Definition of Visual Aids

Visual aids are an important tool because different people respond to different learning modalities. Visual aids also add interest to a discussion. In order to effectively use visual aids, one must learn from experience what will and won't work for an audience or group of students. Visual aids can take many forms and be presented in many formats. They may be used in different settings, from classrooms to board rooms, and anywhere that information is relayed to audiences on a regular basis.

Definition

A visual aid is an object or representation that may be used to clarify or enhance understanding of a concept or process. The best way to ensure success in learning is to present information in different formats for different learners.

Representational

Visual aids may take the form of graphs, charts, tables or photographs pertaining to the information being presented. In demonstrations and group discussions, visual aids may be projected onto a screen, pasted to a board on an easel or displayed on a television. Visual aids may appear in texts and in handouts.

Literal

Visual aids do not have to be flat or representational. They may also be the object of a discussion. For example, if a staff member at a zoo is talking to an audience about the different stages of a turtle's life cycle, he may have different turtles on hand for the audience to look at and even handle. This type of visual aid can impact the audience by taking the subject out of abstraction and adding a dimension of reality that would otherwise be missing.

Preparation

To appropriately use a visual aid in a talk, a discussion leader, presenter or instructor must prepare far in advance. The discussion may be written verbatim or loosely outlined to allow for the discussion to flow organically. However, visual aids are ready, and the discussion leader knows when and how she will use them to carry the talk forward. A skilled presenter allows a discussion to take on its own direction while still managing to hit on all the points she planned to make.

Presentation

Interactive visual aids (such as the turtle at the zoo) often only work in group discussions of 20 or fewer people. In larger groups, the audience can become distracted waiting for their chance to handle, pet or hold the object. Likewise, it is important for the instructor to know the audience when making visual aid choices. Again in the example of the turtle at the zoo, if the audience is primarily composed of very young children, and if there are too many of them, touching a turtle may turn to chaos or arguments over turns. This would slow down the talk, thus detracting from the effectiveness of the aid. Meanwhile, smaller groups of the same age group may find the turtle engaging, making the turtle an effective tool that would extend the attention span of the audience and enhance their learning experience.