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EDUCATION AND TRAININGdifferent media according to thedominant cognitive skill of eachgroup. For example the studentswho have strong language aptitudeswould enjoy books, audio cassettes,and DVDs; students with strongmathematical skills would enjoycomputers; and students with strongspace search capabilities wouldbe on a fast track when it comesto solving puzzles and would showpositive attitudes towards slides,diagrams, and maps (Aghazadeh,2006, pp. 38-39).7. Brain/Learning Process Theory:The brain provides capabilitiesthrough nerve systems. Left and righthemispheres of the brain control andconduct different activities (Wolf,2008, pp. 153-55). Teachers must dotheir best to entice students to useboth sides by adopting media mostappropriate to increase emotionalattachment of students in the learningprocess (Raees Dana, 2009, p. 14).Social Settings of Media UtilizationAdvances in mass communicationsand modern technology havecontributed to dynamic learning inthe classrooms (Zofin & Lotfipour,1991, p. 28). The benefits of suchadvances have been felt both insociety and educational structure.Variety of information sources,cooperative and group learning,and independent studies are nowwidespread (Yadgharzadeh, 2007, p.36). Moreover, it must be noted thatthe availability of various media andtechnology, per se, can not insurepositive results unless attentionis paid to training and educatingqualified human resources. Preparingthe students for the 21st centuryrequires learning technology in allaspects of its meaning (Fall, 2009).Dimensions of Media UtilizationIt is necessary to acquire thefollowing capabilities.a) Skills required to construct andadopt the media by improvingteachers’ knowledge of educationalmedia and to motivate them to acceptthe use of it as a 21st century reality.b) Increase the knowledge ofeducators about the goals andbenefits of media use in its differentforms and designs. Seminars,lectures, and workshops for teachersand proper guidelines for educationplanners are steps in the rightdirection.c) Prerequisite skills to designing andapplication of media. Experts haverecommended different models ofdesigning plans for education. Oneof these models, so called, ASSURE,has been proposed by Russell. Inselecting the media, teachers mustbe aware of the benefits, impacts,and shortcomings (Amir Teimouri,2008, pp. 238-39). In most casescost is an issue (Waldse, 2005). In allpossibilities, coordination, goals to beachieved, content, teaching methods,learners’ characteristics, andreliability of the techniques must beused as a criteria and starting point(Amir Teimouri, 2008, pp. 240-43).d) Skills to design media for differentlevels of learners and audience. Atdifferent stages of planning countingfor the makeup of audience, goalsof teaching/learning, assessment,modifying, and taking advantage ofprevious works are riding principles.Altogether, balance, simplicity, roomfor discussions, unity and coloring,diagrams, pictures, maps, and simpleattachments make media designmore attractive and amusing.e) The stage of media use, probably,is the most important because it notonly keeps learners occupied butalso displays skills, readiness, andcompetency of the teacher withoutlosing the audience. Preparation,environment, and incorporatingcomplement activities and makemedia use more effective andproductive (Zofin & Lotfipour, 2004,p.53). The achieving educator willalways attempt to keep abreast ofnew techniques and innovations.Computers have played enormousroles in the mental growth of ourchildren, their education, problemsolving talents, and searching foranswers (Jilbert, 2005). Accordingto Collis (1998), today, teaching atpilot schools, virtual teaching, andeven network based teaching requirespecial skills and qualifications.Electronic and network basedinstruction has the benefits ofdiversity and active participation;attention to individual differences;changeability; and availability ofscientific and professional guidance.f) Ability to overcome obstacles andshortcomings of utilization. Whenusing the media teachers are usuallylimited with problems such as lackof knowledge and impact of media,inadequate media, limited budgetand cooperation of educationalauthorities, lack of coordinationbetween the education systems andinappropriate rules inherited fromthe old and traditional system, andimproper and inadequate teacherevaluation systems (http//: festival.rash.ir) (Magazine).ResearchResearch on educational mediastarted immediately after innovationsand their applications in educationalenvironments. The pivotalconcentration was to comparethe impact and effectiveness ofthe new techniques to that of thetraditional approach to educationand draw inferences. Any newtechnology and innovation wouldinitiate its own research and study.A study by Godfree (1967) titled“States of Audio/Visual Techniques,1961-67” was the first systemicattempt to assess the effects ofA/V innovations on learning. Hecollected information and data on2,927 schools. The resulting reportconcluded a considerable andpositive contribution of technologyin elementary schooling. The samereport indicated that the results weredifferent for higher levels of schoolingdue to diversity of content subjects.Traditional tools such as films andaudio cassettes were preferred bythe teachers. A joint study by JosephF. Kahalahan and Leonard H. Clarkindicated that teachers preferredthe traditional methods of teachingbecause the new methods demandedmore efforts and skills (Vasheghani& Frahani, 1992, p. 92). MichaelSimonson (1987) and his colleaguesconstructed a pilot research programto assess the impacts of film, slides,audio cassettes, and a control groupto evaluate the view of studentsabout handicapped students. Resultsindicated that compared to the controlgroup the other groups that wereexposed to films, slides, and audiocassettes showed positive signs ontheir view of the handicapped34 MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL OF FAMILY MEDICINE VOLUME 10 ISSUE 7MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL OF FAMILY MEDICINE • VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10