Unit 3: Instructional Media and Their Use for Learning

There can never be any communication without media.

The development of media technologies came as a result
of the continuous attempt to overcome the multi-faced
human communication limitation.
We have many media at hand to use for communication
and learning purposes.
The use of various forms instructional media and
technology in teaching, whether new or old, can have a
profound impact on student learning.
When done well, using a variety of media can enliven a
class, encourage student participation, and help students
grasp difficult concepts.
When used poorly, these same tools can obscure your
instructional objectives and make students confused, anxious
and frustrated.
Section 1- Types of Instructional Media
Instructional materials can be broadly classified as:
three dimensional that includes real objects and their
model;
two dimensional including diagrams, pictures, charts,
graphs and maps;
audio media that includes educational radio broadcast and
TV; and display boards including chalk board and cloth board.
 Real objects
Real objects are real things which have been removed from
their natural settings and brought to school settings or to be
accessed while in their natural settings for instructional
purposes.

Real objects help students to learn by involving more than

one sense organ so that they can easily understand and
remember longer

Locally manufactured products, coins, plants or their parts,

insects, different body parts of dead animals are some of the
examples of real objects which can be used effectively in
teaching various subjects.
 Models
There are times where we cannot bring or access the real
object.
The representative of the real object is called a model.
 Models are three dimensional objects.
Models can be handled, operated and seen from a number
of angles and hence are generally more interesting and
instructive than a picture or a chart which is two
dimensional.
Pictures and charts
Pictures and Charts are very useful instructional resources.
Pictures most commonly used in instruction can be
photographs, your own drawings, and illustrations.
Pictures are said to be one of the oldest, least expensive
and most universally available forms of instructional
resources.
Charts may be defined as combination of graphic and
pictorial materials designed for the orderly and logical
visualizing of relationships between key facts and ideas
The main function of the chart is always to show
relationships such as comparisons, relative amounts,
development, process, classification and organization.
Maps
Maps are reduced, simplified and plain representation of
the Earth’s surface.
They are used to show the distribution of climate,
population, vegetation, land forms etc.
Maps are graphic instructional materials that facilitate
learning by showing students how to quickly and effectively
locate different place and natural phenomena of the world.
Maps are designed to the location of geographical ‘’reality’’
Maps can show you the different locations of a city quicker
than by using words
Audio media
Audio media offer wide range of opportunities for group or
individual use.
They can be used to deliver instruction involving verbal
information, and also for guiding the learning of intellectual
and motor skills.
They are also relevant for learning objectives related to
affective domain of learning.
Audio medium is equally good for all types of instruction
from the precision of speech to the mental imagery formed
by music and sound effect
Tips for using different types of media and technology
Choose the media that best suits your instructional
objectives.
If possible, use a variety of tools, PowerPoint, movie films,
internet,
Check out the media or technology before class starts to
be sure it is working properly.
• Classification of Media Materials on the basis of Degree of
Realism
• Words, diagrams, maps, flat picture and slides are abstract while
stereographs, films, models, objects and total situation are
concrete ones.
• The classification extends from the most concrete total situation
at the base of a rectangle to the most abstract words at the top-
side of the rectangle.
• Ten categories are identified. The total situation –at the base of
the rectangle-is the full environment with no edition or change.
• The user gets full information through all the senses.
• THE CONE OF EXPERIENCE
• Edgar Dale (1969) took the same degree of realism construct and
added Jerome Bruner’s three major ways of gaining experience
to and produced the classification he named “Cone of
Experience”
Classification of Media Materials on the basis of Degree of Realism

The Cone of Experience

The major building blocks of useable human knowledge are
made up of:
Direct contact with reality or its direct representation (the
concrete experience) and
the abstract experience
Abstract + Concrete= the knowledge we use in our everyday
life
Jerome Bruner’s Three Major Ways of Gaining Experience
1. Enactive--learning through doing
2. iconic--learning through observation
3.symbolic----learning through abstraction
Experience= (C+A)
Components of Major Ways of Gaining Experience
1.The enactive group
The learners are active participants with relative difference
of materials used as you go up the cone.
A. Direct purposeful experience- this is the direct, first-hand
way of gaining human experience.
The learner directly faces reality and gathers information
Directness- meaning direct sensory and physical contact.
Purposefulness- the learner does it for a purpose, like to
enjoy swimming, cross a river or save life
Responsibility for the outcome-the learner is responsible for
the end result.
She/he may lose her life if she/he does not properly swim.
B. Contrived experience- is the way learners gain experience
through the use of working models, mockups, specimen or
simulation.
I. Specimen is a sample of materials not found easily.
 The learner does not use their real environment; the specimen
is used in changed situation.
 Money currently samples of past times or rock samples
removed from their natural setting or leaves removed from its
mother plant are all examples of specimen, i.e. reduced reality
II. Simulation imitating real action under controlled situation.
little kids do at home imitating the action of Mama and Dad are
also good examples of simulation.
III. Working models are three dimensional simplified
representation of reality that shows the working of the reality.
 Models of cars that move like are examples.
IV. Mock Ups are models that emphasize only a part
of the reality it represents.
An example of mock up will be a model of human
body that shows only the blood circulation system
To contrive means to plan, to edit, and to re-
organize.
The only difference compared to direct purposeful
experience is in the material used. The materials are
edited, reduced reality.
C. Dramatization-When the learner gains experience about
past events and thoughts by recreating them through her/his
action it is said to be dramatization
Dramatization is more abstract than contrived
(Created)and direct purposeful experience
Dramatization demands to depend too much on words
rather than direct imitation of reality.
Besides not all the learners gain experience by acting.
2. Iconic group- the materials used either reflects reality as-it-is or is direct
imitation.
The learner here is an observer.
The difference with the enactive way of gaining experience is that the
learner is not directly involved rather is a witness of what goes on.
I. Demonstration
Demonstration is showing how something works using verbal explanation.
In simple expression it is an audiovisual presentation for learning
purposes
II. Study trip
The next on the Cone of experience is study trip, which is taking students
to any location out of the classroom, near or far, for the purpose of
learning through selective observation
People confuse study trip for other types of excursion or field trip.
Study trip is different because it is just another way of learning a given
topic through selective observation.
The application of study trip demands following strictly the procedure
that includes.
The nature of topic dictates the choice of study trip
Objectives should be clearly specified
Students should shoulder responsibilities in the preparation for the
trip.
The should make a pre visit to the location
Basic questions to be answer through the selected observation need
to be identified
All what is to be done need to planned before hand.
Follow the plan while taking the trip
Make sure that each student has made the intended observation
The whole activities need to be evaluated for efficiency and
effectiveness
Students should generalize; give presentation on the problems
raised and possible solutions observed in the field.
III. Exhibits- are using a collection of materials under
controlled situation for learning through direct observation.
The most abstract are the written words for they further
symbolize the sound into written symbols
C. The symbolic group-
I. Visuals symbols- include designed materials like cartoons,
sketches, diagrams, maps, graphs, posters, charts, comic
drawings and the likes.
 These are materials mostly used in schools.
II. Verbal Symbols (Words)
These are the most abstract or indirect representations of
reality.
The verbal words have nothing in common with what they
represent.
UNIT THREE THE END