INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY 3(2+1)

Lesson 26 : Projected Visual Aids

Film strip

Film strip is a continuous strip of film consisting of a small number of individual frames or pictures arranged in a sequence. Each strip may contain about 30 to 60 frames of photographs, diagrams, drawings or lettering. The pictures may have explanatory titles. The entire length of the strip has perforations on both sides, which facilitate forward or backward movement of the pictures. Some of the slide projectors have facility for projecting filmstrip also. Filmstrips on some fixed topics may be available from commercial firms or scientific organizations. These may be made according to one’s own requirement with the help of a good photographic studio. Filmstrips are generally used in training programmes.

Advantages:

1. Condense information in a small package
2. Projected pictures may be synchronized with the talk
3. Light, easy to handle and store
4. Less expensive than sound film
5. The machines are simple to operate besides being relatively inexpensive
6. The pictures can be held on screen for long time
7. A filmstrip, when projected can be accompanied with commentary or music played back by a tape recorder or gramophone

Limitations:

1. Commercial filmstrips may not be wholly relevant to a particular extension programme
2. The set of pictures in a filmstrip has a fixed sequence which can not be altered. Because of this inflexibility, filmstrips have limited use in field extension work.
3. The surface of the filmstrip may become scratched after prolonged use or it may be burnt if not properly handled while projecting