CITATION AND COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
Cite as: Dresang, E. T. (1981). Communication conditions and media influence on attitudes an information uses: The effects of library materials selected in response to student interests about mainstreaming and disabilities. Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Advisor, Margaret E. Monroe.
© Eliza T. Dresang (1981).
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ADVISOR:
Margaret Monroe

ABSTRACT:
The theoretical and conceptual questions were: (1) What are optimum communication and selection conditions for media on specified subjects to have desired effects in a teaching-learning environment? (2) Will students have uses for the media-presented information and under what communication and selection conditions?

The specified subjects were mainstreaming and disabilities. The communication conditions consisted of user or no user input prior to media selection. The selection conditions were the choice of materials based on student-expressed interests, or teacher-librarian perceptions of student interests or unrelated to student interests on the topic. The pretest-posttest experimental design had 120 sixth-grade students randomly assigned to six groups. Independent variables were method (communication conditions) and material (media in relation to selection conditions). Dependent variables with data-gathering instruments were information retention with multiple-choice factual test; positive difference in attitude with Semantic Differential test; and positive difference in intended behavioral change with sociometric test. The data were analyzed using Dunn’s Multiple Comparison of Means test with means adjusted for covariate from ANCOVA tests; t tests were used to examine pretest-posttest change. An exploratory phase followed the experimental phase. Sixteen students were interviewed using a technique designed to elicit information about the uses students had for information presented in the media. Results were coded with a “helps and utilities” content analytic scheme.

Statistically significant results (<.05) showed a more positive attitude toward disability in groups receiving media based on student-expressed interests. In this experiment the choice of materials based on user-expressed interest is the optimum selection condition for desired results. The absence of positive results toward mainstreaming may be explained by the paucity of media about mainstreaming. No statistically significant results were obtained in relation to communication conditions. However, an impact of communication conditions was suggested by the exploratory data. Exploratory phase results revealed more movement-oriented uses for the information among students expressing interests and more uses of all kinds among students receiving media based on student-expressed interests. Findings were related to the role of librarians as media and communications experts.

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