Television

Nagat Zeinelabdin

Television

History: 

Since it’s varying stages of development across the 20^th century, media technology has played an essential role in education.  Following the end of World War II (1946), the federal government provided radios to schools to be included in classroom teaching. The radio proved to be highly valuable in teaching and was increasingly demanded by schools. Although television came soon after the radio, it wasn’t comfortably accepted by schools.  It wasn’t until the second half of the 1950s that schools began to consider the idea of including television in teaching. Unlike the radio, television left a massive impact on society as a whole. This new technology was too challenging for many educators who believed in the traditional ways of education; many were skeptical and even resentful of its educational uses and values.

It wasn’t until 1968, that the division of Correspondence Study provided more options for teaching with media items recognizing television to be a learning tool (Nasseh, 1997).In 1967, a new genre of television named “educational television” reflected a new type of programming material reflecting the values and standards mandated by the Public Broadcasting Act (signed by President Lyndon Johnson; the act was designed to develop the educational aspect of radio and television by providing new facilities, and funds for studies). From then on, public television channels included "informal" (intellectual and learning-oriented) educational programming as an alternative to commercial television, as well as “formal" (classroom) broadcasting hours (Educational Television, n.d.).

Hollywood had a big role to play in expanding television use in schools. This came first with the initiation of filmmaking classes and growth of performing arts during the 1950s and 1960s. Famous film maker, Thomas Edison, commenting on the use of films in education remarked “Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to touch every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture” (Cuban, 1986, p. 11).

Advantages:

Beside functioning as independent tools for instruction and education, televisions are significant for being entertaining. By showing a subject-related television programs to class, the teacher can help release students from the boredom of classroom settings and break everyday teaching routines.

Instructional television material also has the advantage of being concentrated and focused; that is by being edited off from meaningless intervals and having all the material centered on the subject. Since television programs are typically scripted, planned ahead of time, and target large audiences, they tend to provide a better guarantee for accuracy and efficiency than in-class lectures and activities.

Finally, television classroom programming is frequently recordable. When recorded, students get the opportunity to watch the material more than once; that is as opposed to in class lectures where students get a one-time chance to access the instruction.

In the DLI, television is the most used and important tool for instruction along with print materials. Television programming, with sound and picture, helps develop the students listening and speaking skills. Also, especially with regard to news channels, written material displayed during broadcasting, is essential for the students reading skills. Arabic cable news channels bring fresh materials around the clock, providing students with continuous access to new language materials.

Disadvantages: 

The commercial nature of much of today’s television programming can be damaging to the integrity of educational subjects and therefore inappropriate in school grounds. That’s why most schools are hesitant to allow cable networking in their classrooms. Especially in the case of lower grades, many parents and educators believe television commercials to be violating to the immature psyche of students (Fox, 1997). Another possible disadvantage common in television programming, is their entertainment nature, which can be distracting to students attention and focus.

Conclusion:

Although I believe that schools should implement restrictions and regulation of broadcasting, to a certain extent, television remains an essential educative tool-- whether through documentaries, news, or movies. Television has become a part of society’s everyday life and schools can take advantage of this technology as an educative tool to improve their own curricula.

References:

Cuban, L. (1986). Teachers and machines: the classroom use of technology since 1920. New York: Teachers College Press.

Educational Television. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of tv. Retrieved December 2, 2010, from http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=educationalt

Fox, R. F. (1997). Flavor crystals as brain food: unplug tv commercials in schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 78. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=E193CA09358C376FDF6F40592D041423.inst2_2a?docId=5000535640

Nasseh, B. (1997). A brief history of distance education. Ball State University, Retrieved from http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html