Less publicized than hypotheses about the negative effects of television on cognitive development, scholastic achievement, and social behavior are research investigations into the positive effects of television viewing on factors such as interest, creativity, and imagination( Leonard, 1997). Howard Gardner( 1982, 1991, 1993), a well-known developmental psychologist at Harvard University, is a proponent of the idea that certain kinds of television stimulate creativity and imagination in young children. However, the research results supporting these types of positive hypotheses are modest at best( Seels et al., 1996).
Exemplary Programs
Two television shows that have been subjected to more educational research than any others in the USA are Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood( Collins & Kimmel, 1996) and Sesame Street( Lovelace, 1990; Mielke, 1990), both shown on public television stations. Sesame Street, distributed in more than 90 countries, has also been studied internationally( Gettas, 1990).
The goals of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood are primary affective, and research has demonstrated positive effects on the self-esteem of children and their tendencies to value others( Seels et al., 1996). With emphasis on both socialization and cognitive development, Sesame Street has been shown to have positive outcomes in terms of school readiness as well as math, reading, and social skills( Seels et al., 1996). Interestingly, some researchers have focused on whether the slower-paced Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and the faster-paced Sesame Street have differential effects on children’ s attention spans, but such studies are inconclusive( Anderson & Collins, 1988; Seels et al., 1996).
Research Results
The most positive research news about learning“ from” television can be found in the classroom where 40 years of research show positive effects on learning from television programs that are explicitly produced and used for instructional purposes( Dorr, 1992; Seels et al., 1996). In addition, most studies show that there are no significant differences in effectiveness between live teacher presentations and videos of teacher presentations( Seels et al., 1996).
More importantly, there is strong evidence that television is used most effectively when it is intentionally designed for education and when teachers are involved in its selection, utilization, and integration into the curriculum( Johnson, 1987). In the past, the biggest barrier to the integration of television programs into the classroom was the fixed-time limitation of instructional broadcasts, but the widespread availability of video cassette recorders( VCRs) has provided teachers with the ease-of-use and flexibility they require( Mielke, 1990).
Increasingly, television is coming into schools via cable and or satellite transmissions. The Star Schools Consortium in the USA is one of the largest such enterprises, providing scores of telecourses in thousands of schools across the nation( Moore & Kearsley, 1996). Most often, programs received via satellite dish or cable are recorded by media specialists or technology coordinators and
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