Students’ Perspective on Using the Audio-visual Aids to Teach English Literature and Its Effectiveness

Abstract

The field of education is renewing in each and every second. Human Computer Interaction plays a vital role in it. Thus, the government authorities have paid more attention on this aspect in order to provide a qualitative education. According to the reports which were published by the Ministry of Education, the government has conducted trainings, workshops and seminars on using the modern technology including the modern audio and visual aids in all around the country. Yet, most of the teachers of English Literature still do not use them within the classroom and the students learn the subject in a conventional classroom environment. In this respect, this study explores how effective it is to use audio visual aids to teach English Literature which is considered as a traditional subject in order to enhance students’ literary competence and the students’ perspective on using the audio-visual aids to teach English Literature. For the study, as the sample, forty five students who are from Grade Ten and learn English Literature as an optional subject for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination were selected from four government schools in Kandy district and Matale district. Data was collected through a questionnaire and participant observation. Through the questionnaire, students’ preference for the subject and their views on teaching methods with and without the modern audio-visual aids were studied. Learning behavior and the students’ involvement with and without the audio-visual aids were studied through participant observation. The qualitative analysis of data revealed that there is a high involvement of the students when they learn this subject with the modern audio-visual aids. The quantitative data analysis provides the initial evidence that their teachers’ conventional teaching process is less productive and provides a lessened contribution to reach the expected goals of teaching and learning English Literature. The findings suggest that it is necessary to implement this pedagogical tool to teach English Literature as it has the ability of bringing a highly constructive learning environment.