Evaluation of Educational Media

Abstract

Even though the selection of educational media is a direct respons bility of the teacher, lay personnel are also deeply interested and have a right to know criteria selected for choice. Sound practices used in evaluating and selecting educa tional media must be clearly defined in the poli cies and procedures of the evaluating authority. This article is designed to assist policy making personnel in developing criteria for evaluating and selecting educational media. Most educators agree that the best policy is to make an objective analysis of each learning mate rial. This is usually impossible. Most evaluation reflects a value judgment and cannot be completely divorced from the insights and limitations of the evaluating individual. The final judgment of ac ceptability too frequently depends upon the sub jective opinions of the evaluating team. More ob jectivity can be built into evaluative instruments if they are multiple and complex. The evaluating team can usually agree on several criteria. Ac ceptance or rejection on the basis of only one cri terion is a dangerous procedure. One person may react violently to the format or organization. It would indeed be unfortunate if educational media were to be accepted or rejected on format alone. Educational media are a means of attaining the objectives of the curriculum. Consequently, the wide differences that exist from one school district to another in policies of evaluating and selecting media directly affect the curriculum. For example, the establishment of a well-stocked learning resources center that becomes an integral part of the instructional program will substantially change the curriculum. As a staff of evaluators work together, pro posed criteria will frequently be so related to each other as to suggest a satisfying and coherent whole. Mutual understanding of each criterion se lected will help make the evaluation more con sistent. Many criteria selected will be apropos to all media. However, careful attention must be given to assessing each piece of material's proper use. For example, a $250.00 thirty-minute film whose message is carried by the sound track and can be moved just as efficiently and effectively through the medium of an audio tape for $2.50 is an unwise investment. The parts of the media to be evaluated should be clearly identified. Cri teria for a book, film, recording, or realia kit should not only reflect the media's particular use fulness, but also the specific parts of the material to be evaluated. All media should give a true picture of the subject represented. The way representation takes place differs among media. In the case of educa tional films, consideration must be given to cine matographic technique (see Figure 1). For ex