VISUAL EDUCATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16940, 15 January 1923, Page 6

VISUAL EDUCATION.

USE OF THE KINEMATOGRAPH.

Education by means of suitable moving pictures is a subject at present receiving much attention from educationists. not y in this Dominion but : n progressive countries throughout the world. In America and England, it forms part of the school curriculum proving an excellent means of instruction. The subjects of geography, history, literature, science and botany can be detailed by means of unforgettable pictures which impress their les son on the minds of the pupils. Miss Carson, representative of the. Chau tauqua movement in Australia and New Zealand, in a recent interview, stated that the system to be adopted by the educational authorities in this Dominion is even in advance of that employed in the United States. The system being organised for New Zealand schools and colleges is one which allows for a class of visual instruction once every four weeks, on the same day at the same time. The dates of all screenings can he given in advance to head masters and principals so that the dates of all such classes can be placed on the school syllabus. Up to the present time school work has been somewhat disorganised by the screening of educational pictures but the proposed system overcomes this difficulty. The combination of text-hook and oral and visual instruction has proved a most effective form of education. Preceded by text-book and oral instruction, educational pictures give a last ing impression of the lessons taught. Children in the primary schools will bo furnished with lessons on the pic' tures through the medium of the School Journal, a copy of which goes to every school child in New Zealand. In this way they will receive a month ahead full instruction on the subjects covered in the programmes. Pupils of private pnd secondary schools will receive special lectures in the same manner. All lectures will be the personal property of the pupils, and through re tision prior to examinations a. connecting link will be provided between the piinted words and the pictures they have seen. All lectures will be written by an authority on tha subjects covered and the phraseology will be gra.ded to suit the various standards of education.

The picture programmes will he of subjects chosen by the educational authorities as most suitable for presentation to the children and will con form as closely as possible with the school syllabus. Every suggestion from individual head masters will receive careful consideration, as the system has been organised to meet individual requirements of head masters and principals. In this manner, it is hoped that through giving service to the eduo. optional institutions throuhout th» Dominion a system of visual education ranking as the most progressive system obtainable ■will be built up.

Not- only will visual education be made available for children in city schools, but the same instruction by means of pictures and printed lessons will be made available for school chil dren in the smaller inland centres. Head masters of schools in the smaller towns feel the need of a link between themselves and the city schools, ancJ such is amply provided by the proposed system.

The use of maps and diagrams illusiiating the subjects screened will be a feature of the instruction. The visua. study of geography will commence with a. map of the country being shown. Then will follow pictures of' the life, customs and industries of the people inhabiting that region. Plant and animal life in the most remote quarters of the globe can be brought before the pupil, thus giving him first hand knowledge which he might otherwise never obtain.

Such a progressive move Trill receive no doubt. the whole hearted support of parent whose children are attending school, because in this way children will receive instruction in a pleasing and entertaining manner which will prove invaluable when tlicv reach the age when they enter th * n al battle of life.