• During World War II, school use of visual instruction declines; at the same time, the government begins widespread development of visual instruction for military personnel and industrial workers.

• The surveys conducted during this decade suggest that use of educational radio is minimal.

• Following World War II, the term media begins to be used. Instructional media is generally defined in terms of devices and mechanisms.

• Some state departments of education create educational programming, but most use radio to inform parents and the general public about curricula, school programs, tests, etc.

• In order to determine ratings, stations project figures by assuming that if a school has a set, then the set is tuned in to the offered educational program, and all students at the school are listening to the program.

(film) 1941- The U.S. Office of Education forms the Division of Visual Aids for War Training. (Saettler, 1990)

(radio) 1941- The first George Foster Peabody Awards for excellence in radio broadcasting are given. (Peabody Awards web site)

(radio) 1942- A partial survey of school districts shows 17 states providing broadcasting of some sort to classrooms. (Cuban, 1986)

(film) 1944- The ACE creates the Commission on Motion Pictures (CMP) to determine what types of educational films are needed, to set standards for the production of those films, and if possible, to go on and produce them. (Saettler, 1990)

(film) 1946- Surveys suggest that film is used primarily in elementary classes, somewhat in junior high school and least in high school; overall, use is infrequent. Teachers cite lack of training, unreliable equipment, cost of film & equipment, and difficulty incorporating film into curriculum as reasons why they don't use it more. (Cuban, 1986)

(film) 1946- Colleges and universities play an increasing role in the production of educational films following World War II. (Saettler, 1990)

(film) 1946- The Yale Picture Research Project begins; it will end in 1954. The project focuses on developing principles for creating and effectively using instructional films and on determining why teacher use of visual instruction media is not more widespread. (Saettler, 1990)

(film) 1947- The Department of Visual Instruction (DVI) becomes the Department of Audiovisual Instruction (DAVI). (Library of Congress name authority file)

(film) 1947- McGraw Hill Book Company manufactures its first textfilms, designed to supplement textbooks by expanding the visual treatment of the subjects covered therein. (Saettler, 1990)

(film) 1947- The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) allocates funds to produce authentic instructional films. (Saettler, 1990)

(tv) 1947- When an audiovisual section is added to the state of California's educational code, television is deliberately omitted by the revision's sponsors. (Murphy and Gross, 1966)

(tv) 1948- Philadelphia Public Schools begin instructional television broadcasts; also of note are instructional broadcasts in Los Angeles and the Johns Hopkins Science Review. (Saettler, 1990)

(tv) 1948- The first Peabody Awards for excellence in television broadcasting are given. (Peabody Awards web site)
 

1800's

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1910's

1920's

1930's

1940's

1950's

1960's

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1990's

Last update: May 8, 2002 Comments to: Mary Miller mlmiller@uga.edu Created by Mary Miller and Teresa Cruce for Dr. Thomas Reeves' UGA class EDIT 6100, spring 2002 URL=//http://www.arches.uga.edu/~mlmiller/timeline/1940s.html