SELECTING AND DESIGNING APPROPRIATE

TEACHING/LEARNING RESOURCES

• What kind(s)/style(s) of teaching did/do you

enjoy the most?
• In planning your lesson do you always think on
elements that are important to make your
lesson more effective (attainment of
objectives at a maximum possible level)
• What do we need to make communication
(info sharing in different t/l context) with our
learners more supportive and effective?
 Media selection
• What does the term selection means?
• Why do you select?
• What factors do you consider in making your
selection?
• Does the use of media alone ensure for the
attainment of the lesson objectives(promote
learning)?
The Answer is: the use of media alone does not lead
to student achievement or promote leaning.
Rather it is their careful selection and skillful
handling by the teacher that renders them useful
in facilitating learning
For that reason: media selection is a very important
stage in teacher’s preparation (planning process)
for teaching.
What does “media selection” mean?
Media selection refers to options that teachers have
at their disposal as to what kind of media can be
applied in teaching and learning so as to bring
about effectiveness in teaching and learning.
In making decision on what media to be used in
the T/L process a teacher need to answer these
questions (Khalid Al-Umran)
1. What is the size of your class?
2. Where is your media going to be positioned for
it to be seen or heard without strain?
3. How easily can the media be interrupted? (for
pupil response and for providing feedback)
4. Does the media allow for presentation that is
adaptive to the learner’s response?
5. What does the desired instructional stimuli
require? (colour, still pictures, written words)
6. Which media provide best for incorporating
the learning objectives?
7. Which media provide more of the
instructional events?
8. How much disruption does using the media
cause?
9. Is the back up easily available incase of
equipment or power failure?
10. How do cost compare with probable
effectiveness?
In media selection process, teachers identify the
media most likely to support the classroom
instruction based on their analysis of the
following factors:
-Messages/Subject matter
-Objectives (introducing a concept, motivating,
training etc)
-Audience i.e learners’ characteristics (age, gender,
educational level, learning styles (auditory-
musical/aural, visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic
kinesthetic/physical, logical/mathematical,
social/interpersonal, solitary/intrapersonal)
-Resources (equipments, facilities, costs ie the
needed vs available resources)
-Setting (group size, T/L context (environment
where the T/L process takes place
-Time constraint (Preparation and Usage)
-Teacher’s characteristics (your skills, preferences,
experiences etc)
The media must provide information related to the
essential concepts and skills as well as support
the learning activities for student achievement.
Note:“a good media is like a window, it should not
call attention to itself, it should just let in the
light”
 Media Selection on the Basis of
Teaching Approaches
Teaching can be viewed from different
perspectives such as:
 Transmission,
 transaction/interactive and
 transformation process.
The information below highlights how selection
of appropriate teaching and learning materials
can be done in different teaching approaches.
 Transmission approach
Transmission approach assumes knowledge as
being out there to be acquired or transmitted.
The learners are viewed as passive receivers of
information, or as empty vessels to be filled with
knowledge, ideas, numbers, values and skills.
The teacher spends most of the time talking,
elaborating and engaging learners in activities.
It includes methods such as lecture, storytelling,
guest speaker and other methods that are
teacher centered
Factors to consider in Media Selection
• A teacher’s voice; clarity of voice, intonation
pausing and repeating important points
• Audio-visual materials are more preferable, so
that learners can see and listen.
• Realia and locally available materials which
are familiar to the learners are the best. 
Media selection under this approach
serves the following purposes;
Helping the teacher to emphasize points that he
or she feels need further clarification.
Enabling the teacher to pause and change
teaching styles from all time talking to
showing the visual material on board.
Using the media as way to help learners who
cannot hear well the teachers voice
Awaking learners who lose interest due to
prolonged teachers’ talk
 Transaction Approach
• The transaction approach (also known as interaction
approach) allows the exchange of views and
information.
• Assume student participation and even contribution
during the learning process.
• Knowledge is assumed to be generated or shared and
consolidated during the transaction process.
• The common practices of this include: Questioning in
the class/lecture, discussions (whether plenary
discussions, group discussions, discussions in pairs,
panel discussions), seminars, debates, and other
methods that emphasize sharing of information.
 Factors to Consider in Media
Selection:
A teacher has to provide materials that engage
learners in discussions and other tasks. These
may include Photographs, realia, pictures,
printed materials, stories or any other useful
information from newspapers or magazines.
Media are frequently introduced as the lesson
commences.
Visual, audio and audio-visual media such as
globes, maps, games, video tapes,video disks and
digital video disks (DVD) are normally used.
 The Usefulness of Media in the
Interaction Approach
Facilitates lesson delivery: A teacher’ lesson is
guided by those media, since the media is
displayed from the beginning, and hence it will
guide the lesson development.
Enhances interaction: Groups have to share
understandings among themselves under the
guidance of the teacher, so that all learners
benefit from the lesson.
Enhances learners to achieve their tasks through
cooperative and collaborative learning
 The Transformation Approach
The transformation approach changes learner’s
belief system and attitudes or view of reality
from one form into another.
Learner and content interact in such away learners’
beliefs and attitudes are being transformed.
These includes T/L methods such as role play,
simulation, games, Field visits to relevant places,
invitation of key speakers
Many topics such as AIDS, sex education, early
pregnancies, corruption, natural calamities and
the like can be effectively taught and learned by
using this approach.
Factors to Consider in Media
Selection in this approach:
The use of real objects (realia) or locally made materials,
teacher need to prepare or choose T/L media by
utilizing the naturally available materials such as tree
leaves, soil, drums and flowers.
Learners’ characteristics: teachers have to choose media
which fit to the ages and mental capability of the
learners during the process of T/l
The media which offers multiple means of engagement,
expression and representation.
Media which is participatory in the process of making and
consider prior experiences of the learners.
 The usefulness of media in this
approach:
Learners acquire meaningful or permanent
learning (changes in attitudes and beliefs)
Promotes learners interest and motivation
Promotes independent thinking and curiosity