Still Pictures and Graphics
IV. Still Pictures and Graphics
These are photographic or photograph-like representations of people, places, and things.
Advantages
- It can translate abstract ideas into a more realistic format.
- It is readily available in books, magazines, newspapers, catalogs, etc.
- It is easy to use because it does not require any equipment.
Limitations
- Some photographs are simply too small for use before a group.
- Still-pictures are two-dimensional.
Types of Still Graphics
Graphics are non-photographic, two-dimensional materials designed specifically to communicate a message to the viewer. They often include verbal as well as symbolic visual cues. There are five types of graphics according to Heinich (1993).
1. Drawings Including Sketches and Diagrams
Drawings, sketches, and diagrams are the graphic arrangement of lines that represent persons, places, things, and concepts.
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· Drawings are more complete and realistic. Drawings are readily found in textbooks and other classroom materials.
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- Sketches usually involve pencil to create figures or pictures. Stick figure compositions are sketches. Sketches are typically created as a preliminary to a drawing.
· Diagrams are usually intended to show parts of an object, help explain processes or how something works, or how it is constructed.
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2. Charts
Charts are “a visual symbol summarizing, comparing or contrasting or performing other helpful services in explaining subject-matter” (Dale, 1969). Charts are graphic representations of abstract relationships such as chronologies, quantities, and hierarchies. A chart should have a clear, well-defined instructional purpose. In general, it should express only one major concept or configuration of concepts. Charts are designed to be shown to a class or group in the course of a lesson.
Charts can be used in many ways (Valstar4life, 2012).
- It helps motivate the students.
- It shows continuity in the process.
- It shows relationships by means of facts, figures, and statistics.
- It presents mater symbolically.
- It prevents abstract ideas in visual form.
- It shows the development of structures.
- It summarizes information.
- It creates problems and stimulates thinking.
2.1 Type of Charts
The following are the different types of charts that can be used to educational purposes (Heinich, 1993).
a. Organizational Charts
These show the structure or chain of command in an organization such as a school, company, corporation, civic group, or government department. Usually, they deal with the interrelationship of personnel or departments.
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b. Classification Charts
These are similar to organizational charts but are used chiefly to classify or categorize objects, events or species. A common type of classification chart is one showing the taxonomy of animals and plants according to natural characteristics.
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c. Time Lines
These illustrate chronological relationships between events. They are most often used to show historical events in sequence or the relationship of famous people and these events. Timelines are very helpful for summarizing a series of events.
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d. Flowcharts
These are also called process charts, which show a sequence, a procedure, or a flow of a process. Flowcharts show procedures or activities that are usually drawn horizontally.
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e. Tabular Charts
These are considered as tables that contain numerical information, or data. The data are presented in columns.
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3. Graphs
Graphs are a visual representation of numerical data. They also illustrate relationships among units of the data and trends in the data. Graphs are more visually interesting and data can be interpreted more quickly than in tabular form.
Some of the uses of graphs are
· Graphs are used to present statistical units.
· Graphs can give a bird’s eye view of the complete information.
· Graphs are an effective tool to compare and contrast complicated facts.
3.1 Types of Graphs
The following are the different types of graphs that can be used to present different information (Heinich, 1993).
a. Bar graphs
These graphs are used for comparing similar items in different categories or groups. Bar graphs are easy to read and can be used with elementary age students.
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b. Pictorial graphs
These are represented by a drawing instead of using numerical data.
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| http://www.conceptdraw.com/How-To-Guide/picture-graph |
c. Pie graphs
These graphs represent a whole where each part represents a percentage of the whole. Pie graphs help you see clearly the percentage value of each part to a whole.
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d. Line graphs
These graphs are used in plotting trends that show an increase or decrease in data over time.
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4. Posters
Posters are visual combinations of images, lines, color, and words. They are intended to catch the attention f the viewers to communicate a brief message. Posters can be used to stimulate interest in an event or a new topic and can also be used to motivate students on some new topics. Posters convey a specific message, teach a particular lesson, or give a general idea.
