Home > Reference Group > Discussion Board

Can TV be more educational than books?

If you have things like the History and Discovery Chanel they can be very education and informative.  You have visuals and pending on your learning type you might retain more.

Reading and lecturing often leaves you with 10% of what you've read and heard.  Now they have educational video games for children as young as 18 months.

Perhaps in some cases.  However, I fail to see how TV will substitute for hands-on learning and projects which target various learning styles and personalities.

I find that I don't always recall everything I've heard on TV, either.  I love the Learning Channel, Discovery, History Channel and National Geographic.  They are among the most watched in my household.  I do remember much of it, but not every single fact.  It is easier to be distracted by the phone, eating, conversation, etc. when you are not actively engaged in learning.

You have a point about the visual aspect of TV, and there are some excellent programs available.  However, TV watching is far more passive than reading.  Reading requires the person to construct their own understanding of the material to a MUCH greater extent than does TV watching. Reading is not only interactive, the pace can vary as the person needs more, or less time, to process the material.  TV proceeds at its own pace.

In 1961 (before such worthy stations as Discovery, History Channel, etc) Newton Minow of the Federal Communications commission called television "a vast wasteland" of mediocrity.  Kurt Vonnegut, who wrote the story "Harrison Bergeron" concurred with this opinion; in his story Vonnegut suggests the importance of television as a means of controlling information.  Recently, jounalists surveyed across the country conceded that the media gave more favorable coverage to one candidate for president this year. In the first televised presidential debate, John F. Kennedy had "lost" according to a poll of radio listeners who heard.   But, television viewers said he had won.  On camera JFK looked so much better than his opponent. Ever since Goebbels of World War II, people are aware of the polititcal and psychological influence of television.  Television is certainly more influential, but studies show that brain waves of reading students are much more active.  Readers have better attention spans and command of their language, as well.

In some cases, television and other forms of visual aids can help some children who are not good readers grasp a concept that otherwise would be difficult to teach.  I have found that in my teaching, I will use some visual aids, such as videos to introduce a literary concept, however, I always stress to my students that this is an 'aid', a way to 'help' them 'get it'.  I rarely use a video in its entirety.  For one thing, my students are so very social sometimes that they will talk throughout the video and miss everything I want to teach.  I do believe that television has made us all very passive.  Our students don't 'think' enough for themselves.  They enjoy being spoon-fed.  I have found it very disheartenting that they are unable to write, creating images in their own minds.  They have a difficult time using their senses to create imagery and exploit their imagination.  I have found also that when I give them writing assignments, I will often give them something very simple (a thimble), or a picture with no words and force them to have to think about creating a story around it.  This has been the start of my writing process. Television has its place and I'm a big advocate of Discovery, Animal and other educational channels, but I hardly think that it can or ever will be the best way to educate.

The use of TV and other forms of media can be useful, especially to those who are visual learners. However, I feel that people (children, especially) associate television with entertainment. This can hinder the learning process to a degree. I do use visual aids, such as my computer and a projector, in order to help those students who are visual learners. However, I stress the importance of reading and researching through books or means other than media. I believe a good balance is the best answer.