According to the experts Sadiman, Murcia, Basyiruddin, and Davison, definition of media are basically something that help the communication. Because
learning process is also the process of communication between teachers and students, so media are really necessary in learning. It can be concluded that learning media is a
prominent element that should be available in teaching and learning process. Media may be channel for teachers to make their information be interesting to students.
Therefore, media in learning is possible to help teachers control their students. Hopefully, by using media, they are not forced to study, but students themselves have
their own interest to listen and comprehend the information given. Henceforth, media and learning related to each other. Teachers use media to
convey their meaning in a better way. Teaching and learning process may occur effectively, so the educational objective can be achieved.
2. The Role of Media in Learning
All kinds of aids which are used in learning are fundamentally to support teaching and learning process. Using one of those aids, learning media, is to create an
effective teaching. Therefore, utilizing media in learning can be one of vigorous ways of teachers to help them achieve the learning objective.
Essentially, the use of media in learning is to facilitate the interaction between teachers and students. Improving the way of communication in learning is also an
effort to improve students’ understanding. Enhancing students’ understanding on the subject taught should be interesting through seeing and listening. It is better for
teachers to establish their teaching by stimulating all senses of students than giving much verbalization. Giving information in the classroom by explanation and speech
should be decreased to avoid verbalizing, because verbalizing gives less image and experience to students. Learning experience can be conveyed to the students by
showing abstract or concrete example. The concrete example given by teachers, the
better students’ understanding will be. By giving the concrete learning experience, it may strengthen students’ memory.
By giving a more visual example to students, the intended message will be processed and stored in their mind better. It is intended to make students work
actively because they are given an entertaining material to attract their attention. On the contrary, delivering information verbally or using symbols will give less
experience to students, for they get the information by processing the words only. Referring to the advantages of Power Point, it may give information through either
visual or audio. Moreover, Power Point can be modified to give students an instruction to conduct discussion or simulation.
The use of media can support teachers to provide the concrete learning to their students. Indirectly, by utilizing media, teachers may decrease their speech to avoid
much verbalization, and give more concrete experience to sharpen students’ understanding. The following points are the role of media in learning.
a. Media can elucidate the information. In presentation stage, for example, teachers can function media to clear their information and underline the main
point of their teaching. b. Media are put in learning to stimulate the communicative interaction between
teachers and students. c. Media appeal to students’ sense and help them process the information.
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d. Media can enhance teaching and learning process.
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Because the main role of media is to facilitate the communication, so media used in learning have also
a role as the aid to support teaching process in the class. e. In line with the previous point, using media in learning makes teaching and
learning process more exciting and can be meaningful. f.
Media reduce verbalization to avoid conventional method; hence teachers may not explain in much speech.
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Marianne C. Murcia. op. cit., p. 456.
8
Murcia., loc. cit.
