by Mireille de Biasi, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Background and educational objectives

In French secondary schools, Classics teaching closely relates the study of literature and language to that of arts and culture. For the Classics teacher, a work of art is as relevant to be studied as a text. A picture can be much more than a mere illustration that keeps pupils' attention from the text: its study can help a lot in the understanding of that text. A study of images leads to a study of written texts and vice versa. The ICT element of teaching is therefore a most valuable teaching aid. Indeed, the use of technology enables the teacher to find pictures of archaeological or artistic objects on the Internet and to classify these pictures before showing them to the pupils.

Assembling the slide show

Above all, the teacher has to ensure with the utmost care that he or she is legally free to use the pictures needed for educational purposes.

The equipment

Several software packages can be used to create slide shows. These include Impress (part of Star Office or Open Office), Appleworks and Microsoft Powerpoint. It takes only a short time to become acquainted with the basic use of such software and to be able to classify a series of images in a presentation.

Image databases on several Internet sites offer digital images of quality, inter alia, Perseus Digital Library, Beazley Archive, Museums, Monuments and Archaeological sites of Hellas, Louvre.edu.

The various stages of preparation

The first stage of the preparation is collecting images (if necessary, you can correct their formats with an image editor - refer to chapter 2 of this document to read about image editing).

A second stage of the process is to conceive the running order of the slide show (the sequence in which the images will be put).

On opening the presentation software, one usually sees the same menu items as in a word-processor.

In order to produce a new slide, insert either an image or a text or even both of them.

Now create the slides one after another. Whenever needed, an overview can be seen before starting the show (there is an image-sorting program in Powerpoint software). The order can also constantly be changed. Please refer to the image below.

Various Settings to consider (depending on the actual software used)

• Advancing slides, either by using the timer or setting to manual
• Special effects for slide transition can include a simple succession of pictures such as with a standard slide show, cross-fades between slides, zoom effects, checkerboard or cover left-down effects)
• Subtitles of images and text inserts
• Superimposing lines, pointers and arrows to focus on details of the picture. For futher information, please refer to the work of Jacques Julien, of the Versailles education authority, at http://www.ac-versailles.fr/pedagogi/Lettres/Rome_royale/serment0.htm
• Inserting sound files, such as extracts of the Madrid Musicae Atrium or of Annie Belis, by the Kerylos ensemble. These can be mixed as background music with the study of, eg, the Douris wine-bowl. Be sure to check that they are free of copyright restrictions.

How to use it during lessons

A computer and a video projector are required equipment. Projection is of a higher quality where a screen is available but a simple white wall can be sufficient.

Two examples of the system at work

As a preliminary to the study of an extract from Plato's Protagoras, the study of the Douris wine-bowl can be very interesting. (This archaeological work of art belongs to the Berlin Museum and images of it can be found in the Perseus digital library). It helps pupils to acquire basic knowledge in the subject of education in Athens. This course is given to Greek beginners in their secondary school third year.

Study of the picture The Sabine Women, by Jacques-Louis David, (Louvre Museum, Louvre-edu software) is valuable after that of the Rape of the Sabine episode, by Livy. This course is given to Latin beginners, in their secondary school second year.

The value of using digital images                

A high quality image allows pupils and teacher to work together on a thorough, detailed analysis of a picture. The image helps to form an accurate understanding of how the artist used raw materials. The teacher can adjust the picture size by moving the video projector from the screen and getting closer to the true size of the image. It makes a striking impression on pupils who get the feeling that the picture is really in the classroom.