Audio Visual Aids: Meaning, Types and Importance

Meaning of Audio Visual Aids

Any learning material which gives knowledge to us by using both audio and video features is called audio-visual tool or material. Audio visual aids are powerful learning tools that combine both sound and video features in the learning process. 

Audio visual aids play an important in many areas like schools, teaching platforms, office presentations etc. These aids integrate sound, images, videos, charts, and graphs to provide a good learning environment. 

According to Kinder S James, “Audio - Visual aids are any device which can be used to make learning experience more concrete, more realistic and more dynamic".

Types of audio-visual aids


Audio-visual aids can be classified as: Audio aids, Visual aids and Audio-visual aids.


Audio aids


The audio related tools which are used in education or learning are called audio tools. Audio aids are very common and useful aids used in various places. In audio aids, audio is used to convey and send information. 

These are very useful in the case of illiterate and blind people because they are not able to understand what is written. There are many types of audio aids available, some of which are microphones, gramophones, telephones, radios, and recorder. 


1. Microphones: Microphones are popular example of audio aids. These are used in studios to record audio clearly. These are the main sources for recording audio which helps in making communication easier.

These can be of any type like wired, wireless etc. Noise-cancelling microphones are readily available on the market today and help to record sound with or without noise.


2. Telephone: The telephone is another audio device that has been in use for many years. It is a powerful audio device which is used for communication over large distances. It uses both microphone and speaker features which is necessary for effective communication.


3. Radio: Before television, radio was the most popular audio aid for multiple purposes like entertainment, and telling stories. songs, cricket commentary etc. Radio works by converting electrical signals to sound waves and then transferring them through waves in the air. it is a cheap, portable device which can be easily used by everyone.


4. Speaker: The Speaker is primarily an audio device that is used to listen to what is recorded with the help of a mic. It is a useful audio aid used for learning and communication. It helps to convey the information to the listener. It is used to play songs while watching movies and stories.

5. Gramophone: A gramophone is a sound reproducing machine that plays audio recordings on flat discs. It was invented by Emile Berliner in the late 19th century.


Visual aids 


Such tools which provide information through images, text, charts and graphs are called visual aids. Visual aids are powerful learning aid which helps to understand and summarize the information in an easy and effective way. 

During the presentation, visual aids play an important role in making the presentation more engaging and attractive. Visual information can be easily remembered for a long time.  Let's take a look at some of the visual aids:


1. Charts: Charts are popular examples of visual aids. They contain data in a summarized form which can be easily visualized. In classrooms, various charts are stick upon the wall so that its data can be easily understood by the students. There are of many types charts such as pie charts, bar charts, column charts, and area charts.


2. Images: Our brain learns or memorizes something in the form of images. Images can easily make us understand complex topics which we can't understand verbally. Therefore, it is the most common visual aid used in education and communication.

Audio Visual Aids: Meaning, Types and Importance

3. Graphs: Graphs play an important role in conveying information such as trends, patterns, relations, comparisons etc. They help to present data in a precise way to make it more readable and easier to analyze. Graphs summarize all the data and present it in a graphical form.


4. Text: Text is the most commonly used visual aid. We can get information by reading the text. Text is the most simple way of conveying information. But textual aid fails when a person is illiterate or not capable of reading the language in which the text is written.

Audio Visual aids 


Audio visual aids are formed by combining both the features of sound and video. In audio visual aids, both audio and visual aids such as video, text, charts, graphs etc. are used in communication or in learning processes. Audio visual aids are far better than audio and visual aids  because these have both the features of audio and visual aids. 

In the educational field, audio visual aids help to understand the concept in more easier way. Because we learn better by using both senses such as eyes and ears. Our brain becomes more active, which helps us to understand the material faster and remember it for a longer period of time. The most common examples of audio-visual aids are T.V, computers, movies, video etc.


1. Television:  Television is the most popular Audio visual device which is used for entertainment purposes such as watching movies, web series, news, cartoons etc. It uses both audio-visual aids to convey information. It engaged viewers through various means such as compelling storytelling, emotional connection, visual stimulation, and diversity of contents. 

Telephone serves as popular and cheap audio-visual aids used by person of any age. It can also be used for educational purposes for learning complex topics of mathematics, physics etc. in an entertaining and comfortable manner.


2. Multimedia presentation: Multimedia presentation serves as powerful audio-visual aids for offices, schools, colleges etc. It has both the features of audio and visual aids which makes it a perfect choice for explaining complex topics to a large group of students at once.  Multimedia presentations are used every day in the office to report on new projects, sales, developments, etc. in the company. 


3. Projector: Projectors stand as essential audio-visual equipment that has revolutionized the way information is presented and consumed. In business environments, projectors are used as key tools for giving impressive presentations. It is used to display information like videos, and presentations on a large screen. It is the main medium of presenting a presentation to a large audience.


4. Computers: Computers are one of the most powerful audio-visual aids. These can be used for a variety of tasks that involve audio and video, whether it is creating multimedia presentations, watching entertaining videos or watching educational videos. In computers, we can do a wide range of tasks that need both audio and video.


Importance of audio-visual aids 


• The importance of audio visual aids is increasing nowadays because the usage of these aids helps in better communication and understanding. 


• This combination of visual and auditory stimuli creates a multi-sensory learning environment, which enhances perception and understanding. 


• Audio visual aids play an important role in many fields like businesses, schools,  colleges and other professions.


• Not all learners respond equally to traditional teaching methods. These aids accommodate visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners, assuring inclusive and effective instruction.

 

• By making information more accessible and attractive, these aids increase interest and participation and make the topic easier to understand.

 

• Encouraging the use of audio visual aids stimulates creativity and critical thinking skills.


• Audio visual aids help the presenter in making dynamic presentations and engaging his audience. With the use of audio-visual aids, it becomes easy for the presenter to make the topic easily understandable for the audience by clearing their doubts in depth.


Thus, audio visual aids are invaluable tools for enhancing, communication and understanding across various fields.

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