It is said that things will change but remain the same no matter what. This is true for many areas of society, but it’s not the case with education. Technology and cultural changes constantly change the ways we teach and the things we teach. Television is not a new technology. It has been used in education in the past. However, questions about its value are constantly being raised.
It is impossible to make an objective assessment of whether TV in teaching is beneficial or detrimental. Arguments can be made on both sides of the argument. This means that there are both benefits and drawbacks to this concept, many of which will be covered here.
Definition of “Teaching”
Before we can discuss the pros and cons associated with television and teaching, it is important to define what teaching means. Is it too narrowly focused on the traditional classroom where one teacher teaches many students? Are we focusing on education that is entirely separate from school administration?
There is plenty of television media that is focused on teaching and learning. Many shows for children are educational and many others teach important lessons about history, social studies and science. This is far from traditional education and the profession of teacher. This could be considered “television as teaching”. We think so. That’s why we’ll also be focusing on the pros and cons to television in this situation.
Let’s concentrate on the traditional classroom for now.
Television in the Classroom
Charles Ross, AffordablePapers essay writer, once stated that technology’s value in the classroom depends on how it is used rather than whether it is used at all.
This means that TV in the classroom does not necessarily have to be good or bad. It is how it is used in the classroom that will determine if it is beneficial for the teaching process.
You can use it effectively but it can also be a hindrance depending on how you implement it.
Schools have been showing movies to students in their classrooms to help them learn about history or science. Television and movies can be a great way for students to learn.
A television in the classroom could also be a hindrance rather than a blessing if teachers used movies only to teach or to entertain students.
Television could be used to enhance education if used with other methods. Relying on television to replace the teacher is going to create more problems than any other method.
Educational video can be used to reinforce knowledge, promote student interest, and engage students. It also allows for a wider range of learning styles than traditional teaching. However, this is only possible when educational video is used with other methods. It also depends on the relevance of the material being shown.
Educational Television Other Than School
The majority of people in the world live with television as a part of their daily lives. Many people think that TV viewing is a waste of time. However, as we have already mentioned, there are a lot of educational content. Some channels are exclusively dedicated to learning and teaching.
This does not depend on the viewer’s age. Sesame Street and other shows designed for children are able to teach children both moral and practical lessons that will make them more successful in school. Documentaries and shows similar to them can provide valuable information for older people about a wide range of subjects. This is supported by studies.
It’s hard to deny the value of educational television beyond the classroom. This is simply because it allows for individual learning. Adults are more likely to not attend school to learn.
This is all predicated on people spending their time watching educational content on television. It’s possible to find just as much frivolous material (not that it is inherently wrong with that), as there is educational content. The potential for TV to teach is completely dependent on what viewers choose to see.
Recap
Television has both educational benefits and disadvantages in the classroom and beyond. It can be used in the classroom to spark interest in dull topics and provide an alternative learning method for learning about learning styles that are not covered by traditional methods. However, too much reliance on educational TV, rather than using it as an adjunct teaching method, can negatively impact the overall learning environment as well as teacher-student interaction.
Educational television is a way for people to learn outside of school. However, they can choose to ignore it if they wish. This makes educational television a waste of time and a threat to education in general.
This all leads to the same conclusion: TV is not an inherently beneficial or harmful addition to education. How television is used in teaching environments will determine if they add value to education.