CHAPTER 6: Using and Evaluating
Instructional Materials
One of the instructional materials used to
attain instructional objectives is field
trip.
It is not enough to bring the class out for a field trip and make them observe
anything or anything or use other instructional materials for no preparation
and clear lesson at all. Perhaps this is what happened to the field trip joined
in by Linus, that’s why he seems not able to cite something specific that he
learned from the field trip.
For an effective use of instructional materials such as field trip, there are
guidelines that ought to be observed, first of all, in their selection and
second, in their use.
Selection
of Materials
The following guide questions express
standards to consider in the selection of instructional materials:
Do the materials give a true picture
of the ideas they present? To avoid misconceptions, it is always good to ask
when the material was produced.
Do the materials contribute meaningful
content to the topic under study? Does the material help you achieve the
instructional objective?
Is the material appropriate for the
age, intelligence, and experience of the learners?
Is the physical condition of the
material satisfactory? An example, is a photograph properly mounted?
Is there a teacher’s guide to provide
a briefing for effective use? The chance that the instructional material will
be used to maximum and to the optimum is increased with a teacher’s guide.
Can the materials in question help to
make students better thinkers and develop their critical faculties? With
exposure to mass media, it is highly important that we maintain and strengthen
our rational powers.
Is the material worth the time,
expense and effort involved? A field trip, for instance, requires much time,
effort, and money. Is it more effective than any other less expensive and less
demanding instructional material that can take its place? Or is there a better
substitute?
P
– Prepare yourself
P – Prepare your student
P – Present the material
F
– Follow up
The
Proper Use of Materials
You may have selected your instructional material well. This is no guarantee
that the instructional material will be effectively utilized. It is one thing to
select, a good instructional material, it is another thing to use it well.
To ensure effective use of instructional material, Hayden Smith and Thomas
Nagel, (1972) book authors on Instructional Media, advise us to abide by the
acronym PPPF.
Prepare yourself. You know your lesson objective and
what you expect from the class after the session and why you have selected such
particular instructional material. You have a plan on how you will proceed,
what question to ask, how you will evaluate learning and how you will tie loose
ends before the bell rings.
Present your students. Set class expectations and
learning goals. It is sound practice to give them guide questions for them to
be able to answer during the discussion. Motivate them and keep them interested
and engaged.
Present the material under the best possible
conditions. Many teachers are guilty of the R.O.G Syndrome. This is means
“running out of gas” which usually results from poor planning. (Smith, 1972)
Using media and materials, especially if they are mechanical in nature, often
requires rehearsal and a carefully planned performance. Wise are you if you try
the materials ahead of your class use to avoid a fiasco.
Follow up. Remember that you use
instructional material to achieve an objective, not to kill time, nor to give
yourself break, neither to merely entertain the class. You use the
instructional for the attainment of a lesson objective. Your use of the
instructional material is not the end in itself. It is a means to an end, the
attainment of a learning objective. So, there is need to follow up to find out
if objective was attained or not.
REFLECTION
It
is very much important in handling the students with good learning objectives
to have a good learning outcome of them. As a future educator, we must first
consider ourselves to be prepared on every class we may have to have a good
outcome, for our students to learn easily. We also consider the students needs
and their difficulties it is because through the students, the teacher reflect
what she is.