The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

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June, 194} Page 197 Trends in Audio-Visual Instruction ADDED impetus to the already increasing pro- duction and utilization of audio-visual aids has been given by the production and use of in- structional programs for the armed forces. A large portion of these aids are being produced by specialized branches of the Army and Navy. Moreover, about eighty percent of the volume of non-theatrical pro- ducers is devoted to production of training aids. Furthermore, such theatrical producers as Disney have "al)out ninety percent converted to making films for Uncle Sam." Other Hollywood studios have produced more than one hundred training films for the Army. It is estimated that the Army now has twenty thousand 16mm. sound projectors in use, and the Navy over ten thousand.' Since officers in charge of training recognize that "The film is the instructor's assistant, not his substitute and not his master,"" they have as- signed film utilization officers to training stations over the nation. To what extent will this successful use of audio- visual aids for imparting information and developing skills, habits, and attitudes essential to success in the various fields of scientific warfare, affect general edu- cational methods after the war? Frequently the best way to predict future developments in an area is to study its history. Following a brief analysis of pre- war trends in the purchase of equipment by schools, the organization of film libraries by educational in- stitution and agencies, and the extent and type of film used by classroom teachers, the writer will en- deavor to predict trends in this area during the first decade of the post-war period. Progress in Audio-Visual Instruction During the Decade Preceding the War School Ownership of Equipment. —A study in 1936 by the American Council on Education, in collaboration with the U. S. Office of Education, revealed that the reporting schools owned 458 16mm sound projectors.' Comparable studies in 1940-41 by the U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce disclosed that schools had a total of 9.861 16mm. sound projectors.* •'■• On the basis of more recent surveys of equipment owned by schools in three states it seems reasonable to estimate that the elementary and secondary schools in the nation i"16mni. Field Expanding to Big Business Status." Motion Picture Herald. April, 1943. 151:15. 2BeIl, Reginald. "Training Films in the Navy." Visual Review, Society for Visual Education, Inc., 1943. Chicago, p. 10. ".Xmerican Council on Education, Washington, D. C. National Visual Education Directory, compiled by Koon and Noble. 1936. 269p. ■•Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Washington, D. C. Survey of Motion-Picture Equipment in Elementary Schools in the United States, compiled by Golden. 1942. 444p. "Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Washington, D. C. Survey of Motion-Picture Equipment in Colleges and High Schools in the United States and Its Territories, compiled by Golden. 1941. S13p. A stimulating forecast of what lies ahead in visual instruction, and concrete suggestions for realizing its possibilities to the full in American education. L. C. LARSON The School of Education and Extension Division Indiana University, Bloomington now own approximately fifteen thousand 16mm. sound projectors. A large number of school units own one projector which, it may be assumed, was purchased for audi- torium use. Additional equipment usually is not purchased until the school develops a planned pro- gram for classroom use of films. Table 1 reveals that the cities with a population of over 100,000 own 4.63 projectors per 100.000 population. This ratio in- creases for cities of 50,000 to 100,000 and for cities of 25,000 to 50.000. The data indicate that there would be a corresponding increase for cities and villages with a population of less than 25,000, if the population served by rural schools without electricity could be subtracted from the total population. When the states are ranked on the basis of number of projectors per 100,000 population and on the economic ability of the states to support public edu- cation, a wide disparity is noted. New York State, which ranks first in the ability to support public education, ranks 41st in the number of projectors. On the other hand, Idaho, which ranks 34th in wealth, ranks third in the number of projectors. The rank correlation coefTicient was .36, with a standard error of .13. While the degree of relationship is statistically significant, it is low. There are other factors, ap- parently, which are more important than economic wealth in determining the adequacy of the school's audio-visual program. There is likewise a wide disparity in the ownership of projectors among cities in each of the population categories. A city with one and one-half million population, in a state which ranks eleventh in wealth, Table I. School Ownership of 16mm. Sound Projectors by Population Groups Population Population Population Population less than 25.000 to 50.000 to over 25,000 49,999 99,999 100.000 Total Number of Projectors 6,891 655 557 1.758 9,861 Total Population 79,212,583 7,265,871 7,197,832 37,992,989 131.669,275 Ratio of Proj. per 100,000 8.07 9.01 7.74 4.63 7.41 has 260 projectors, whereas, another city with ap- proximately two million population, in a state which ranks ninth in wealth, has only 19 projectors! A com- parison of cities within population categories seems to indicate that the factor which is more important than wealth is the quality of leadership provided by the local director of audio-visual education.