This document discusses different types of visual aids and extension literature that can be used to convey information to the public. It describes the purposes and proper uses of posters, wall charts, wall boards, magnetic boards, leaflets, handouts, bulletins, and newsletters. The key points are: - Visual aids like posters, wall charts, and wall boards can be used to announce activities, provide instructional support, and display relevant information. They work best when supplemented by other extension methods. - Literature such as leaflets, handouts, bulletins, and newsletters serve as reminders and references for information provided through extension activities. They should be simply designed and written for their intended audience. -

1. 6.8 DISPLAY VISUALS
REPORTER: SIAN FRANCIS CORPIN

2. • This is a general term for various items used to convey
informationwhich are discussed in detail in Section 9 in
relation to their functions inmass education. A few more
specific points concerning the use of these itemsas visual aids
are given here.

3. Posters:
-These serve primarily to announce or publicise extensionactivities
or campaign objectives;
-they have very little training value unless they are followed-up by
other activities such as meetings or demonstrations;and,
-they are useful in reminding the public of a campaign message
when used with other extension methods and information
materials

4. Wallcharts:
Though somewhat similar in appearance to posters, wall charts have a different
educational function. Their main characteristics and uses are:
-They are particularly suited to simple classroom or «orkshop instruction ;
- they are used to provide explanatory support for topics which may be difficult
to cover in depth within a limited period;
- they are used to explain by simple diagrams certain complex processes (e.g.
the rainfall cycle, or a particular pie ce of mechanical equipment); and,
- their principal value lies in the fact that they can be left on a wallboard and
used by students for revision or verification of material covered previously in
class.

5. • There are a number of useful series of wall charts relevant to
forestry produced by commercial organisations, some for sale
and others available free for public relations or community
service functions . Some wallcharts, however, have a tendency
to provide a great deal of information within a limited area.
• They may sometimes be of most value if particular items
Illustrated on a chart can be enlarged and displayed on their
own for study. An episcope can be used .for this purpose,
subject to the agreement of the copyright holder.

6. Wallboards or bulletin boards
These should be constructed of materials which make it
possible to attach notices with drawing-pins without
difficulty. Alternatively they can be constructed of a
smooth material which allows notices to be attached with
small pieces of plastic adhesive material.

7. The main functions of wallboards are:
• They can carry posters, wallcharts, bulletins, copies of handouts, notices of
extension activities, forestry information and news, in fact anything relevant
which can be displayed on a suitably sized board;
• they should be erected at strategic places where people can see and study
them conveniently, (preferably covered areas of markets, stores, offices,
schools, etc.
• If used for instructional purposes, they should be selective and only display
material relevant to the current topic for a limited period for study and
review; or,
• if used for general information purposes, as an aid to extensio, the material
should be attractively arranged and regularly replaced and update.

8. A neglected wallboard with a random assortment
of often out-of-date notices is most likely to have
a negative effect on the public. Training
establishments or rural development cent res and
schools can seldom have enough wallboard space
. The manufacture and supply, free of charge, of
wallboards which can be used as required for
forestry or general rural development
information or wallcharts, would in many cases
be an effective use of a limited budget for
extension work, particularly where the recipient
of the board, e.g. a rural headmaster or
community leader, undertakes responsibility for
maintaining the material displayed on it and so
becomes more involved in the extension activity.

9. Magnetic Boards
• Magnetic boards are particularly useful in certain learning situations but
they are not as widely used as they might be. The main obstacles to their
use are that large sheets of smooth steel, about the size of a small
chalkboard, are not easy to find in rural areas and are not particu1ary easy
to transport over long distances.
• They are heavy and if they become bent they are particularly difficult to
straighten. They are, therefore, not so common, or so widely versatile, as
chalkboards. All the display materials used on them must be prepared in
advance. To be effective they must be used in a prominent position in a
study area and as such they are in direct competition for space with
chalkboards, feltboards, wallboards, and projector screens.

