The steady increase of mass communication instruction in secondary schools has resulted from the demands by educators and the public for programs to help students cope with the impact and potential of mass media. This book describes the status and potential of mass communication instruction in secondary schools. Following an introductory chapter on understanding mass communication, the second chapter reports the results of a study in which 50 state officers of education were polled regarding the status of such instruction in their schools. Chapter three deals with the relationship between mass communication and personal development. In chapter four, the assessment of value-laden mass communication is discussed, and chapter five addresses the institutional approach to the study of mass media, the organization of media as indicators of priorities. Chapter six is devoted to the vocational approach to the teaching of the subject, aiming at preparing students for a career. The use of co-curricular activities to provide additional training and experience for the interested student is the topic of chapter seven. Chapter eight addresses the administrative problems of developing and maintaining a program, especially costs and staffing. Appendixes include the survey questionnaire and data and a list of competencies for prospective staff in mass communication. (DF)