THE IMPORTANCE OF AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY The use of audio visual materials as teaching aids has

increased in recent years; thanks to technological advancement. Today's technology offers many choices to teachers, lecturers and curriculum developers who wish to capitalize on the new generations appetite for multimedia presentations. According to studies and research, some teachers claim that whenever they teach with some learning aids, their students get more stimulated because the learning aids help students to become more attentive. n addition, student's positive attitude generates more interest for the lessons they teach, and as a result students participate better in the class. The importance of audio visual !A"# technology in education should not be underestimated. There are two reasons for this; one, learning via A" creates a stimulating and interactive environment which is more conducive to learning; two, we live in an audio$visual age which means that having the skills to use A" e%uipment is integral to future employment prospects. Therefore e&posure to A" technology in education is imperative. 'elow are some of the importance of audio visual materials in teaching and learning( ) Audio visual material arouses learner's interest. *tudents get an&ious and develop a learning habit when the teaching method or medium appear real to them and are not abstract. The material helps the teacher or the instructor to present his+her lessons clearly and effectively and this in turn catches the attention of the pupils. , nstructional materials are important because with them learners have a clear view of what is being taught. - Audio visual materials guide learners + students to learn well and it reduces the stress involved in the process of teaching and learning. . Audio visual aids in the classroom enhance teaching methods and improve student's comprehension. / Teaching materials help to get the attention of the students, makes the class more realistic and it gives a viewpoint or key point on the topic 0 nstructional materials give proficiency to teachers and also help students to get the true picture of what is being taught. n conclusion, people learn in different ways. *ome people are good in retaining information passed to them orally, while some others are e&traordinarily good in retaining information through what they read and others through pictures and some other means. 'ut generally, findings and statistics have shown that the best means of facilitating or enhancing good teaching and learning is through the use of instructional materials which encompass audio visual materials like radio, charts and pro1ectors of various kinds.

The A" technology used in education currently is mainly the interactive whiteboard. 2ore than two million interactive whiteboards are now installed worldwide, and this product continues to show strong growth. t is predicted that one out of every five classrooms worldwide will have an interactive whiteboard by the end of ,3)-. 4hildren are e&posed from a young age to a range of other A" technologies, which previous generations were not. This includes the television, 5"5s, i6ods, 7intendo 8iis, computer games and the nternet. *tatistics which show the link between children and A" technology include(

2obile market trends report that between ,3)3 and ,3),, over 9 million mobile subscribers are aged between 3 and )3 A further , million are aged )) to ). years old !':4TA, ,33;#. A report by 2intel in ,3)) found that <half of all children aged 9 to ), visit social networking websites An estimated 3.=9 million children, go on >acebook everyday.? !2intel, ,3))#

Therefore it is clear that children of primary school age have the interest and capacity to learn and navigate A" technologies. A" technology has been used in schools for decades, but only in the form of a T" and video player to show short educational films. 7ow it is the computer that shows these educational films and homework is also being done increasingly on 64s. 4hildren learn differently and audio visual e%uipment gives teachers the chance to stimulate each childs learning process with a combination of pictures, sounds and attention grabbing media. 8e are surrounded by audio visual e%uipment and children are keen to understand technology and keep up to date with applied science. @aving this opportunity in the classroom helps to facilitate learning. 2ore and more schools are taking advantage of A" technology to teach their students. This e%uipment can be used to present information to students but also the fact that they are interacting with A" technology on a daily basis also makes them proficient in using technology. 7ot e&posing children to different forms of technology is depriving them of vital learning opportunities that could benefit them in later life for e&ample through increased career opportunities. A" lessons should not 1ust consist of children working in pairs on a 6ower6oint presentation or rewriting a piece of work using 8ord, 4T should be challenging, e&citing and fun. 5 >>:A:74: ':T8:: " *BAC A75 AB5 D" *BAC 2AT:A AC* Audio$visual materials are collected in accord with selection criteria that also are applied to print and other forms of non$print material. n addition, attention is given to the technical %uality of the product and the current or planned availability of the necessary e%uipment to utilize these resources.

The library's holdings include audio recordings, filmstrips and filmstrip kits, 5"5s, videocassettes, and slides. Audio$visual materials are ac%uired with funds allocated to firm order sub1ect lines, the >ine E 6erforming Arts 4ollection non$print fund, and the Fouth 4ollection fund. Gifts of audio$visuals also are accepted as appropriate. This policy does not apply to the audio$visual holdings of *pecial 4ollections and Bniversity Archives. These collections include materials in diverse formats, including phonodiscs, audio cassettes, tape recordings, wa& cylinders, video cassettes, films, and slides 8hile "isual resources include photographs, film, video, paintings, drawings, cartoons, prints, designs, and three$dimensional art such as sculpture and architecture and can be categorized as fine art or documentary record. *ome visual resources are one$of$a$kind, while others are reproduced !like prints or illustrations in books and magazines#. )3 4@AAA4T:A *T 4* >DA T@: *:C:4T D7 D> AB5 D" *BAC A 5* Audio visual tools such as video recordings, audio recordings, photos, slides and overhead transparencies are an essential component of many education pro1ects. They should always be considered as aids and not as an educational method that stands alone. Audio visual material should be introduced and concluded through some form of discussion. t needs to be carefully selected or prepared to ensure it is relevant, convincing and interesting. 8hile video recordings are often the most favoured audio visual aid, their production re%uires significant financial resources and professional e&pertise. @ow they are to be distributed also re%uires careful consideration. *lides, photographs and audio recordings are a very useful alternative.

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Aeduces verbalism 5evelops imaginative thinking power mparts knowledge through e&perience Cearn to use apparatus Hnowledge imparted through narration *ave time E interest increases Give flow of thoughts Bseful E proper teaching Active Cearning *cientific attitude develops *elf working 5evelops curiosity *ee things apparently 4omparative study can be done Cearning E understanding becomes permanent