Degree Name
Education Specialist (EdS)
Semester of Degree Completion
1977
Thesis Director
James J. Reynolds
Abstract
Instructional media is usually used as a supplement to verbal and printed instruction. It is used for the purpose of illustration, exemplification, motivation, and for clarification. Filmstrips, 16mm films, charts, maps, and still pictures, library books, and resource units help students understand their social world.
No one teaching tool reaches the set goals in Social Studies classes. A comparison of different types of media effectiveness in improving student interest, in stimulating class discussion, and in helping to fix vocabulary is the goal of this study.
Identification of the media which produce the best student success provided the Social Studies with a basis for changing and improving the instructional unit in whatever subject areas are chosen for study.
After dividing thirty-seven students into six groups and giving each group a different media to use as they studied the unit on Alaska, (one of the six groups was given no additional media) a comparison is then drawn between the various types of media to see which group scored highest on the post test.
The group using 16mm films integrated with text and lecture material had the best performance on the post test. The effectiveness of the media based upon the mean percentage ranks the groups numerically as follows: First, 16mm films; second, resource unit; third, textbook and lecture; fourth, additional readings in library books; fifth, filmstrips, and sixth, maps, charts, and still pictures.
After consideration of the findings of the study, various recommendations and conclusions are offered. The following is recommended:
- That elementary teachers, when teaching about Alaska, give prime consideration to the use of 16mm films.
- If a study of this nature is done again, it is recommended that larger groups of students be employed for each group.
- It is recommended that a study similar to this one be done in other subject areas.
- It is recommended that in a future study, the lecture and use of the textbook be eliminated.
Recommended Citation
Burton, Lester Raymond, "A Comparative Study of the Effects of Different Types of Media on Selected Fifth Grade Students at Franklin Elementary School, Mattoon, Illinois" (1977). Masters Theses. 3283.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3283
