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Directors and/or Coordinators of Media Service Agencies. Primary jobs were to acquire audiovisual materials and equipment, to maintain the collection, and to help teachers identify and use materials to enhance their teaching (Pg. 176).
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The first count in 1946 showed 164 directors, according to the National Education Association.
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The growing field of Audiovisual Education Directors.
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In 1954, according to the National Education Association the number of audiovisual directors grew to nearly 700.
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As the federal government increased funding the numbers of directors and coordinators kept climbing. Example: DAVI grew in membership of media directors and coordinators from 3,000 in 1958 to 11,000 in 1970.
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Many and a variety of task, which included acquiring, cataloging, storing, retrieving, and distributing audiovisual materials; supervising the production of audiovisual and television resources; acquiring, maintaining and deploying audiovisual hardware; planning and maintaining facilities for using media; managing professional and nonprofessional personnel; budgeting for agency operations; evaluation of services and products.
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By 1975, 56% of membership held positions primarily administrative.
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The consolidation of audio-visual centers with school libraries lended itself for the person with library certification to take over all media responsibilities. Yet administrative duties persisted evolving as computer technology became inexcapable.
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Larger mission of bringing change, to modernize and improve teaching and learning (Pg. 177).
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In the late 1970's continuing through the 1980's, a shift occurs for directors and administrators from working in K-12 schools to universities and from administrative to consulting roles.
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The major functions are managing personnel; selecting, acquiring, cataloging, and distributing instructional materials; promoting media center services; developing constructive client relationships; and carrying out all these functions with accountability, maintained through obtaining and analyzing data on costs versus services provided (Pg. 178).
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The role evolved as educational technologist became more involved in instructional theory. A role of collaborating with instructors to develop learning environments that were more productive for student learning. Programmed Instruction movement stimulated the change with a continued path towards collaboration as the cognitivist and constructivist perspectives came to the forefront. The management perspective changed from one managing materials and equipment to a ID project management position
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Through the 1990's and early 2000's, the demographic of AECT continues to shift away from media center management.
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15% of AECT members worked as media directors compared to 56% in 1975.
11% worked in elementary/secondary education compared to 39% in 1975. Yet, professors and instructional designers constituted 45% of the membership with an increasing focus on computer-based delivery.
