The Advantages Of Visual Education

Chronicle (Levin), 8 June 1948, Page 2

The Advantages Of Visual Education

There was an excelient attendance of over 50 parents and interested persons at the usual monthly meeting of the Otaki Home and Schooi Association on Thursday ; night. The gathering was presided over by Mr. A. G. Kirkwood, who welcomed several new membeis and expresse'd his gratification at the large number attending. . It was decided to hold a social and card evening for the next meeting. Messrs. A. G. Kirkwood, L. Moss, W. Rhind and J. E. James were appointed a sub-committee to make arrangements. The meeting then welcomed Mr. G Anderson, who is the supervisor of teaching aids for the Education Department. He demonstrated the visual method of teaching, using the sound film-strip piojector.

This branch of education has askumed such proportions at present that the control of it has passed from the National Film Unit to the Education Department. Films are distributed to some 600 borrowing organisations every week an'd approximately 450 ^ of these are schools. This entails a yast amount of work and an office stan of 12 required to aeal with it. i such bodies as Home and School i Associations, Young Farmers' Clubs, Hospitais, the Armed Forces and Workers' Education Associatmns avad themselves of the service private individuals, however, bemg excluded. The only charge made is the return postage. , .

Mr. An'derson went on to expiuiii the advantage of visual educa- , jtion, giving as proof of its value an ) I experiment carried out with 275 army entrants in groups of 30. The j first group was given a teaclier i only. The second had the films to j learn by and the fourth group was ; given both teacher and film. Where _ 'the more inteiligent pupil did not ( show a great deal of improvement, • those of average intelligence bene- ;■ fited greatly by the third method. 1 What is more, after a period of 1 three months the same examinaition was given to the same groups j and again the group which had had the advantage of visual traming was the most successful, proving that the facts were fixed- by vision. Mr. Anderson then gave _ the approximate prices of five differ-j ent sound projectors, any one of j I which the department wotud subsidise. The film strip method was thoiougniy explained, the niaking Of the surip being a particularly exacting iask, the process taking several months to complete one strip. The •demonstration given with the machine was a strip taken on a tiip from Greymouth to the glaciers and the audience could not nelp but recognise the advantages of this method of teaching geography. The pic.tures were clear even m a medium light. With the j sound projector, Mr. Anderson ishowed a child's film dealing with nature siudy. Called "Three Kittens," it traced the life of a cat from birth. This film ha,d been shown to the school during the afternoon, and it was the intention of the teachers to carry out some tests of its value. A film showing the state of affairs in the world in regard to food and famine was then given, and was very much appreciated. Mr. Kirkwood thanked Mr. Anderson for his excelient demonstration and expressed the wish that the school would soon be the po'ssessor of such a machine. A hearty vote of thanks was carried by acciamation. The usual delightful supper brought the evening to a close.