Improvised media is widely recognised as a major tool in teaching for learners to grasp

certain concepts. It has been identified as one of the key tool for learners to grasp concepts.

Children are viewed as wanting to learn from concrete things they see therefore it seems

natural to have media based teaching as performing a vital role in art education. From what

the writer earned during her teaching practice, learners learn best in an environment that

allows them to explore, discover and play in art. The essay shall look on discuss how a

classroom teacher can improvise art media at grade 5 level. The term media is going to be

defined as the essay proceeds.

Martin (1994) defines improvisation as the power to create. Shem Toc (2011) says

improvisation is shaped by flexibility and transformation creation to suite the

requirements of the situation . Therefore improvisation refers to the efforts by

teachers to create objects to replace those that cannot be found Carlson (2015)

explains improvisation as making the most of what you have and getting the most of what

you make. Crossan (2018) states that improvisational techniques sometimes are referred to as

activities, exercises or games, are tools that can be added to any existing set of teaching

strategies. From the above definitions the improvisation can be defined as the use of available

materials at the present to replace those materials that may be expensive or unavailable and

promotes creativity as well. Media are the means for transferring or delivering messages.

Media is called the educational medium when the medium transfers message for teaching

(Li-Ling, 2006). Masterman, (2009) defines media as teachers’ helper tool in conducting the

teaching- learning process. Therefore media can be defined as materials that are used to make

the teaching and learning process much easier to both the teacher and learners, through the

use of sense in the teaching and learning process.

Duhaney (2000) say that by making use of the local environment and all available odds and

ends of scrap materials, the resourceful teacher is probably developing a more genuine and

natural approach to Art in the children themselves. To elaborate the above point, many

primary schools have very little in the way of commercially produced materials such as paint,

brushes and fibers but it is the duty of a competent teacher to use the local materials or

environment to produce his own materials rather than just wait for the school to buy

resources. When there is a shortage of resource materials the teacher should be in a position

to improvise and initiate some resources. Locally available materials such as tree needles

,grasses or straw can be used to make bristle for painting . The bristle can then be

bound to a handle found also in the local environment. Materials such as , sticks

from the yard , bamboo or a yard stick can be used to improvise for paint brushed .

Glue can be used to bind the bristle material to the handle. When improvisation is

utilized in a small group collaborative teaching and learning activities in a learner-centred

environment. , it can be a powerful teaching tool

More so, teachers face the challenge of lack of papers. In Art papers can be used in various

classroom activities. These activities include folding, collage and others. Teacher should ask

his or her learners to gather magazines, envelops, old newspapers and cardboard boxes so that

there will be no shortage of resources. For example, when a teacher teaches a concept on

modelling, pupils can make the map of Zimbabwe using old newspapers. . The implication is

that pupils will remember what they see better than what they hear only and that more and

better learning results from experiences gained through as many of the senses as possible.

This gives credence to the Igbo (Nigerian) proverb “what I am told, I forget; what I see, I

remember; what I do, builds castles in my mind” (Best and Khan 2002).Adding on,

improvised media paves way for standardized information delivery. Each student sees and
learns the same message, hence forming the basis for further study, practice and appreciation.

Attention is ensured through the use of instructional media.

The Art and Design teacher can improvise models using card box in the teaching and learning

of Art and Design. Some models are solid and show only the outline of the object they

portray, while others can be manipulated or operated. Still others, called cut-away, are built in

sections and can be taken apart to reveal the internal structure. Whenever possible, the

various parts should be labelled or coloured to clarify relationships. John (2009) postulates

that although a model may not be a realistic copy of an actual piece of equipment, it can be

used effectively in explaining operating principles of various types of equipment. They are

especially adaptable to small group discussions in which learners can ask questions, is more

effective if it works like the original and can be taken apart and reassembled. the teacher

may ask learners use green leaves from the local environment for painting . ln this

instance the teacher shares ideas with the learners on how to improvise for art media

. The teacher assists learners to gather materials from the local environment which

they can use to improvise for art media .This can be fun and interesting to the

learners . it will also help the learners to gather important knowledge of local

resources that they can use to improvise for art media

Different barks from different trees produce different colours they can be used in place

of paint for example the redwood tree bark can be used in place of red paint .

Manuel (2002) Learners learn by inductive discovery that is, they learn by doing rather than

being told what to do. They are experiential, hands-on, engaged, constantly connected with

first-person learning, games, simulations, and role playing. They are a participatory culture;

they are not spectators. Learners are believed that they are intuitive visual communicator

when using green leaves for painting. They will be visually literate, comfortable in an image-

rich rather than a text-only environment, and able to weave together images, text, using
painting techniques Drawing equipment may also be improvised using materials that are

locally available in the environment . . Charcoal can be picked from the fire place in

little fragments and used for drawing . These can be used as a substitute for pencils.

Some soft rocks such as limestone and soap stone can be used as chalks for drawing

. For drawing , needs can be sharpened and be used for drawing and lettering . It

fosters collaborative learning by helping to build trust, respect, and team spirit as well as

listening, verbal and nonverbal communication, ad-libbing, role-playing, and risk-taking and

storytelling skills.

.
REFERENCES

Carlson, S. (2015). The net generation goes to college. The Chronicle of Higher Education,

52 (7).

Crossan, M. M. (2018). Improvisation in action. Organisation science, 9 (5), 593- 599.

Duhanie (2000). Playing along 37 group activities. Duluth, MN: Whole Person Associates.

Khan B. (2002). An Approach to Teaching. The Teacher’ Handbook. Gwanda:Flamework

Publishers.

Mastermind (2009) Research Method and Statistics in Education. Gweru: Beta Print.

Doyle, W. (2011) Academic Work. Review of Educational Research 53; 159-169.

Gordon, J. (2000) Choice Opportunity and Learning. London: David Fulton Publishers.

Manuel . (2002). The Theory of Practice of Teaching. London: Kogan.

Johnson, S.I. (2000). Fundamental of improvisation for school science equipment Martin

(1994). Improvisation in integrated Science. A practical demonstration, A paper presented at

the 24th annual conference of STAN held at the University of Jos between 11th - 15th Sep.

1983.

Shem . (2011). The information-age mindset: Changes in students and implications for higher

education. EDUCAUSE Review, 35 (5), 15-24.