School Broadcasting Organization: an Analysis of Structure and Functions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly as received 68—15,384 STEPHENSON, Alan Roger, 1930- SCHOOL BROADCASTING ORGANIZATION: AN ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1968 Education, general University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan SCHOOL BROADCASTING ORGANIZATION: AN ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Alan Roger Stephenson, B.A., M.A. ****** The Ohio State University 1968 Approved by Adviser College of Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer, like most authors, is indebted to many people for their support and encouragement during the preparation of this paper. Deep appreciation is expressed to: Dr. I. Keith Tyler, professor and adviser, for continued stim ulation, guidance and direction. A host of school administrators, teachers and broadcasters for their cooperation, interest and advice throughout the research and pre paration of the report. The staff of WVIZ-TV, Cleveland for their cooperation in testing the proposed guidelines. Margaret Rochford Stephenson, the writer's wife, for her patience, belief and effort which made possible this paper and the graduate study which preceded it. VITA December 12, 1930 ........................................Bom - Ballston Spa, New York 1948 .................................. ................................Graduated, Saratoga Springs, New York High School 1948-1950 ................................'........................Student, University of State of New York, Albany 1951-1954 ......................................................... United States Air Force, Honorable Discharge 1955 .....................................................................B.A., University of State of New York, Albany 1955-1956 ......................................................... Teaching Fellow, University of State of New York, Albany 1956-1958 ......................................................... Television Project Coordinator, New York State Department of Education 1958 .....................................................................M .A., University of State of New York, Albany 1958-1960 ......................................................... Photographer and Producer- Director, Station WOSU-TV, Columbus, Ohio 1960-1961 ......................................................... Research Assistant, Bureau of Educational Research, The Ohio State University 1 9 6 1 .....................................................................Associate Producer, Project for Utilization Programming, The Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction 1961-1964 ......................................................... Executive Director, The 21 Inch Classroom, Boston and Television Consultant, The Massachusetts Department of Education iii 1964 Successively Director of Educa tional services and Manager of Operations, The Educational Television Association of Metro politan Cleveland, Ohio PUBLICATIONS "School Television and In-Service Teacher Training," NAEB Tournal, Vol. 21 No. 1 (January-February, 1962), pp. 10-14. "The 21 Inch Classroom," The Massachusetts Parent-Teacher, April, 1962, pp. 8-11. Vol. 33, No. 8. "School Television In M assachusetts,11 Massachusetts Association of School Committees Tournal, Vol. 11, No. 10 (June, 1962), pp. 49-50. "School Television: A Status Report, " New England Association of Col leges and Secondary Schools Review, Fall, 1963. "Report of The Programming Task Group," Report of the Northeast Regional Instructional Television Library Project to the U.S. Office of Education, February, 1963, pp. 23-30. "Developments In School Television Program Preparation," SMPTE Tournal, Vol. 74, No. 9 (September, 1964), pp. 767-769. "Translator Tribulations, ” NAEB Tournal, Vol. 24, No. 4 (July-August, 1965), p p . 45-47. "Let's Involve The Student," NAEB Tournal, Vol. 25, No. 3 (May-June, 1966), pp. 14-18. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Education Radio and Television Education Professor I. Keith Tyler Audio Visual Education Professor Edgar Dale Higher Education The late Professor Earl C. Anderson Sociology and Anthropology Professor Erika Bourguignon CONTENTS Page ACKNOWIEDGMENTS..................................................................................... ii VITA............................................................................................................... iii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION....................................................................... 1 I THE EARLY ROOTS.................................................................... 5 Organization Begins The Institute for Education by Radio The Federal Communications Act Attempts at Cooperation The First Reservations Television Starts The Effort Begins Organization Takes Form Summary II RESERVATION, ACTIVATION AND EXPANSION................. 31 The Ford Foundation National Citizens Committee for Educational Television National Educational Television and Radio C en ter Growth Pattern National Program for the Use of Television in the Public Schools Closed Circuit Television Instructional Television Fixed Service The Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction Television Tape Recording Networks The Role of the Federal Government Instructional Television libraries National Association of Educational Broadcasters Summary III TELEVISION IN INSTRUCTION.......................................... 69 The Stations The Types of Instructional Telecasting The Extent of Instructional Telecasting Television in Higher Education Summary v CONTENTS (Cont’d) CHAPTER IV RESEARCH....................................................................... The Effectiveness of Televised Instruction Intelligence The Intangibles Attitudes Toward Television Feedback Production Devices Summary V THE PLAN FOR THE STUDY....................................... Dimensions of the Problem Organizing the Study Proposed Guidelines Terms to be Used The Interview Schedule The Sample Gathering the Data Summary VI THE FINDINGS.................. .......................................... Patterns of Organization Characteristics of Organizational Structure Problem Areas Reported Non-Reported Problems An Observation: Project Leadership Efforts At Reorganization Summary VII ANALYSIS AND OBSERVATIONS................................ Structures Relationships Between Station and Project The Telecasting Project's Relationship to Its Schools Interdepartmental Relationships Summary VIII AN ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONS................................... Interpretation Service Program Preparation Sales Evaluation Administration Summary CONTENTS (Cont'd) Page CHAPTER IX SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DATA............................................. 169 Data Comparison The Indeterminants A Further Comparison Summary X EVALUATION AND MODIFICATION OF PROPOSED GUIDELINES.................................................................. 176 Original Proposals Proposed Guidelines Summary XI APPLYING THE GUIDE LINES IN A NEW LOCATION--A TEST CASE............................. 197 The Community The School Community Initial Station-Schools Contact Initial Organization The Curriculum Council Developing New Productions Television Teachers Building School-Station Relations Results of The First Semester The First Full Year Proposed Guidelines Reexamined Summary XII SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................ 218 Summary The Guidelines Implications of The Study Recommendations for Further Study Concluding Statement APPENDIXES.................................................................................................... 224 A Interview Schedules B Letter to Area School Administrators C Replies for Area School Administrators BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................... 249 vii INTRODUCTION Although experimentation in the use ot television as a tool in instruction can be traced back virtually to the inception of the medium as a laboratory curiosity in t923, the most accurate date ot origin for educational television is April n , i952. On that date the Federal Communications Commission/ as one part of its 6th Report and Order, reserved 242 television channels in communities across the nation exclusively for educational, non-commercial programming. This action was derided by cynics who contended that education would make little or no use ot these channels and would be both unwilling and unable to provide the funds necessary to operate broadcasting stations. The FCC action in reserving these channels was not a simple, far-sighted decision or one based on great faith in the ability ot the field of education to fund and operate these channels. The reservations followed extensive testimony and years of preparation. The Commis sioners were under considerable pressure from commercial interests to make no such reservations, or at the very most, to move all reserva tions to the least desirable parts of the new Ultra High Frequency band which the Commission established as part of the 6th Report and Order. The Commissioners' doubts are illustrated by the fact that the initial reservations were made for one year only. The history of the actions that led to the reservation of educa tional channels is a fascinating one. It was written by a small group of educators who possessed the imagination, vision and stamina to mobilize the key elements.of education. These men led education into the unfamiliar arena of political intrigue where ultimately the reserva tions for