Educational Television for Children Learning with Media: Educational Television for Children

What is educational? Academic Skills Prosocial Skills thinking skills like problem solving academic content like vocabulary and math Prosocial Skills altruism, positive interaction, self control Other Definitions APPC Educational Strength

Assumptions… Content is critical… Children are active viewers… TV as a medium is neither good nor bad – it depends on what kids watch. Children are active viewers… Children are cognitively active when watching TV. The family is a socializing force… The family is the core socializing force influencing children’s use of TV and what they learn from it. (Huston & Wright, 1996)

The Active Child… TV is a one-way medium & learning is a two-way process. How can we create educational content to… attract & maintain children’s attention? actively engage children (participatory learning)? facilitate the learning of desired concepts?

The Preschool Crowd… Sesame Street Blues Clues Dora the Explorer

The Active Child… Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory Stages of Development Sensorimotor Stage (infancy) Preoperational Stage (2 – 5 yrs) Concrete Operational Stage (5 – 11 yrs.) Formal Operations (10 – 16? yrs.) Example of Conservation Task:

The Active Child… Vygotsky’s Theory of Cognitive Development Language Acquisition Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Social & Cultural Contributions

The Role of Research… Formative Research: How can we make show better? Pilot test new program segments Measure attention, interest, production Summative Research: What do children learn? Evaluate effectiveness of programming A&E Sesame Street Biography

Research Enhances Learning… Sesame Street Goals Communicate w/ low SES audience. Target children under age 6. Teach school readiness skills. Use entertainment production techniques.

Summative Research Enhances Early Learning… Evaluation: The Early Window Project Research Question Do Sesame Street and other educational programs get children ready for school? Sample 200+ (2 – 5 years / 4 – 7 years) Low to moderate income families

EWP Continued… Method Measures 3-year longitudinal study following 2 cohorts Measures Office Visits Standardized Tests w/Children, Parent Interviews Home Visits Home Observational Measure of the Environment Time-Use Diaries Bi-Monthly Diaries Collected Via Telephone

EWP Results

Other Summative Research… School House Rock Reading Rainbow Mister Roger’s Neighborhood Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids Barney & Friends

0 – 6 Media Use Report… Your questions… How young is too young? What are the most pressing concerns?

Infants & Toddlers… Baby Einstein videos…

Media Policy: The 3-Hour Rule Children’s TV Act of 1990 3 hours of educational TV per week Broadcasters -The Jetsons educational? Necessary to provide broadcasters w/ educational guidelines.

Media Policy: The 3-Hour Rule Air between 7am and 10pm; Education as a significant purpose; Regularly scheduled & typical length; Identified as educational on the air (E/I symbol) and in documents filed with the FCC and local stations.

The 3-Hour Rule: APPC Educational Strength Lesson Clarity Lesson Involvement Lesson Integration Lesson Applicability

The 3-Hour Rule…Results

The 3-Hour Rule…Results Highest Rated Programs: Bloopy’s Buddies (S) Disney’s Doug (ABC & S) Disney Presents Bill Nye and Science Guy (S) Popular Mechanics for Kids (S) Squigglevision (ABC) Lowest Rated Programs: Inquirer High School Sports Show (S) More than a Game (S) NBA Inside Stuff (NBC) NFL Under the Helmet (FOX) Pressure 1 (S) Pressure 2 (S) Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century (FOX)