A phenomenological view of pictures in teaching and a novel method for analysing them

In this paper a novel method for analysing the content and teaching potential of pictures is presented. It is the four-field method, which is based on phenomenological thoughts about human experience, which combines factual knowledge with emotions and personal and social meanings. A biological example is given. Around this idea a course unit for using pictures in science teaching was organized. It was used in the training of both primary and secondary level teachers. From picture analysis the course unit proceeds to planning the use of pictures in teaching. A classification of the teaching functions of pictures is presented