A Study of Some Results of an Educational Media Course within a Teacher Preparation Program

Abstract

This study sought to examine one dimension of the on-the-job behavior of secondary public school teachers who have completed a teacher preparation program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. More specifically, the study examined the on-the-job behaviors and attitudes of these teachers in the following terms: (1) use of instructional media in the classroom, (2) use of instructional media in making student assignments, (3) use of instructional media in conducting student evaluation, (4) years experience (first year or fifth year teacher), (5) teaching area (behavioral science or physical science).

The data revealed that differences do exist between the secondary teachers in the behavioral sciences in their attitudes toward and use of instructional media in student assignments and evaluation with physical science teachers scoring higher. Study data also seem to indicate that, regardless of the number of years of teaching experience teachers have, attitudes and uses of instructional media differ very little. It should be pointed out, however, that the attitudes and behaviors toward the use of instructional media by first year teachers, as shown by their mean scores, were slightly higher than those with five years teaching experience.