Page Four
THE SUMMER ECHO
Monday, July 11, 1966
Technology And Newer Media
By James E. Parker, Director, Audiovisual Center
Centuries ago, the writer of
the Book of Hebrews asked,
“What is man, that thou art
mindful of him? Or the son of
man, that thou visitest him.”
—Hebrews 2:6
This question has troubled psy
chologists in American educa
tion for centuries as they have
attempted to discover how man
learns and the conditions under
which he learns. The invasion of
technology in education has giv
en added impetus to the search
for an answer to the question,
“What is man?”
Seeking to explain what takes
place in learning situations and
to devise means of controlling
teaching - learning situations,
psychologists have constructed
theoretical “models” or “proto
types” of man to serve as useful
references in their scientific in
vestigations of learning. In
creasingly, leaders in education
al technology are seeking to use
these models or prototypes as
they look for ways in which
learning theories may be better
applied to instruction in general,
and to newer instructional media
in particular. That is to say,
today, learning theory is of ma
jor concern as a basis for more
effectively utilizing newer in
structional media. What are the
implications of the doctrines of
man for audiovisual education?
Various ‘Models’
First, let us look at the “mod
els.” The homo mechanicus
model views man as a machine,
and learning is viewed as the
association of stimulus to re
sponse. Teaching is like pro
gramming for a computer. The
educator is concerned here with
the machine’s input and output.
Learning is reproductive rather
than productive.
The homo volens model asserts
that man’s inner urges consti
tute his only reality. Things
have meaning for man only in
relation to their possibility of
satisfying his inner urges. To
educate man, the teacher must
concentrate on his motives, his
likes, his status, his appetites.
Man is basically egocentric.
The homo sapiens model of
man pictures man as a cognitive
creature, capable of perceiving,
understanding, and of judging
on the basis of evidence. To
comprehend an act of behavior,
one must be concerned with the
field in which that behavior
takes place because man is field-
centered. Education must be
concerned with cognitive clarity
and meaning, because man wants
to learn and to understand. Ed
ucation must be concerned not
only with overt responses, but
with the processes which lead
to these responses.
JOHN BAKER HONORED—John H. Baker Jr. Day was observed in
Raleigh, June 24, on proclamation by the mayor in honor of the star
football player of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Shown, from left to right, are James A. Stevens, Baker, Herman H.
Riddick, and P. H. Williams. Stevens and Riddick were Baker’s coaches
at North Carolina College, and Williams coached the athlete when he
played football at Raleigh’s Ligon High School. Baker was given cita
tions from the Chamber of Commerce, the Raleigh City Council, and
other organizations on the program held in Memorial Auditorium.
The choice of these models
has had considerable influence
on learning research. Yet, when
one observes carefully, it is not
difficult to see that each model
is but an example of one of a
variety of learning situations.
Their representativeness of all
the varieties of actual learning
phenomena is not at all compre
hensive. For the most part, they
have been derived from animal
learning studies. Thorndike
studied animal association. Pav
lov studied animal reflexes. Koh
ler studied problem-solving by
animals. Unfortunately, some
how the models came to be
placed in opposition to each oth
er; either all learning was in
sight or all learning was condi
tioned response. This situation
has created barriers to an un
derstanding of the true nature
of learning.
Man is Complex
What is man? Man is a ma
chine; he is capable of being
nrogramed. Man is a compos
ite of urges; he is capable of
being motivated. Man is a cog
nitive creature; he is capable
of solving problems and of mak
ing decisions. Man is all of
these and much more. Any seri
ous attempt to describe learn
ing must take into account all
varieties of learning situations.
Effective utilization of newer
instructional media means inte
gration with instruction. In
structing is said to mean ar
ranging the conditions of learn
ing that are external to the
learner. All of the events of
instruction are instituted for
the purpose of establishing the
proper external conditions of
learning. Instructional media
constitute resources for learn
ing, and when they are put to
use, they are generally placed
in some particular arrange
ment or mode of instruction
for the purpose of getting the
greatest instructional useful
ness from the media or com
binations of media. The aim al
ways is for optimal conditions
for learning.
Sometimes man behaves as a
machine. Hence, those media
that aim at fixating responses
or developing mechanical hab
its through practice might
have practical value in a learn
ing situation. The major con
cern, however, is the kind of
practice provided by the media
rather than the amount of prac
tice. Some people seem to be
closer to the homo sapiens model
than others. Others tend to be
closer to the homo volens model.
Some people are more egocen
tric, and some are more field-
centered.
Graduate Programs Earn
Accreditation By NCATE
A-V Approaches Differ
The effective use of newer
media of instruction then re
quires a recognition of these
differences. Different types of
audiovisual devices are required
to insure optimum effectiveness.
It is important, in the use of
newer instructional media, to
study not only the learning
process but also the social cli
mate in which learning takes
place. Some instructional mate
rials may be structurally clear
er than others, but it may be in
advisable to use them because
they may create a social climate
that interferes with learning.
Quite often some of the most
important outcomes of instruc
tion are lost because we neglect
to relate our materials of in
struction to the life experiences
and feelings of the learner.
