Factors to be considered

in selecting
Instructional Media
“all instructional materials
are aids to instruction. They
do not replace teacher”
 Relevance of the media to lesson objective – the
medium should be able to convey in the clearest possible
way the highlight of the lesson.
 Suitability to student’s age learning abilities and styles
and reading level – pictures could be effective for grade
1 pupils not for high school students.
 Accuracy and novelty of media – the media should be up
to date, reflecting current thought, original or revised.
 Provision of the learner participation - dioramas and
exhibits could entail more participation of learners than
pictures or graphs.
 Provision of feedback – recordings and television do not
offer feedback or interaction like the way multimedia do.
 Appeal – Pictures, especially colorful ones, could be more
aesthetically pleasing than other media. Motion media could
be more attention grabbing than still pictures.
 Availability – the medium should be obtainable when
needed. The school media center could have consulted for
media collection. Aside from the media center, our homes
could be potential sources of media.
 Adaptability – Some media, like transparencies or
recordings, can be easily updated or modified unlike
textbook.
 Ease in the use or operation of the media – Some media
like maps and graphs can be easily used while other media
like computers and projectors need technical expertise.
 Learning outcomes – Projected media may work better for
big classes, demonstration, role plating and simulation
could be done if classroom are big.
 Cost – If a certain medium is very expensive, another
medium which could be deliver the same content can be
used to replace it the medium could be expensive, not only
in cost but also in the time consumed in preparing the
medium.
 Objective – There should be no room for bias,
propaganda and controversy in the material.
 Maintenance – some media, especially the
technical ones, entail more cost in maintaining
the operation than other non-technical media.
 Technical quality – some media are simple but
workable. Audio recordings and videos are
susceptible to damages which affect the quality
of the media.
THE
PROPER USE
OF
MATERIALS
 The use of instructional material can be effective if it
is properly selected depending on the topic and if it is
properly used. It should be appropriate and
satisfactory for the ultimate goal of facilitating learning.
There are guidelines to be followed and the first is the
selection of instructional materials. The usage of
instructional materials. After you have properly
selected the material, you should as well effectively
utilize it. According to Thomas Nagel, to ensure
effective utilization of the instructional material, he
advised us to abide by the acronym PPPF.
Prepare yourself. It simply means
that you should know your lesson
objective and your expectation from
the class after the session. There
should be a planning ahead on how
you're going to proceed the
discussion and evaluate after.
Prepare your students. It implies
setting class expectation and
learning goals. This comes by
throwing them guide questions and
motivating them as a way of
keeping them interested and
engaged.
Present the material. It means you should
rehearse first the materials you are going to use
before presenting them to the class. This is
important especially if the materials you are
using are mechanical in nature, for example,
power-points and other multimedia
presentations. This is to avoid what they call as
R.O.G. Syndrome of Running Out of Gas. This
syndrome usually occurs due to lack of
planning.
Follow Up. The main function of using
instructional material is to achieve an
objective and that is ultimately the
learning of the students. Using this is
not an end in itself but a means to an
end so there is a need for follow up to
know if you have attained your
objective.
 Selecting Instructional Media or IM’s is not that easy. A proper planning,
or should I say a systematic planning is needed to achieve an effective
teaching and learning process. The timing has never been better for using
technology to enable and improve learning at all levels, in all places, and for
people of all backgrounds. From the modernization of E-rate to the
proliferation and adoption of openly licensed educational resources, the key
pieces necessary to realize best the transformations made possible by
technology in education are in place.
Educators, policymakers, administrators, and teacher preparation and
professional development programs now should embed these tools and
resources into their practices. Working in collaboration with families,
researchers, cultural institutions, and all other stakeholders, these groups
can eliminate inefficiencies, reach beyond the walls of traditional
classrooms, and form strong partnerships to support everywhere, all-the-
time learning.