THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION PROGRAMME ON CHILDREN LEARNING ON SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to Kid (2003), in a survey conducted by Canadian Teacher’s Federation, watching television is a daily pastime for 75 percent of Canadian children, both boys and girls from Grade 3 to Grade10.

The researchers identified how much impact television has on children. This they say, depend on many factors; how much they watch, their age and personality, whether they watch alone or with adults, and whether their parents talk with them about what they see on television e.t.c.

Television can affect learning and school performance if it cuts into the time kids need for activities crucial to healthy mental and physical development. Most of children’s free time, especially during the early formative years, should be spent in activities such as playing, reading, exploring nature, learning about music or participating in sport.

According to the heart and stroke foundation of Canada in (2001) viewing television is a secondary activity and has been proven to be significant factor in childhood obesity. Time spent in front of the television is often at the expense of more active pastime. A scientific American article entitled “Television Addiction” examined why children and adults may find it hard to turn their television off. According to researchers, viewers feel an instant sense relaxation when they start to watch television, but that feeling disappears just as quickly when the box is turned off. While people generally feel more energized after playing sports and engaging in hobbies, after watching television feel depleted of energy. According to the article “this is the irony of television; people watch a great deal longer than they plan to even through prolonged viewing is less rewarding”.

The Canadian Pediatric Society (2003) said as well as encouraging a secondary lifestyle, television can also contribute to childhood obesity by aggressively marketing junk food to young audience. Most food advertising on children’s television shows is for fast foods, candy and pre-sweetened cereals. Commercials for healthy money go into making that are successful in influencing consumer behaviour.

1.1.1    TELEVISION PROGRAMME AND LEARNING

According to Tony Bates (2006) Television programme may be seen by students as a source of information when it may be intended to be a resource for the development of course skills. Most students find it difficult to take notes during the television programmes.

Salomon and Bates (1981) notes that there is now clear evidence that certain in styles of programme appear to be a more suitable for specific types of audience, and for certain types of learning objective. A programme style that work well for one target group and for particular learning objectives will be unsuitable for others.

1.1.2    HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN FROM EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION

According to Anderson (1976) attention is a very important issue in learning the role of attention in learning is intuitive if one does not pay attention, one will not learn.

Attention must be active and retained, especially when the child is surrounded by alternative entertainment source including family and toys. In addition, children’s process of attention and retention are different from adult viewers, and proper cognitive capacity has yet to be quantified.

The development of attention process with respect to the television is as interesting as cognitive development.From ages 1 – 4, time spent with television climbs steady upward until it begins to level off. Children under 30 months watch television for short burst of time and often prefer attending to mother or surrounding toys by (Anderson 2001).

1.1.3    POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT OF TELEVISION EDUCATION PROGRAMME

The positive impacts of television education programme of children’s learning develop the intellectual and make them socialize. Positive impact of television education programme it can be a source of education and entertainment for majority of children around the world and in a certain circumstances. It also brings live the meaning of nationhood of Nigeria through the actual voices of its leaders. Media play significant role of satisfying intellectual curiosity.

Negative impact of television on children depends on many factors, it is important to understand what impact of television can have on children. The factors generally are

·         Violence

·         Sexual content

·         Blue films etc

VIOLENCE: When the children watch television, there are many incidents whereby children try to imitate; the super heroes may results to death. Such as bad cartoons in which they watch and create fears in their heart. This can be especially true young children who are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviour after viewing violence television shows or movies.

SEXUAL CONTENT:         Sexual content make much negative impact on children, when they watch television, they see the way the film is made up of sexual content, the children were enabled to practice it. This is why we see children nowadays at the age of 10 – 15 years knowing what sex means.

BLUE FILMS:          This contrary to the development of the young children by seeing all this kinds of films, it will have negative impact on their life. Example on Television channel from early hours of morning to late evening (or even on 24 hours basis) the children find it difficult to miss this programme.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

What is the effect of television on Children Education in Nigeria Educational System:

1.      The effect of television on children Education makes the children to be more familiar with some pornography clip i.e Blue Films and Sexy Films e.t.c

2.      It makes the children to develop their senses in learning attitude.

3.      Television programmes like movie shows and films makes the children to lost their pride when not appropriate time.

1.3       RESEARCH QUESTION

The study will find the answer to the following questions:

(a)    What roles are televisions expected to play in education of the children?

(b)   How do children learn through educational programmes on television?

(c)    What are the effects of television on children education?

(d)   What are the attitudes of children towards teaching and learning through television?

1.4       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

            The main purpose of the study includes the following

1.      To examine the effective of television on children education.

2.      What are the things children gain from watching television and to correct the mistake conceived idea parents may have on children.

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

            This study will be of immense benefit in the following ways:

1.      It will provide an opportunity for the students to learn through the aid of television.

2.      The Ministry of Education will see the importance of television and introduce it to children’s education.

3.      Parents who do not know the effect of television on their children would know the importance.

1.6       THE LIMITATION AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY

            To collect the data, visitation was made to teachers and students in Abeokuta North Local Government Area.

            The study is a survey of the effect of television in selected secondary school. A total of five schools will be used in the study.

1.7       DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

            The researcher was faced with problem of transportation, which reduced the accuracy of the findings.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

TECHNOLOGY MEDIA:   They are modern technology products like television and others which have been fully engaged in the training of teachers. They have been found useful in the teaching of psychomotor skills.

Most nations of the world believed that technology applied in the field of medicine and tools into productive use.

TELEVISION: It is a means of sending moving picture and it affords the programme from different parts of the country. It can also pay in the development o the children who watch television regularly is comparison.

VIOLENCE: This is one of the negative impacts that the television programme has on children. There are some particular films and programmes which the actions result to death such as Riot, Protesting, e.t.c. This can create fears into children’s heart. Moreover, children can use this behaviour in order to take it as part of their lifestyle.

SEXUAL CONTENT:         This is another negative impact on children based on television shows, films they watch because some of these films show are fully made up of sex active aid. This can expose children to be dressing immorally due to the different styles of dressing they watch.

BLUE FILM: Children are affected negatively through the process of watching “Blue Film” on television shows and movies, what they suppose to keep as their pride for future has been expose to them when watching blue film. How it looks like and how sex with opposite sex can be. Having sex with each other using different styles as seen through this “Blue Film”.These children are also exposed to pre-marital sex which leads to unwanted pregnancy and child.

LEARNING: Learning is the process by which an activity originates or is changed though reaching to an encountered situation provided that the characteristics of the change in activity can explained on the basis of native response tendencies maturation or temporary states of the organism. Learning can simply be said to mean a relatively permanent change in the learner and must be as result of experience to the learner has been exposed to.

POSITIVE IMPACT OF TELEVISION EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Television can be a source of education and entertainment for the majority of children around the world. At the same time, television also gives a misguided message about the world as a whole when interpreted in the mind of the child.

NEGATIVE IMPACT OF TELEVISION EDUCATION PROGRAMME

It introduces the children to pre-marital sex and unwanted pregnancy. Also it enables the children to join bad gang in which the problem occurs in future.

EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMME

Educational television programmes designed as teaching resources which do not need to be continuous and free-standing. They might include questions or activities for learners at different points in the programme and might explicitly require pausing {and therefore need to be recorded}.