Experimental study on the relative effectiveness of selected visual aids in teaching neo-literates

Abstract

In order to assess the relative effectiveness of selected visual aids in teaching neo-literates, an experimental study was carried out in Kottukkal panchayath of Trivandrum district, Kerala state. Three selected visual aids, viz., slides, flash cards and flannel graph, were tested for their effectiveness along with lecture method on a sample of 90 neo-literate fisher man. Gain in knowledge and its retention were the dependent variables. Age, family, size, average annual income, exposure to information sources, socio-political participation and cosmopoliteness were studied as the independent variables.

Results revealed that slide was the most effective visual in terms of gain in knowledge where as flash cards contributed maximum to retention of knowledge when used in combination with lecture method.

The analysis of correlation coefficients revealed that age and family size were significant but negatively correlated with both gain in knowledge and its retention, in the case of all the four treatments. Similarly, average annual income of the respondents was significantly and negatively corrected with the gain in knowledge in the case of TO, T2 and T3. For T1 the correlation was negative but not significant. In the case of retention of knowledge, the average annual income was negatively and significantly correlated for all the four treatments. The relationship of exposure to information sources of the respondents with gain in knowledge as well as with its retention was positive in the case of all the four treatments but significant only for T2 and T3. There was no significant relationship between the dependent variables and the socio-political participation of the neo-literates. The cosmopolitenes of respondent and significant and positive correlation with the gain in knowledge when the three selected visual aids were used along with lecture method. Significant, positive relationship was found between the cosmopoliteness and retention of knowledge when flash cards and flannel graphs were used along with the lecture method.

The regression analysis revealed that out of the six independent variable, only two variables, viz., age and cosmopoliteness were significant in predicting the variation in gain in knowledge of neo-literates when flash cards and flannel graph were used along with lecture. But in the case of retention of knowledge, only one independent variable, viz. , age was significant in explaining the variation when flash cards as well as flannel graph were used along with the lecture method.