AN ANALYSIS OF THE EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY BASED ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF 1972-1982 GRADUATES ENGAGED IN BUSINESS, INDUSTRIAL AND BIOMEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS (EVALUATION, FOLLOW-UP STUDY, QUALITATIVE RESEARCH, AUDIOVISUAL,

For many years the School of Education at Boston University has educated students for the position of media specialist in public school settings. But approximately 20% of the program's graduates (since 1972) have pursued careers in business, industrial and biomedical communications. This study was designed to follow up on this group to determine where they were employed and what they were doing as well as elicit suggestions for improvement of the graduate program.; A questionnaire was designed to gather demographic data and the perception of the appropriateness of their education based on current position. Additionally, AECT's task list for instructional development specialists and material design and production specialists was employed to determine the frequency of performance of selected administrative, design and production tasks.; The respondents (by utilizing Dillman's TDM, the response rate was 76.8%) graduated from a program begun at Boston University in the late 1920's under the title of Visual Education where technological advances have paced a program which originally expounded on the use of motion pictures in education to one which advocates use of interactive-video in instruction. Generally, the graduates are employed in communications firms or by "high tech" companies performing tasks related to production, design and management of media and instructional programs.; Though general program satisfaction was reported, it was through in-depth interviews of selected graduates that suggestions for program improvement were made. Included were: additional instructional design courses, courses in adult learning theory and in interpersonal skills/organizational behavior. The graduates urged students to get as many on-the-job experiences (through field work or internships) as possible and document (through portfolio pieces) what is learned.; Recommendations by the researcher included: hire program graduates who are in the field to teach part-time, provide opportunities for the acquisition and exhibition of skills and support participation/membership in professional organizations.; This study's methodology combines aspects of both quantitative and qualitative research and the epilogue presents the personal side of the research project (from data gathering to presentation).