Information and documentary
programmes for children in 2002-2003
In children's television scheduling, entertainment
and fiction are the most ubiquitous genres. Conversely, parents/educators
try to encourage the consumption of non-fiction genres such as documentaries
but report that these types of programmes are less attractive to
children.
This research project carried out by the IZI investigates educational
programmes in order to learn more about what features of these programmes
are attractive for children, as well as how this content might impact
upon learning. This research is theoretically grounded in present
educational learning theories, which see children as active participants
in knowledge construction.
As a topic, children's television consumption
and content have been the focus of much academic research, but since
concrete facts are relatively rare, a broad-based investigation
will be conducted.
Pilot study
The pilot study was carried out about the programmes Willi
wills wissen and Felix und die wilden Tiere. The children
watched one episode, discussed the content with an educator, drew
what they liked most, and in the end talked to the programmes' hosts,
Willi and Felix, about the programmes. A few weeks later telephone
interviews were conducted to find out what the children still remember
from the programme.
In total 16 children aged between 7
and 11 participated in three groups. The aim, in addition to consulting
the producers about the development of these formats, was to work
out a suitable methodological repertoire for the main phase of the
research.
Main phase
The main aim of this study was to research the structure of educational
and documentary programmes that are attractive for children (7-11
years old) and that contain moments encouraging education.
Research questions:
- For children, what is central in
the programme?
- Wherein can learning- and memory
outcomes be discovered (learning understood as construction of
meaning) directly after watching the programme and 4 weeks later?
- Are there correlations between attention
during the programme and learning- and memory outcomes?
- Are there any gender- and class-specific
differences?
- Are there any correlations to intended
humour?
- Are there any indications as to
the manner in which information may best be embedded so as to
be particularly successful in encouraging learning- and memory
outcomes?
Method
300 children from day-care centres in Munich were shown one episode
of a current educational programme for schoolchildren. The six chosen
programmes were:
- Willi wills wissen (BR)
- Wissen macht Ah! (WDR)
- Null-Acht-13 (WDR/SFB/ MDR)
- Was ist was TV (Super RTL)
- Felix und die wilden Tiere (BR)
- Anja und Anton (ZDF)
During their viewing the children were recorded
on video. Subsequently, they drew what they liked best. In individual
interviews they were questioned about the drawing, the programme
and about their individual acquisition of information.
3-4 weeks after the investigation there was
a second wave. The children drew what they remembered best about
the programme and described what they thought they had learnt.
The first results regarding humour
were introduced at the IZI conference on December 12th 2002; the
complete results are to be published at the end of 2003.
INFORMATION
Internationales
Zentralinstitut
für das Jugend-
und Bildungsfernsehen
IZI
Tel.: +49 89 - 59 00 21 40
Fax.: +49 89 - 59 00 23 79
eMail: izi@brnet.de
COPYRIGHT
© Internationales Zentralinstitut für
das Jugend- und Bildungsfernsehen (IZI) 2001
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