The present study aimed at exploring the extent, objectives, stages and barriers of using instructional media in teaching-learning process from Tehran's primary school teacher's point of view

The target population comprised all primary teachers in Tehran during the educational year 1390-91. The sample included 398 primary teachers randomly selected based on a multistage cluster sampling procedure. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed five-part questionnaire. The instrument validity was established based on experts’ judgments, and its reliability was assured using Cronbach’s alpha reliability index. The data gathered in the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including nonparametric Friedman and Cochran tests. The results showed that more than half of teachers have learned how to use instructional media through self-study and/or attending training courses. In this regard, the teachers’ greatest familiarity with instructional media was gained during their university education. The extent to which they made use of various instructional media, except for modern media, was reported to be average or above. In order, the teachers employed instructional media with the aim of using students’ audio-visual senses, attracting attention and increasing interest, simplifying the lesson content, and achieving higher ratings on course evaluation forms.The results also revealed which instructional media were mostly used at different teaching stages. Accordingly, at the starting stage of the class, the most preferred instructional media in each media group were, in order, related to: teachers’ explanations in the auditory media group, blackboard and whiteboard in the board media group, posters and maps in the visual media group, textbooks in the written media group, and laboratory apparatus in the situational media group. Additionally, major barriers to the teachers’ use of instructional media included a shortage of media, limited class hours, a shortage of educational technologists, limited access to media, and unfamiliarity with the use of media.