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| https://www.amazon.com/posters-prints/b?ie=UTF8&node=381142011 |
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| https://www.pardot.com/blog/marketing-posters-inspiration/ |
Characteristics of Posters
The following characteristics identify a poster from other graphics.
· Words are minimal. Usually 4 or 5 only.
· Layouts of the elements are simple and arranged well.
· Colors and texts are efficient. Illustrations are bold and lettering styles are simple.
· Posters are attractive.
Uses of Posters
Posters can be used in many ways such as:
· It motivates the students.
· Single idea or a subject is presented.
· It can publicize important school and community projects and events.
· It can add atmosphere to the classroom.
· It captures attention and conveys the message quickly.
· It gives a strong lasting impression.
Suggestions for preparing posters
To create an effective poster, the following suggestions can be followed:
· Think of a theme.
· Provide the title or the slogan that is most fitting.
· Have a trial and error of the best layout of the poster.
· Gather the needed materials for the poster including what font and font colors to use.
· Add objectives.
· Finalize the design and give some finishing touches on the poster.
5. Cartoons
It is the most common and popular visual to learners. These are rough caricatures of real people, animals, and events. Cartoons appeal very well to learners of all ages.
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6. Maps
It is an accurate representation of the plane surface in the form of a diagram drawn to scale, the details of boundaries of whole or earth’s surface, continents, countries, etc. Some maps may include geographical details such as the location of the mountains, rivers, the altitude of the place and important locations. Maps depict the climatic conditions, natural conditions, locations of certain countries and continents.
Uses of Maps
Maps are used in the following to help in the teaching and learning process:
· To show the geographical features of the earth’s surface
· To show relationships between places
Types of Maps
The following are the different types of maps that are useful in learning.
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| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roads_in_Metro_Manila |
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· Roadmap. This is the most commonly used map that is used for navigation.
· Physical map. It shows the landscapes and features of a particular area such as lakes, rivers, and the seas.
· Topographic map. This is almost the same as a physical map. However, it uses lines to show changes in elevation.
· Political map. This shows the names and locations of important cities. There are no landscape features that are shown in this type of map. This is the kind of map usually used by students for reference.
· Climate map. This type of map shows information such as the average number of cloudy days, temperature ranges, and average rain or snowfall. This is the type of map used for weather reports.
· Resource map. This type of map shows the economic activities or resources that can be found in the particular area.
· Thematic map. This type of map shows a theme or topic in a particular area. It usually shows the average number of cloudy days, temperature ranges, and average rain or snowfall.
Techniques/Guidelines in Using Still Pictures and Graphics
Still-pictures and graphics can be used effectively in the classroom through these guidelines.
· Use large visuals that everyone can see simultaneously.
· Use simple materials.
· Hold visuals steady when showing them to a group by resting them against a desk or table or putting them on an easel.
· Limit the number of pictures used in a given period of time. It is better to use a few visuals well than to overwhelm your audience with an abundance of under-explained visuals.
· Use just one picture at a time except for purposes of comparison. Lay one picture flat before going on to the next.
· Keep your audience’s attention and help them learn from a visual by asking direct questions about it.
· Teach your audience to interpret visuals.
· Display questions pertaining to each visual alongside it. Cover the answers with flaps of paper. Have each student immediately check his or her own responsibility for accuracy.
· Provide written or verbal cues to highlight important information contained in the visuals.
This lesson will discuss the types of graphics, charts, maps, and posters and its advantages and importance. Also, for a better visualization and to gain the reader’s attention, this chapter also includes pictures. The words and phrases that had been used throughout were easy to understand, thus, it helps the student to have a better analyzation of the topic.
As I am doing my blog, I realized the importance of still-pictures and graphs in our daily lives, especially in school. Imagine your life walking on to the streets without any signage posted on the road or buildings nearby? Or reading books without any images included in the chapters? It will be very difficult for us to understand the book’s content without pictures and graphs. Also, it will be very difficult for us to travel faraway places without using a map. So, do you now see how important these pictures and graphs are?
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