effective use of teaching aids

DCUOffice of the Dean of Teaching

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Effective Use of Teaching Aids

Session 1Basic Teaching Skills Course for Recently-Appointed Academic Staff


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TASK - IntroductionsStage One Find a partner, preferably

someone you don’t know. Find out a few things

about them, e.g.: Who they are, Which school/unit they

work in, What they do.

Time for task - 5 minutes

Stage Two Prepare a brief presentation

to introduce the person to the group, and illustrate it with with either: flipchart, or overhead transparencies.

Time for task - 10 minutes.

Stage Three Make your presentation to

the whole group.


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Learning OutcomesBy the end of this session, you should be able to: Choose the most appropriate visual aid for your purpose

and context, Use the black-/white-board effectively, Make the most of the overhead projector, Produce a basic presentation with MS Powerpoint, Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of other

media.


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Why use teaching aids?Teaching aids are useful to: reinforce what you are saying, ensure that your point is understood, signal what is important/essential, enable students to visualise or experience

something that is impractical to see or do in real life,

engage students’ other senses in the learning process,

facilitate different learning styles.


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30% of what we SEE

We Learn and Retain:

10% of what we READ20% of what we HEAR

50% of what we HEAR and SEEHigher levels of retention can be achieved

through active involvement in learning.


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WHITE-/BLACKBOARDAdvantages No advanced preparation

required, except when displaying a

complex table/chart/ diagram.

Technology is not dependent on electricity or other possible glitches.

Can be used by students for problem-solving, etc.

Disadvantages Time-consuming if you have

a lot to write. Handwriting may be difficult

to read (legibility, size, glare, etc.).

Turn your back on audience. Cleaning the board (chalk

dust, permanent marker, etc.)

Can’t go back to something you’ve erased.


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WHITE-/BLACKBOARD

TIPS Get to the lecture hall early to make sure that the

board has been cleaned. Bring your own chalk/markers and eraser. If you have problems with keeping your writing

level, draw horizontal lines in advance using a pencil and metre stick.

Draw complex diagrams, charts, etc. in advance and cover with a piece of newsprint until needed.


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OVERHEAD PROJECTORAdvantages Allows you to prepare all

your slides in advance. Particularly suited for

complex diagrams, charts and illustrations.

Can build up information point-by-point through the use of overlays.

Don’t have to turn your back on the audience.

Disadvantages A blown bulb or power

failure can spoil all your hard work.

Image quality can also be a problem.

Can be disorienting to manipulate transparencies on projector plate.


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OVERHEAD PROJECTORPreparing Transparencies By hand, or Computer application (eg. MS PowerPoint, MS

Word, HTML documents) Printing - colour or B/W Printer (laser or inkjet), or Photocopier


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OVERHEAD PROJECTORSelecting Text Avoid overcrowding Avoid continuous prose Bullet or numbered points preferred KILLS

Keep It Legible, Lean and Simple


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OVERHEAD PROJECTOR

Please observe the rules prohibiting the

combustion of vegetable material

and the exhalation of noxious fumes in this

auditorium.

NO SMOKING

Keep words to a minimum:


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OVERHEAD PROJECTOR

1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr.East 20.4 27.4 90.0 20.4West 30.6 38.6 34.7 31.5North 45.9 46.8 45.0 43.9

Tables are best avoided:


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OVERHEAD PROJECTOR

0

50

100

150

200

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

NorthWestEast

Use Charts/Graphs instead:


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OVERHEAD PROJECTORChoosing a Font Size - minimum 20pt

(5mm high)

Sans serif fonts preferred

Examples: 14 pt Tahoma 20 pt Tahoma28 pt Tahoma36 pt Tahoma Times New Roman Arial Comic Sans


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OVERHEAD PROJECTOR

Style Notes for Transparencies Allow a margin of 5 cm (2”) all round. Avoid TOO MUCH UPPERCASE TEXT For emphasis, use bold or underlining instead of

italics Keep titles systematic and consistent Justification - left or centred Avoid light text on dark background.


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OVERHEAD PROJECTORDuring the Lecture Keep used and unused

slides in separate piles. Cover the slide with a

piece of cardboard and slide it down to reveal text as you go.

Use a pen on the OHP glass rather than pointing to the screen.

Beforehand Get to the room early to

make sure the OHP is working.

Check the aim and focus.

Walk to the back of the room to see whether the smallest print is readable.

Relax (if possible).


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DATA PROJECTOR (portable)

How to connect your Laptop to a portable data projector:

Attach one end of the data cable to the serial port of the laptop.

Attach the other end to the RGB IN port of the data projector.

Switch the data projector on followed by the laptop.

Press the 'Fn' and the appropriate function key to display.


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DATA PROJECTOR (fixed)

A FEW DAYS BEFORE

Contact Education Services Helpdesk to have your account authorised for log on.

NOTE: Available in certain classrooms only


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DATA PROJECTOR (fixed)

JUST BEFORE YOUR LECTURE/TUTORIAL Log on as normal. Open PowerPoint (or other application) and

access files on your designated network drive, or Open web browser, type in the URL and queue up

what you want to present. Minimise window until you are ready to use.

For further information, see: http://odtl.dcu.ie/projects/web-tl/terminals.html


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Other MediaFLIPCHARTWhen to USE: if electricity is

unavailable, to enable

students to illustrate group reports,

to provide a written record of points made by students.

TIPS Check the room and

equipment beforehand. Get your own pad of

newsprint. Write out important pages in

advance. Don’t put too much on a

page. Carry a collection of felt-tip

pens and check that they haven’t dried out.

Bring along some Blutack.


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Other Media AUDIO TAPES or CDsWhen to USE: Particularly suited for

language learning, media studies, English literature, etc.

Valuable when referring to recorded historical events (e.g. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech).

Background music can also be played before class starts and during group activities.

TIPS Check the room and

equipment beforehand. Can it be heard from the

back of the room? Find the right spot on the

tape/CD and queue it up in advance.

Don’t play more than a few minutes of audio at one time.

Break up longer clips into segments, interspersed with discussion or other activities.


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Other Media VIDEO TAPES or DVDsWhen to USE: Adds a dimension not

available through audio alone - helps students to visualise.

Essential when illustrating things that are impractical to do in real life.

Particularly suited for language learning, media studies, engineering, etc.

Valuable when referring to recorded historical events.

TIPSSame as for CDs/audio tapes Check equipment

beforehand. Can images be seen from

the back of the room? Queue up the tape in

advance. Break viewing into short

segments, interspersed with discussion or activities.


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Making the most of theDATA PROJECTOR

A brief introduction to MS PowerPoint

Further information can be found on the CSD web-site: http://www.dcu.ie/internal/csd/sms/webguides2000/power2k/power.htm


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TASK: Choosing MediaStage One Work individually. Think of a lecture/ tutorial

you will be giving. What media will you use to support it?


Stage Two Form triads. Share you plans with each

other. Why did you choose specific media?


Stage Three Raise problems/issues in plenary session.


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TASK: Stop - Start - Continue

Work individually. Take out a piece of paper, and answer the

following: STOP - What would you like me to stop doing? START - What would you like the facilitator to start

doing? CONTINUE - What would you like the facilitator to

continue doing? Fold over and hand in on your way out.

effective use of teaching aids

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