Graphics Mirror: Re Emphasizing Visual Aids

Abstract
The influence of visual aids on the academic performance of students is a topic of significant
interest within the field of education. Visual aids such as images, diagrams, videos and other visual
representations play a crucial role in enhancing students' comprehension and retention of
information. The primary objective of this study was to examine the contributions of visual aids
towards academic performance of Visual Arts students at St. John’s, Archbishop Porter’s Girls
and Fijai Senior High schools in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. The intent was to identify visual
aids as essential instructive instruments and how they impact learning. An exploratory case study
approach was used to assess the availability and use of instructional resources that explanatory
research has attempted to explain. A sample size of 15 participants was used. Data was collected
through interviews, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review. A thematic
approach was used for data analysis. The study found that visual aids maintained students'
interest, improved comprehension, recall and retention of information. Students' perceptions of
visual aids revealed that their absence promotes abstract presentations, making it difficult to grasp
concepts, as teachers mostly resort to the use of the whiteboard. Financial constraints were
identified as a major teaching challenge. This difficulty has a negative impact on students'
academic performance. The research inferred a direct correlation between the use of visual aids
and effective student academic performance.