Importance of Teaching Resources in Learning and Teaching

Running head: Teaching Resources
Purpose of resources in teaching and learning
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction:
It is the wish of every teacher and educators that the process of teaching and learning
be effective, and that everything taught by a teacher should be carefully listened to,
understood and properly learnt in order to create a lifelong impression on the student’s mind,
and thus ensure retention of the information or knowledge imparted to them. In the recent
years, a significant development in educational technology is the utilization of aids that
supports the teaching as well learning processes.
Resources that support learning include textual materials, videos or softwares that can
be used by teachers to help the students to fulfil the learning objectives that are outlined in
the course/curriculum structure by the local or national educational authorities. It is important
that before a learning resource is utilized inside a classroom, it should be properly evaluated,
analyzed and then approved at the national or local levels. The criterion for evaluation of the
learning resources can include its appropriateness to the development (or developmental
stage/maturity) of the student, its fitness in context to the academic curriculum and also social
factors. Common examples of learning resources include chalk, duster, boards, charts, audio-
visual aids, and educational softwares as well as library and instructional materials. A
resource centre can be understood as a facility within the premise of the school that provides
access to many sources of information to the students, and is generally staffed by a
professional. Library is also a significant resource for learning since it allows access to
several books, which the students can use to learn and improve their knowledge and
understanding.
Teaching aid are important tools since it can make the process of teaching more
interactive, since they can involve the speech and sight related organs. Joseph J Weber
proposed that 40% of our sensory perceptions are based on visual information, while 25% on

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auditory information, 17% on tactile information, 3% of taste and olfaction and 15% from
physical experiences.
Importance of Resources in learning and teaching:
 A propensity of forgetfulness exists in every individual, however using effecting
teaching or learning aids can help to retain information and knowledge for longer
time.
 Students motivated to learn and supported with different teaching aids can learn better
compared to students without motivation or lacking access to such aids.
 A proper image can be created by using teaching aids, as it allows the student to see,
hear, taste and smell better.
 Aids and fosters conceptual thinking
 Helps to set up an environment of interest and enthusiasm, thus facilitating learning
 Facilitates the development of vocabulary
 It helps teachers to ensure retention of knowledge and information, making learning
effective and permanent.
 Helps to develop the experience of the student
 Allows several students to be taught simultaneously, thereby saving time for the
teacher
 Allows the individual differences in the learning abilities of the students to be
addressed.
How specific resources can be effective to meet the individual learning needs in the
contexts teaching and learning:
Development of knowledge can be supported by resources on analysis and simulation,
which allows the students to manipulate the information and also to visualize it in various

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ways. The curriculum in the UK on various subjects for various learners includes elaborations
on learning, and involves activities such as collection, organization, analysis and
interpretation of different types of information or data by the students.
Resources that support such learning processes can involve:
 Tools to develop concepts or mind maps- such tools can assist students to
understand and link related concepts and ideas and represent them in a visual
manner.
 Databases- these applications can help students to save arrange and analyse
different types of data in textual, numerical or media formats.
 Spreadsheet: this allows the students to save, arrange and mathematically
analyze and show numerical information in a graphic or tabular form.
Using digital forms of learning resources (such as computer based applications or
softwares, interactive media and online or electronic resources) that effectively utilizes
technology can create different challenges for educators. The primary advantage of digital
forms of resources is that it allows customization of the experiences of the learners by
interaction, feedback systems as well as constructive involvements. Variations can be
produced in the presentation of information and knowledge to suit the specific needs of the
students through differences in the sequences, choice of materials and prompting. Such
resources can also help to combine different types of media into a single experience,
combining texts, sounds, videos and graphics.
When a mixture of media is provided by a digital resource, it is important to consider
the evaluation criterion for such media. The resources should be able to address and meet the
standards and analyses of functionality and usability. Another significant consideration is

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how practical the resource is in terms of context, content and the bigger learning
environment. The evaluation process should consider the following questions:
1. Whether the digital learning resource has any advantage over non-digital ones.
2. Whether it includes interactive features such as:
a. Feedback options for teacher or students
b. Constructive engagement (that allows the students to be engaged in a
meaningful way over prolonged time periods)
c. Allows the customization of content, environments and pathways as per the
specific learning needs of the students.
Principles of designing resources- Seki
Four elements can be included in every design of resources. The principles of first
design on primary resources helps to create a framework that can elucidate the complexity of
the design by differentiating the functions of each element within the context of the learning
experiences. The framework comprises of four elements such as the learner, the teacher, the
knowledge and the need of the learner. Such a principle can be comprehended by outlining
the learning experience to include the learner, involved in active learning as directed by the
teacher utilising certain resources that imparts knowledge, skills or content, which is learnt in
the given environment. Variations of this framework can also exist, however all would have
the same four elements.

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Figure 1: Different styles of learning
Learning can happen not only within the frameworks of a classroom, but also through
other resources of knowledge such as websites, films, or multimedia resources, through
which knowledge can be imparted. In any of these scenarios, the learner or student forms the
central part of the learning experience, by accessing the various sources of knowledge and
imbibing all the important knowledge from the learning experience. The context for the
learning principles is provided by the fundamental design of the learning framework.
The first element in the design of resources, that is the student or learner can be an
individual or several individuals in a group.
In such a scenario, group learning or collaborated learning activities can be
applicable, which can allow multiple students to gain knowledge simultaneously, even
though the same resources might be used differently be each and every learner, giving rise to
different experiences. The second element is the teacher who is responsible for providing the
knowledge and instructions and supports the learner and learning process. The teacher can be
present physically, or be available on standby to direct the learner, or can be present by virtue
as the designer of the learning experience or implicitly. The resource element can also be