Audio Visual Aids

Audio visual aids are sensory objects or images which stimulate and reinforce learning. It acts as a means of communication. In science teaching verbal descriptions of teacher is not enough to develop scientific concepts in learners. In this sense, audio visual aids  provides suitable learning experience to learners in the form of audio and visual perceptions. They are learning aids which facilitate learning process. The nature and type of learning aids may be different according to the difference in the nature of the subject, learning  situation and level of learners. In science the original and live materials and specimens comprises the best category of learning aids. Improvised aids yields better result in learning.

Characteristics of Good audio visual Aids

• AV aids should be purposeful.
• It should be of required quality and up-to date.
• It should be simple, cheap and may be improvised
• It should be accurate and realistic.
• It should be according to the developmental level of the learners
• The  learning aids should be informative and interest generating.
• It helps in realization of learning objectives
• AV aids should be useful for supplementing the learning process, not a teacher substitute.

Advantages 

• Supplement verbal explanations.
• It makes learning interesting, meaningful, long lasting and permanent, 
• It provide variety by stimulus variation.
• It attracts attention of students, and sustains interest in learning.
• It saves effort, time and energy.
• It encourage the healthy teaching-learning practices.
• It provide intrinsic motivation for learning.
• It  bridge previous knowledge with new ones
• It gives reality and vividness to learning situations
• It creates positive environment for discipline.
• AV aids are helpful in meeting individual capabilities
• It gives clarity to the learning situation.
• It makes abstract ideas more concrete and make learning more effective.
• It reduce verbalism.
• It promotes scientific temper.
• It arouse curiosity and stimulate self activities
• AV aids provide good substitute for the real objects if it is difficult to procure and keep learning meaningful.
• AV aids  develops process skills in learners as learners actively experience directly.