Beginning Teachers’ Utilization of Instructional Media: a Canadian Case Study

SUMMARY

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.