10. The main characteristics and functions of a magnetic board are;
- The technique is similar to flanne1graph, though the illustrative materials are more
expensive to construct;
- they consist of a smooth metal sheet, normally attached to a wall, to which objects ,
which have small magnets affixed to their back, can be attached;
- they can support heavier objects than a flannelgraph, provided magnets of suitable size
are used;
- the symbols can be slid over the surface and show movement more effectively than
flannelgraph where symbols must “jump” from place to place.
- they can be used outdoors relatively unaffected by weather or wind, but only small sizes
of magnetic boards can be considered easily transportable; and,
- some initiative must be shown to devise and prepare new material for use on a
magnetic board, otherwise there may be a tendency to use the same material repeatedly
for only one or two specific learning situation.

11. 6.9 Extension literature
• The use of literature in extension campaigns is discussed in full in
Section 9.6. Its role is complementary to the main extension
process. The preparation of extension literature is, therefore, a
valuable teaching/learning exercise for all staff involved in forestry
extension who will have to communicate ideas or techniques to
members of the public

12. Leaflets
• These are of most value if they are produced in a
standard size and format which is convenient to
handle and which is easy and cheap to produce. They
should also be of a format which can be conveniently
stored in bulk for quick issue, and filed for easy
reference.

13. Some of the qualities of a good leaflet are;
-They should have an attractive design and lay-out which makes them easily
recognisable for what they are;
-they should have a clear, distinctive, title so that any particular leaflet in a
series can be easily located;
-they should provide simple, practical advice on forestry matters for a
specific audience (e.g. advice on tree planting practices for farmers of arable
land may not be the same as that for cattle rearers);
-they should be printed in the vernacular or in very simple terms in a
common language:

14. -They should make use of illustrations to supplement written instructions but
illustrations should not displace words entirely as is happening in instruction
sheets for some commercial products marketed worldwide;
people should be encouraged to discuss the information in the leaflets
amongst themselves and with extension staff at meetings;
-any important observations made on these occasions should be taken into
account when reprinting the leaflet or in designing others in the series;
-without the reinforcement of the message by personal contacts leaflets in
themselves may be of little value in persuading people to change their
practices; and,
-they can serve as a valuable reminder of techniques demonstrated at
meetings and are very important for verifying what a person may think he
was told at such a time.

15. Handouts
• These are simple summaries of what a person has been told or has seen in a talk or a
demonstration. As they may be used in large numbers, or may serve the specific needs
of one activity only, economy in their production is a vital requirement.
• A stock of suitable paper, possibly colour-coded for particular topics and pre-printed
with headings, a logo, or some feint background illustration, can be maintained for
typing, cyclostyling or otherwise reproducing handouts as required. People taking part in
formal courses may wish to file and retain handouts because they may contain a great
deal of useful information.
• This is easier to do if they are in a standard format. For many other people, however,
who receive handouts, they may have only a very short useful life and their contents
should be brief, clear and easily read. Their cost should be kept as low as is compatible
with their function and their importance in an extension programme.

16. Their main function may be summarised as:
-They are useful aids to extension work and are often distributed at
the end of meetings, demonstrations, field days and tours;
- they are used to summarise, in short simple sentences, the main
points of the activity; and,
- they help recall the message conveyed by the extension staff.

17. Bulletins
• The distribution of bulletins is largely restricted to extension staff or particular
community leaders to provide them with a full summary of information available on a
particular topic.
• They should also be used to up-date staff on the latest technological developments or
achievements in a particular field of work.
• If carefully prepared, distributed, and filed, they may form the main source of reference
material for field staff preparing talks, planning demonstrations or answering queries on
a topic. If they are to serve a useful purpose of this sort they should be printed on good
quality paper and stored in clearly identifiable covers.
• For bulletins which may have to be referred to in the field, laminating the pages
between two thin films of plastic increases their useful life and keeps them clean and
attractive. This usually has to be done at the point of production. Though laminating
machines are not very expensive, there is unlikely to be enough work to justify having
them widely distribute throughout an organisation.

