Prepare and Use Visual Aids
Introduction
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What kinds of audiovisuals (AV) are you using
in your teaching?
•
Can you share some examples of AV that you
have seen poorly used?
•
What kinds of AV can you use with large
groups of students?
Objectives
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•
•
•
•
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Use a writing board
Use a flipchart
Prepare and use transparencies
Prepare and use slides
Use video
Use a computer to prepare and project a
presentation
Uses of the Writing Board
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Document ideas during discussions or
brainstorming exercises.
•
Draw a sketch of anatomy.
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Note points you wish to emphasize.
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Diagram the sequence of making a clinical
decision.
Advantages of the Writing Board
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Writing boards are available in most
classrooms and do not require electricity.
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They are inexpensive and easy to use.
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They are excellent for brainstorming, problem
solving, making sketches, diagrams, charts,
and lists, and other participatory activities.
Disadvantages of Writing Board #1
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The board cannot hold a large amount of
material.
•
Writing on the board is time-consuming.
•
It is difficult to write on the board and talk to
students.
Disadvantages of Writing Board #2
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In large classrooms, it is difficult to write large
enough so that students in the back of the
room can read.
•
There is no permanent record of the
information.
Writing Board Tips #1
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Keep the board clean.
•
Use chalk or pens that contrast with the
background of the board so that students can
see the information clearly.
•
Make text and drawings large enough to be
seen in the back of the room.
Writing Board Tips #2
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Underline headings and important or unfamiliar
words for emphasis.
•
Do not talk while facing the board.
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Do not block the students’ view of the board.
Writing Board Tips #3
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Allow sufficient time
for students to copy
the information from
the board.
•
Summarize the
main points at the
end of the
presentation.
Flipchart Uses
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Note objectives or outcomes before or after
clinical practice sessions.
•
Create flowcharts to work through clinical
decision-making in different situations, such as
during a complicated labor and childbirth.
•
Record discussions or ideas during small
group exercises.
Flipchart Advantages #1
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Flipchart stands and paper are relatively
inexpensive, easy to move, and do not require
electricity.
•
They are small enough that several may be
used simultaneously (e.g., for small group
work).
Flipchart Advantages #2
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They are suitable for use by both teachers and
students.
•
Pages of information can be prepared in
advance and revealed at appropriate points in
the presentation.
•
Note: For very large groups of students, it is
difficult to use the flipchart.
Flipchart Tips #1
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Make it easy to read (bullets, white space,
block letters, wide-tipped marker)
•
Make the flipchart page attractive (colors,
heading, boxes, cartoons, borders).
•
Have masking tape available to hang flipchart
pages on the walls during brainstorming and
problem-solving sessions.
Flipchart Tips #2
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To hide a portion of the page, fold up the lower
portion of the page and tape it; remove to
reveal.
•
Face the students, not the flipchart, while
talking.
•
When you finish with a flipchart page, tape it to
the wall.
Overhead Transparency Uses
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Provide an outline for the teacher to follow in
discussing the main points of a presentation.
•
Show images, illustrations, charts, or diagrams
to support a topic.
•
Provide visual support to students as they
make their own presentations and oral reports.
•
Show them to clinical practice sites to describe
practices and procedures to tutors or students.
Transparency Advantages #1
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When handwritten, they can be prepared
quickly and easily.
•
They can be stored and reused in the future.
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The projector is easy to use, can be used in
almost any room that has electricity.
Transparency Advantages #2
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When prepared in
advance, they save
the teacher time.
•
Points gathered
from a discussion
can be immediately
written on a
transparency.
Producing Transparencies
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Use permanent or non-permanent (water
soluble) pens to create text or drawings on
plastic or acetate sheets.
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Use a copy machine with transparency film.
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Use a computer and printer.
Creating Transparencies #1
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Create a transparency in landscape
(horizontal) rather than portrait (vertical)
format.
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Be consistent (use the same general style and
tone)
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Proofread.
Creating Transparencies #2
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Limit the information on each transparency to
one main idea that can be grasped in 5–10
seconds.
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State the main idea in the title.
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Use about three to five bullets per slide.
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Limit a bulleted item to six to eight words.
Creating Transparencies #3
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Use no more than seven lines of text.
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Whenever possible, use pictures, charts, or
graphs to support or replace text.
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Make graphics and drawings large enough to
be seen easily in the back of the room.
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Print your text.
Creating Transparencies #4
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Use overlays to
present complex
images or diagrams.
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Number the
transparencies to
keep them in order.
Creating Transparencies #5
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Store the transparencies in a box with a lid, an
envelope, or a “pocket” made from folders or
sheets of clear plastic to protect them from
dust and scratches.
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See Samples 5-1 – 5-3 starting on Page 5-14.
Overhead Projector Tips #1
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Before the presentation, locate and check the
on/off switch and make sure the bulb is
working (have an extra projector bulb).
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Before the presentation, focus the projector
and use a transparency to check the position
of the image on the screen.
Overhead Projector Tips #2
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Once the projector is on and the image is on
the screen, move away from the projector to
avoid blocking the students view of the screen.
•
Face the students, not the screen, while
talking.
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Use a pointer or pencil to show one point at a
time.
Overhead Projector Tips #3
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Control the pace of the discussion by covering
selected information with a piece of paper and
revealing new information when you are ready.
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Allow plenty of time for the students to read
what is on the screen and take notes, if
necessary.
Slides
Refer to the manual
for preparing and
using slides to
support your
presentations.
Video
Refer to the manual
for preparing and
using video to
support your
presentations
Computer Presentation Advantages
#1
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You can save the files and update the
information easily.
•
It is less expensive than producing slides and
faster than preparing printed overhead
transparencies.
Computer Presentation Advantages
#2
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Most graphics software is easy to use and
creates attractive, interesting presentation
materials.
•
You can prepare a presentation and create
transparencies, a projected presentation, and
related handout or note sheets easily.
Computer Presentation Advantages
#3
Most graphics
software is easy to
use and creates
attractive,
interesting
presentation
materials.
Computer Presentation Advantages
#4
You can prepare a
presentation and
create
transparencies, a
projected
presentation, and
related handout or
note sheets easily.
Disadvantages of Computer
Presentations
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Computers can be expensive and may require
some maintenance.
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You will need electrical outlets, extension
cords, and voltage surge protectors.
•
Sometimes computers “crash” or “freeze” and
information can be lost if not saved.
Tips for Computer Presentations #1
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Make sure technical assistance is available for
problems and practice using the computer.
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Avoid busy or confusing backgrounds.
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Minimize the transitions between slides.
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Use sound effects sparingly and only to
emphasize a point.
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If using animation, it should be used
consistently.
Tips for Computer Presentations #2
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Remember that your slides should highlight
key points and not full text of the presentation.
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Charts and tables should be large and simple
for the message to be clear.
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Always save the presentation on the
computer’s hard drive and on a diskette or CDROM in case something happens to the
computer.
Summary
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Keep it simple.
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Keep it relevant.
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Keep it focused.
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Ready for an
activity?
Flipchart Competition
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Work in small groups.
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Design a single flipchart page for something
you would teach in your course.
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We will then take a look at the flipcharts.