A set of criteria derived from curriculum theory to assist in the planning, use and evaluation of educational interactive videodisc.

Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to develop a set of criteria derived from curriculum theory to assist in the planning, use and evaluation of educational interactive videodisc. That set of criteria, referred to herein as the EIVD Curricular Base, consists of six sets of guidelines corresponding to Eisner's (1985) curriculum typologies: Development of Cognitive Processes, Curriculum as Technology, Curriculum for Personal Relevance, Curriculum for Social Adaptation, Curriculum for Social Reconstruction, and Academic Rationalism. The set of criteria was developed through the examination of three primary research questions: (1) What ways have those elements Beauchamp (1981) deemed necessary for any curriculum theory (definitions, values, design, engineering, and regeneration) been operationalized in Eisner's six curriculum typologies; (2) To what extent do interactive design characteristics identified by DeBloois (1979) apply to curriculum theory; (3) How can the ability of videodisc to simulate reality be integrated into the set of criteria? Further, the proposed set of criteria was critiqued against sample educational videodiscs to establish its veracity. The results of this study indicate that the Cognitive Processes curricular typology utilizes the potential of educational interactive videodisc to a greater extent than any other curricular typology in the EIVD Curricular Base. Therefore, it is recommended that an in-depth exploration of the Cognitive Process set of criteria be initiated. Ideally, the exploration would result in the research, design, production, use and evaluation of an actual videodisc program. Several, more general, recommendations regarding education's use of videodisc technology and courseware complete this study.