CCE Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1989

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Science

Department

Center for Computer and Information Sciences

Advisor

Marlyn Kemper Littman

Committee Member

Paul Catano

Committee Member

Thomas MacFarland

Abstract

The goal of this research study was to determine the effectiveness of the media center within the school environment. The components of the media center program that should be strengthened were identified. The role of the media center, teachers, and staff in facilitating media center goals and objectives were evaluated.

Permission to survey teachers of the Lemmel Middle School was granted by the assistant Superintendent of Planning and Research. The letter of introduction, the questionnaire, directions for completing the questionnaire, and self-addressed, return envelopes were placed in the teachers' mailboxes.

To facilitate in the processing of the questionnaires, the data were coded and placed onto a sheet that was ruled into columns. Each column showed how each respondent answered certain areas of the questionnaire. The questionnaire included three areas of concentration: and materials. Utilization, planning, and facilities Respondents, using a five-point rating scale, were asked to indicate preferences for all items under each of the three areas.

The results of the sign test indicated if there were two conditions different for related samples. The mean scores and the standard deviation for each question listed under the utilization area were presented in table 1. Further, a second sign test indicated the results of teachers' preferences for audiovisual equipment or materials.

In general, the results that were either descriptive or quantitative were grouped and summarized in tabular form.

In conclusion, an effective school media program, stated by the American Association of School Librarians (1988: 21), must depend on an educational partnership between teachers and media specialist. With the cooperative efforts of these partners, the classroom teacher and media specialist can provide successful learning experiences for students. The success of an effective school media program must incorporate all partners that contribute to the educational process within the school.

The school media program should contribute to the educational process and provide the appropriate learning resources and services. An abundance of learning activities should provide for individual and group learning experience. Recommended: It is therefore

  • That the results of this study first focus on the range of weaknesses within the media center program.
  • That the strategies for improving the inadequate areas of the program be outlined.
  • That the results be available for the director of library media services to promote a broader research endeavor that can benefit school media programs.

This approach might be valuable to teachers, administrators, media supervisors, and media specialists in building an awareness of how to utilize an effective media center.

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