Abstract:
Purpose : To analyse the status, needs and problems involved in the utillzation of instructional media by science instructors at Prince of Songkla University. Procedure: Questionnaires and an interview were used in this research survey. The population of this study were science instructors in Prince of Songkla University. Simple random sampling was used to selected 469 out of 620 instructors which was 75.65 percent of the total population. The questionnaires were sent out, and 337 were sent back which was 71.86 percents of total questionnaires. The raw data including the data of an interview of seven officers, were computed to show the percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. Results: 1. The status of instructional media of Science: Most instructors learned the use of instructional media by observing the other instructors and practiced the utilization of instructional media by themselves. The teaching used by instructors were lecture methods and self-study through the use of library materials. Most of the instructors produced instructional media in the division of Audio-Visual education in their faculty. There were more instructional media instruments available in the Faculty of Medicine than the other faculties. Most of the instructional media used by instructors were documents and texts. Other instructional media, such as overhead projectors, slide projectors, illustrations, experiments, and specimens were also used. 2. Comparing the need and the use of instructional media: It appeared that on average the need was much greater than that of the use. The most urgent instructional media needs were documents and texts. However overhead projectors, slide projectors, illustrations, experiments, specimens, demonstrations, charts, statistical tables, posters and models were used in random, and it revealed that following: The instructional media services most needed by instructors were the equipment to facilitate the production of instructional media, and an instructional media center responsible for systematically collecting and organizing all of the available teaching aids. 3. Problems and obstructions in the utilization of instructional media: Most of the instructors thought the university lacked leaders able to manage and produce instructional media. Classrooms were not convenient for some equipment and an insufficient budget was allocated by administrators; there were few instructional media and often these were unsuitable for the lessons ; the lack of a center of division of instructional media to collect instructional media equipment and service the faculty. Suggestion: 1. The instructional media divisions should increase their ability to produce instructional media both in quantity and quality. An organized service system is needed to serve the Faculties smoothly. Information should be provided to instructors as to which instrument each division can produce and lend. Improve the lecture rooms so that all instructional media instruments can be utilized. Encourage coorperation among the divisions of instructional media in each faculty. 2. There should be an expert in this specific field to help consult about the use and services. Provide more instructional media officers. Encourage the officers to continue their study and training to improve the quality of these officers. 3. Budgets should be increased to provide for purchasing of better equipment, provision of better facilities for the production of instructional media, and upgrading of the staff so they are better able to provide the necessary services for classroom instruction.