BEGINNING TEACHERS UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL-MEDIA - A CANADIAN CASE-STUDY

This study investigated the self-reported use and production of 14 instructional media by a group of recent BEd graduates from a university in Western Canada. Their questionnaire responses were analysed in relation to various factors: amount of teachers' formal coursework in instructional media taken during their pre-service education, grade level taught, location of school (urban/rural), school-system type (public/separate), and age and sex of the teacher. An analysis of the data led to findings similar to those reported in previous research, namely: novice teachers use media more than they produce it; their use/production of instructional media appears more affected by grade level taught than by other factors; they express concern over the lack of time to acquire (and the lack of availability of) certain media; and although they acknowledge the value of instructional media in teaching, they suggest that better pre-service preparation of teachers is needed to help them utilize instructional media later in the field. Implications of these findings for teacher-education programs are discussed - with the focus of designing an integrated media program which would eliminate the above inadequacies and enhance both pre- and in-service programs.