ACTIVITY AIDS

ACTIVITY AIDS

            Activity aids are the natural medium of instruction suitable for developmental education.  These include field trips and excursions, exhibition, demonstration, dramatization, museum, planetarium, aquarium, terrarium, vivarium etc.

1.    Field trips and excursions

          Excursion usually involves a tour by a person or a group of persons to some selected place. Excursions are mostly undertaken for recreation and pleasure. When an excursion is undertaken for gathering objective- based learning experiences it becomes a study tour. The tour made by a group is often known as field trip too. This provides direct experience leading to effective understanding.

2.  Exhibition

                     Exhibitions are effective modes of mass communication and instruction. If it is organized by the pupils themselves they get opportunity for self- activity. Special talents of the pupils get revealed and creativity can be fostered. The exhibitions arranged in schools are usually planned to communicate novel ideas to children, their parents, and the general public alike. Mathematics exhibition, science exhibition, etc. are at present organized effectively. Observing excursions organized elsewhere also is of educational value.

 3. Demonstration

   It is a technique which is often used by all teachers. Ideas, skills attitudes and processes can be demonstrated. When the spoken word is supplemented with demonstration using various aids, the learners get audio – visual experiences. Demonstration must be purposeful, simple, specific and effective. Any demonstration should be planned and rehearsed well in advance. It should be designed by the co-operative activity of pupils and teachers.

4. Dramatization

     Dramatization gives reality and concreteness to learning situations. It also gives opportunities for self-expression. Dramatization can be successfully utilized for the learning of various subjects, especially social sciences and languages. It gives new life to the dead facts deposited in the text books. Because of active involvement of pupils, dramatization helps easy memorization of learning materials.

5. Museum

    Museum is a wonderful medium for public education. It is an institution that collects and preserves original objects and specimens and uses them for research and educational displays. Museums are repositories with an array of educative materials including rare specimens on a variety of subjects arranged in a logical order.

6. Planetarium

 A planetarium consists of a dome usually mounted on the ceiling of a hall to represents the sky. A special projector is used to display images of the celestial bodies on the dome. The viewers who are seated below can see the projected images that will appear to be very realistic. The projector consists of various individuals units for projecting the sun, the moon, the planets and the stars. Taped narration and sound effects adds to the effectiveness of the presentation.

7. Aquarium

   Aquarium consists of glass tanks filled with water in which aquatic creatures are kept in naturally simulated habitats. Her pupils can observe the natural behavior of these creatures. If a school aquarium is constructed and maintained by pupils they get very valuable learning experiences related to various aspects of life science.

8. Terrarium

      It is an enclosure, usually a tank, used for rearing plants or animals under natural condition. This enables pupils to closely observe the specimens and to draw meaningful conclusions by themselves.

9. Vivarium

  It is live corner arranged in school or at home where creature living in the air are grown and reared. It provides opportunity for an unlimited amount of spontaneous, undirected, observation and enjoyment.

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