the class in the Teaching Mate- rials Service WORKSHOP busy with the preparation. Here learning was no chore and the interest was genuine. Of course, the class was delighted with the film. ( How- ever, this group was not unique in its enthusiasm and gratitude to us for the creative help offered in this labora- tory. This is a very enjoyable part of our Services. I These students left Play Education daily, virtually refreshed. Of course, one aspect of the situation plagued them—namely, that there were more ideas than could be executed within time and resource limits. In the main, the film Play Materials in the Elementary School has a two-fold purpose. First, it is a sort of docu- mentary record which is intended to suggest several pre- liminary understandings and to share some planning which may be of assistance to those people who are interested in providing for programs of plav. Secondly, the film is a kind of demonstration piece showing a pattern: or at least one example of the operations whereby a school service produces non-projected and projected instructional mate- rials. This film is a silent motion picture record of a com- bined teachers' college and grade school- experience. Though the majority of similar Library projects are not filmed this was taken because the class wanted it. Result: a Pictorial Record of Cooperation The film, being a vehicle for telling the story of the cooperation between this teachers college class, the school, and the audio-visual laboratory in tackling the problem of what-to-do for indoor play, has been seen by scores of people. They have been chiefly teachers, camp counselors, and administrators seeing it either as a result of renting ir or of purchasing it. School administrators have said that this whets their interest in the multi-sided approach to learning. Moreover, the scheme of putting the devices iin trial increases the value which they and their teachers attach to the widening opportunities for selecting and evaluating instructional materials via the motion picture film. • SEE & HEAR INVITES YOUR ARTICLES M \ our school and communit\ ( xperiences in pro- ducing and applying audio-visual materials can help others! The Editors invite articles for con- sideration and review, subject to space limitations. Roth inss. and pictures will be promptly returned if unusable. Send to See & Hear: 150 E. Superior, Chicago II. .Uter May 1st: 7064 Sheridan Road, Chicau.o 26. ^7 SEE and HEAR