18. Newsletters
• These are a more informal source of information. They are more
widely distributed and may go out to active participants in
extension programmes and be made available to people .
• Who are potential participants. They are used to circulate
information on achievements or problems within a particular
area of work. They provide a forum for a regular exchange of
ideas between enthusiastic workers in different locations who
may rarely meet.
• Staff of all grades should be encouraged to contribute and items
should be printed in the vernacular if this is the language in
which a contributor can most easily express himself or herself.

19. • Newsletters are often launched with a certain degree of
enthusiasm and later fade away as staff feel either they have
nothing important to contribute or are too busy to get their
information or ideas down on paper.
• Emphasis should be placed, throughout the organisation, on
the value of the exchange of ideas and staff should be
credited and perhaps rewarded in cash or in their career
prospects for useful contributions to the knowledge of
extension, made in this way .

20. 7. WORKING WITH PEOPLE
• Extension services seek to help people to make decisions which
should lead to an improvement in their environment and
standard of living and to assist them to acquire the knowledge
and skills to implement these decisions.
• To do this, they rely on effective communication with the people.
• Extension staff must, therefore, be at all times in close contact
with the community and must acquire the characteristics and
skills necessary to work closely and harmoniously with them.

21. 7. 1 Personal characteristics required
To serve effectively in an extension organisation, staff must have, or develop progressively,
the following characteristics.
Creativity;
Extension staff should not propose a solution to a problem just
because it appears to be the “stock answer” to the situation.
They should think round the whole situation, try to study the
problem from every possible angle, e.g. environmental, technical,
cultural, and financial, and generate a number of possible lines of
approach to solving it.

22. • They should be willing to examine every possible
solution suggested, develop any favourable points in it
and if necessary combine these with favourable
aspects of other possible solutions.
• They should present new ideas or viewpoints for the
examine critically and make their own decisions . As
agents of change, they should, by their own flexibility,
try to bring about constructive changes people think
and act. Initiative people to example of in the way

23. Initiative;
• When a situation arises they should try to take appropriate action on it,
using their own resources. They should discuss all developmental
problems with the local community concerned and encourage them to
make an appropriate decision for themselves on the basis of existing
knowledge and skills.
• If the situation is too complex for them to give proper advice they should
define the problem clearly, first for discussion with the community, and
then refer specific points to subject-matter or administration specialists
at district or central level .
• This is not likely to happen unless the extension staff have confidence in
themselves and are able and allowed to make decisions about their own
work.

24. Organisational ability;
• The work of the extension staff themselves must be well
planned and organised, if the local people and their
leaders are to support a programme of extension.
• Good organisation leads to the most effective use of
limited resources.
• Success in this area will increase the reputation of the
members of the extension service and the willingness of
people to seek out and follow their advice.

25. Problem-solving ability;
• Extension staff must be able to recognise and define the essential
elements of a problem, and equally, recognise any extraneous
factors which may be attached to it by a special interest group.
• They should measure the problem against their own knowledge
and experience and, if possible, suggest solutions to it. They
should discuss the options and possible solutions with the
community and encourage them to take an appropriate decision.
• They should observe closely the factors which influence the
community in decision making, e.g. personal influence, cultural
values, finance, and take these into account in making any further
proposals

26. Judgement;
• Extension staff should always consider the effect which
their actions, general behaviour and the language they
use, will have on the community.
• They must learn the significance attached to certain words
by particular groups of people. They must exercise tact and
discretion in all their dealings.
• They must never let their words or actions arouse hostility
to the general concept of self-help through extension.

27. Self-improvement;
• Extension staff must follow the principle that learning is a
continuous process for all people and apply it
conscientiously to their own activities.
• They should take every opportunity of keeping their
knowledge up-to-date by private study, reading, discussion
with knowledgeable persons and attending demonstrations
of new techniques.

28. Reliability;
• Extension staff must be aware of the importance of
keeping any promises they may make to people and limit
their commitments to what they can be sure of delivering.
• If they fail in this, confidence in them and in their
organisation may be destroyed, and this is difficult to
restore.

29. THANK YOU: