There is much to learn from how Jesus followed his heart in spreading the good
word while being inspired by the Holy Spirit. James et al. (2015) examines several
practical teaching techniques Jesus used in reaching his followers. One of the
methods discussed in the article is visual aids. Visual aids, including multimedia in
the classroom, fosters teacher-student engagement and allow the student to be
more involved and retain more information (Bernstein et al., 2020). In addition,
students are inundated with technology. Visual aids help students be creative and
comfortable with their learning experience, making learning fun and relatable.
The Bible provides many examples where Jesus used visual aids to reach his
followers. "And Jesus sat opposite the treasury and watched the people putting
money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow
came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his
disciples to him and said, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than
all those who are contributing to the offering box. They all contributed out of their
abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, all she had to
live on" (King James Version, 2022, Mark 12:41-44).
Jesus used this example to describe the importance of unselfish giving. The Lord
sees the hearts of men. When the widow deposited two small coins instead of a
large sum of money into the offering, Jesus used that as a visual teaching moment
to educate the disciples about the Kingdom of God. This visual aid allowed people to
pay attention to the meaning behind Jesus' words and connect his words with
action. The visual aid could better depict the act of unselfish giving.
Visual aids can be effective in teaching Abnormal Psychology. Handouts that
illustrate pictures, diagrams, and maps can help the student navigate the learning
experience without having to read countless chapters. PowerPoint presentations
reduce the amount of content and use a simple point form. Interactive online
simulations allow students to test their knowledge and skills by applying reading
materials to interactive quizzes and assignments. TED talk and YouTube allows
students to watch brief videos on various mental health topics, including ADHD,
Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Depression. Inviting guest speakers, primarily
individuals with a mental health diagnosis, to discuss their Biopsychosocial model
of mental illness. In a study by Ibe et al. (2019), students instructed using audio-
visual materials performed better than their peers taught using the conventional
method. The study indicated that students using audio-visual material test scores
were higher than conventional teaching methods, an indicator of the importance of
the learning process involving the senses.
Is technology changing how humans learn or possibly rewiring how our brains learn
new things? I remember the process of acquiring new information about a topic ten
years ago that involves going to the library or even sitting for twenty minutes on your
computer. Presently, if I need to find out the population of Italy, I ask Siri or Alexa.
When I sit at the computer, I am encouraged to read more about Italy.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f Reference:
Bernstein, D. A., Frantz, S., & Chew, S. (2020). Teaching psychology: A step-by-step
guide. Routledge.
Ibe, E., & Abamuche, J. (2019). Effects of audiovisual technological aids on students'
achievement and interest in secondary school biology in Nigeria. Heliyon, 5(6),
e01812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01812 Links to an external site.
James, G., Martinez, E., & Herbers, S. (2015). What can Jesus teach us about student
engagement? Journal of Catholic Education, 19(1), 129-154.
http://dx.doi.org/10.15365/joce.1901062015 Links to an external site.
King James Bible. (2022). King James Bible Online.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
