Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1975

Thesis Director

James J. Reynolds

Abstract

The study consisted primarily of an evaluation on the media program in the Ottawa Elementary School District 141 and recommendations for improving this program. A key element in improving the program is the establishment of a district media center.

The study begins with a review of the literature concerning the role of the media in schools, the value of coordinating media programs, and the role played by district media centers.

The paper explains the categories used in evaluating the schools and examines each in relationship to the established criteria set forth in Standards for Educational Media (Library and Audiovisual) Programs in Illinois. This chapter also examines the district media centers in Mattoon District Number 2 and Gillespie Unit Number 7 in order to provide comparison with existing programs in Ottawa. The Mattoon and Gillespie programs were compared with the guidelines suggested in Standards for Educational Media (Library and Audiovisual) Programs in Illinois for district media centers in an effort to provide uniformity of evaluative data for comparison with the Ottawa District.

Each of the nine grade schools in District 141 was evaluated in terms of its individual media program. The criteria used in evaluating each program were: equipment, space, personnel, and software. Each of these categories was compared to the recommendations suggested by Standards for Educational Media (Library and Audiovisual) Programs in Illinois. The personal opinions of the administrator of each school were solicited in order to determine how they felt about the possible value of a district media center and its possible benefit to his particular school.

Chapter III procedes to draw the conclusion that the individual media programs do not conform to the Standards for Educational Media (Library and Audiovisual) Programs in Illinois. Using the standards as a guide, the study made recommendations concerning steps each school should take to improve its media program. The study recommends the establishment of a district media center for an orderly upgrading of the media program. The study then recommends, what the structure of the district media center should be, using the guidelines suggested in the standards. The study makes recommendations concerning staffing of a district media center, altering the suggested standards to conform to local conditions. Also, a plan was developed for the establishment of a distribution service for the district. Chapter III also recommends a particular location for a district media center based on local conditions. Recommendations are also made concerning the type of equipment necessary to establish a district media center.

The last element of Chapter III discusses how District 141 would benefit from establishing a district media center. It also reviews the literature to give support to the value of media.

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