A lesson intended to teach
Arabs the value of a balanced
diet is not likely to have effect if
the audiovisual device used cites
pork as an example. The refer
ence to pork is likely to arouse
attitudes that interfere with
their grasping the essential
point. A lesson intended to teach
a group of Negroes how modern
scientific methods have been
used to prevent tuberculosis
among Negroes is not likely to
have the desired effect if the
motion picture “Let My People
Go” is used because this motion
picture employs stereotypes that
suggest that most Negroes are
gullible and ignorant.
Audiovisual materials should
be meaningful in terms of the
structure of the subject matter,
because man is a homo sapien;
he wants to understand. Audio
visual materials must take into
account the social climate in
which learning takes place, be
cause man is field-centered. Be
havior takes place in context.
Audiovisual materials can be
“tailored” to increase motiva
tion. They may be developed
with “built-in” practice so that
students know what they are
practicing and why. Audiovisual
materials may be created to pro
vide experiences in productive
thinking. Attention must be giv
en to the way the materials are
organized and to the way they
are to be used by the teacher.
Audiovisual materials may be
constructed so as to reveal the
structure of the subject matter.
They should challenge the stu
dent’s curiosity and his decision
making. The purpose for which
audiovisual devices are used
should be kept at the forefront.
The model of man being used at
the moment must be the guiding
star, if educational technology
is to pay dividends. Man is a
machine; he can be programed.
Man is a homo volen; he can be
motivated. Man is a homo sapi
en; he wants to understand.
North Carolina College in May
received announcement of the
accreditation of its graduate
program in teacher education by
the National Council for Ac
creditation of Teacher Educa
tion.
Rolf W. Larson, director of
NCTAE, in a statement of noti
fication to the college cited “full
accreditation of programs for
preparing elementary and sec
ondary school teachers at the
master’s degree level, full ac
creditation of programs for pre
paring school service personnel
(elementary and secondary
school principals, supervisors,
and guidance counselors) at the
master’s degree level.”
William Jones, chairman of
the interim committee adminis
tering the affairs of the college,
congratulated the Graduate
School and its dean. Dr. Helen
G. Edmonds; the Council on
Teacher Education and its chair
man, Dr. F. G. Shipman; and
“the entire graduate faculty for
the effective cooperation which
brings this unique distinction to
North Carolina College.”
Jones accented the congratu
latory statement from NCATE
which read: “The administrative
staff and faculty of the college
are to be commended for im
provements made in the criteria
for admission to graduate pro
grams, in faculty strength, and
in design and content of gradu
ate curricula.”
Approval of NCC’s graduate
programs by the agency means
Chorus Concert
Set For July 26
The Summer School Chorus
will present its annual concert
on Tuesday, July 26, at 8:15
p.m. in B. N. Duke Auditorium.
The 38-member chorus, under
the direction of Samuel W. Hill,
will perform three interesting
numbers.
These include Mozart’s motet,
“Creator Father”; Holiday Mon
tage,” which will commemorate
all of the American holidays
(with Miss Mary Bohanon, NCC
faculty member, as narrator);
and a medley of eleven songs
from Gilbert and Sullivan’s
“Mikado.”
that its graduates enjoy auto
matic certification in states in
which NCATE operates.
The college’s graduate pro
grams are already approved by
the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction and the
Association of Colleges and
Schools.
Himes To Lecture
Abroad Next Term
Dr. Joseph S. Himes, chair
man of the Department of
Sociology at North Carolina Col
lege, has been appointed a Ful-
bright lecturer in sociology at
Madras University, India, for
the 1966-67 school year.
To lecture on methodology and
sociological theory, he will begin
his assignment on August 1,
1966 and will complete it on
about May 1, 1967.
Himes, who was a Fulbright
lecturer at the University of
Helsinki, Finland, in 1961-62,
has been on the NCC faculty
since 1946. Holder of A.B. and
M.A. degrees from Oberlin Col
lege and the Ph.D. from the
Ohio State University, he has
taught also at Shorter College,
Little Rock, Ark., and Houston
College, Austin, Tex. He is cur
rently president of the Southern
Sociological Society.
He will be accompanied to
India by his wife, Mrs. Estelle
Himes, assistant professor of
French at NCC.
I
Manning Drafted Dutton Trio To Appear
By Detroit Club In Concert On July 21
Ted Manning, number one
scorer for the North Carolina
College Eagles, was chosen
seventh draft choice of the
Detroit Pistons Basketball Club
in New York City in May.
Manning, a native of Balti
more, Md., broke Samuel “Sad
Sam” Jones’ four-year scoring
at NCC of 1,770 points in rack
ing up 2,086 in 96 games in four
years ending with the 1965-66
season. Jones’ record was set in
1957.
The second summer lyceum
offering will feature the Dutton
Percussion Trio on Thursday,
July 21, at 8:15 p.m. in B. N.
Duke Auditorium.
The group whose members can
perform on nearly fifty instru
ments, will present a varied
repertoire which will include
Bach, Satie, Kabalowsky, jazz,
show tunes, and novelty num
bers. Their instruments vary—
from a concert marimba, a vibe.
and a xylophone to a drum set.
Dutton, chairman of the per
cussion department at the Amer
ican Conservatory of Music,
Chicago, is a composer and ar
ranger and is a nationally re
nowned artist on marimba,
timpani, and all percussion
instruments.
Other members of the trio
are Jane Neitzhe, a talented
vibist, and Fred Stoll, an excit
ing young jazz drummer.