THE INFLUENCE OF TELEVISION ON MORAL BEHAVIOUR OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

ABSTRACT

This research project was carried out to investigate the influence of television on moral behaviour of Primary School pupils in Ifo Local Government area.

The purpose of the research is to provide better knowledge and information on the influence of television on moral behaviour of primary school pupils.

In the process of this research, a total of 100 pupils were used. Five primary schools were used as sample.

The instrument used in this research was questionnaire to collect data from the respondents.

This research creates open door for further investigation to clearly explain the influence of television on moral behaviour of primary school pupils.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                      INTRODUCTION

1.1                   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The influence of television on moral behaviour of pupils are reality in Nigeria, a reality that education must see as a challenge and must find solution to.

            There has been gross manifestation on television influence on a child. Villain (2001), opens that “media education may result in young people becoming less vulnerable to negative aspects of media exposure. Research has found that television enhance a child’s imagination.

            Moreover, television has become a “member” of almost every single family on our planet. And not just an ordinary member, but a very important one, because the time spent next to it exceeds the amount of time spent together with any other family member. For instance Monk (1970  stated that television is the one influence, common to us all today, which replace the social, religion, and political meeting and festival which were potent expression in the past

Television is an integral part of mass media and one of the main sources of information today. Television armed on huge public. With its all films, services, soap operas talk and quiz show, music and sex programmes. As every human invention television has its own long history and own advantage and disadvantage.

Nowadays, television has become a chewing in our eyes. People chew gun only because they need to have something in their mouth and they watch Television only to kill time and unfortunately, most of this people are children.

Television affect learning and school performance, id it cuts into the time, kids need for activities crucial to healthy mental and physical development. Most of pupils 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 sports.

Moreover, pupils are becoming more of a couch potato, with physical and mental problem. They have become absolutely unaware of the fun of children, like flaying kites, making castles out of sand, playing in fields and the innocence reveled in being stubborn.

The association of teachers and lecturer, at their annual conference over Easter in 2007, blamed bad behaviour depicted on television for much of the indiscipline, they have to deals with in the classroom. One teacher said “their behaviour directly reflects what they see on television”. Another teacher said “there is also too much swearing on television”. It is used so much that it has no dramatic impact in programmes so pupils use swearing in everyday language as if it is normal.   

The models of life interaction given in the television are very exaggerated and garbled. Children learn that they can gain what they want through been stronger and subordinating their people that they can become popular through killing and that even if you are a “good” guy killing is okay. Statistic have proved that the growth of time spent next to the television set scales up the development of aggression.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There has been gross manifestation of the rate of moral decadence among children of young age is becoming alarming. This especially is due to ill effect of watching unscreened programme on the television. Besides, television addition is negatively affecting even their academic performance. This present study is set at accessing the influence of television on moral behaviour of pupils.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

            It is the purpose of this study to access the attitudes or reaction of pupils to the influence of television on their moral behaviour. The study is also to suggest and make recommendations as informed by the finding of this study.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTION

With the explanation above the following research question were address in the study

i.                    Does television influence the pupils moral behaviour 

ii.                  Is there any difference in moral behaviour of pupil who watch television indiscriminately and those who do not.

iii.                Can government assist in monitoring and screening the type of home video produced?

iv.                Can parents help to reduce and monitor the rate and the type of programme watched?

v.                  Does television affect student academic performance?

1.5       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is limited primary schools, the reason being that they are mostly affected for this study subject has been drawn from primary schools in Ifo Local Government area. The reason for this is for the research sample to be representative enough and also it might cut across all the primary schools.

1.6       DELIMITATION OF STUDY    

The main limitation of this study centre of time, finance, transportation and materials.

This research as insufficient fund with which to carry out the project, consequently and disjoined materials, also the study does not cover the samples in all primary school of learning in Nigeria and the result may not be full representation. However, the information provide by the subject sample for the research to arrive on the conclusion of finding.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERM

            Television: This is piece of electrical equipment with a screen on which children and adult watch programmes with moving picture and sound.

Moral: This is concerned with the principled of right or wrong behaviour of people.

Influence: The effect that somebody or something has on the way a person thinks or behaves or on the way that something works or develops.

Behaviour: The way that somebody be haves, especially towards other people.

Child: A young human being who is not yet an adult.

Media: The main way that large numbers of people receive information and entertainment, that is television, radio and the newspaper.

Decadence: Behaviour, attitudes etc which show a fall in standards especially moral ones, and an interest in pleasure and enjoyment rather than more serious things