Describes a freshman composition course which was broadcast twice weekly over a local cable television service. Notes that despite technical problems and complicated recordkeeping procedures, the instructors found that students improved their writing skills as much as their counterparts in traditional classes. Notes that a large number of highly…

One week's network programing was recorded in 1987 to determine character incidence by sex, age, minority group membership, and other variables. Results showed significant changes since the 1950s in the treatment of minority group members but little change in the incidence or nature of portrayals of women. (DM)

Surveys children's access to media sources and assesses their diversity of content. Finds that children have access to numerous old and new media, since most live in households that receive cable television and own VCRs. Suggests broadcasting and videocassettes offer little diversity in children's content, while cable enhances programing choices.…

Describes three California Institute of Technology projects that use IBM's InfoWindow multimedia computing technology to enhance the instructional value of a television series, "The Mechanical Universe," for use in high school and college physics. The use of personal computers and videodiscs is described, and computer graphics and video…

Teenagers are the target audience for Whittle Communication's "Channel One" news show and its commercials. Critics are calling the trade of equipment for commercials a "Trojan horse." Advice, culled from several sources, is offered to boards of education regarding the issue of whether commercial television belongs in schools.…

Despite plans for corporate training networks, digital ad-insertion systems, hotel video-on-demand, and interactive television, only small scale video networks presently work. Four case studies examine the design and implementation decisions for different markets: corporate; advertising; hotel; and commercial video via cable, satellite or…

Reviews research related to humor, especially the role humor can play in the instructional process. Highlights include theories of humor; variables associated with humor; health benefits derived from humor; developmental stages and humor; effects of humor in children's educational television; and humor in the college environment. (25 references)…

A study was arranged in a pre/postexperimental/control design, in which fifth graders in the experimental group viewed 30 half-hour telecasts of "Square One TV." Results indicated significant gains for the treatment group both in diversity of problem-solving capabilities and in measures of completeness and sophistication of mathematical…

Discusses factors that influence learners' preconceptions of television, the mental effort they invest in processing a video-based lesson, and their achievement. The effects on mental effort and achievement of characteristics of media, the task, and the learners are addressed; and recommendations for future research are offered. (Contains 42…

Discusses the effects of international events on educational television broadcasting; examines the resulting need for coproduction; describes three models of coproduction; considers coproduction and small languages, particularly Swedish; discusses funding issues, including underwriting and sponsorship; and emphasizes the importance of planning.…

Discussion of developments in British television broadcasting that affect educational television focuses on Open University television productions. Topics discussed include advantages of broadcasting for distance education; growth in the use of video cassettes; current access to video equipment; and possible future developments for the 1990s.…

Contributes to scholarship on the effects of television on children. Finds that the most important characteristics valued by both Dutch and U.S. children 6 to 11 years old were comprehensibility and action, closely followed by humor, "interestingness,""innocuousness," realism, violence, and romance. Finds boys in both samples…

This study compares student perceptions of interaction in interactive television courses with observations of that interaction. Discusses results of data gathered from videotapes of the classes, student journals, and student surveys; distance education; student-to-student interaction; teacher to student interaction; and interaction with the…

Analyzed the discourse about television programs of 1,300 5- to 13-year-olds from England and Wales. Found that discourse expressed socially responsible and public service values in evaluating programs. Explained finding in terms of children's adaptation to task requirements and ability to access different kinds of adult discourse available in the…

Starts with a macro or global analysis of television, leading into an examination of how media (television and commercials in particular) functions at a micro or personal level. Proposes ways these issues can be transformed into challenging and meaningful curricula that teach students to engage in critical evaluations of the content and broader…