Abstract:

In the recent 20 years, the information and communication technologies (ICT) have seen a significant progress and they have become an integral part of everyday life. ICTs also influence the education which is trying to comply with the needs of current times and to differentiate itself from the standards of the last decades. Many of these changes lead to questions concerning the concepts and foundations of the educational process and its further heading.

Modern technologies – in combination with the changes in socio-economic sphere of the potential students – are opening space for implementation of new or innovated forms of education. Distant studies, which emerged as reaction to the needs of the students and in connection with the requirements of today's society, is coming to the fore. Distant studies is a very effective and variable model where it is possible to apply both traditional and interactive or electronic sources of information, generally known as e-learning.

Apart from study supports which are primarily text-based, there emerge also audiovisual study supports. Audiovisual study supports are those which use audio or video materials for distribution of educational content. These material differ not only in function and technology but also in didactical aspects.

This paper contains an analysis of available primary and secondary resources which deal with audio-visual study supports. In detail, it focuses on their functional-technological and didactic aspects which make them different form commonly used text-based study supports. Besides the theoretical part, the paper also includes a concept of classification of audio-visual study supports together with a detailed specification of individual categories and suitability of their application. This classification (scheme) is also a convenient tool for effective planning and creation of educational materials.

Keywords:

Education, ICT, study support, audiovisual.