10. Television, an educational tool
If television is used in classrooms with controlled exercises and assignments, it can be considered as a face-to-face teaching tool; But it should be remembered that the role of television as an educational aid in schools diminishes with the age of children. In elementary school, the rate of this performance is 70%; While it is reduced to less than 50% in middle school and less than 40% in high school. The reason for this downward trend is that the content of higher education courses is beyond the content of TV programs.
The messages that are transmitted to a person through television, especially in today’s world, are different from the knowledge that is obtained through books or oral education. This difference is due to the special conditions that arise when watching TV. For example, if a person watches TV to fill his free time, his desire to learn is at the lowest level.
Another reason is the continuous broadcasting of television programs, which deprives the audience of the opportunity to reflect and think and, as a result, fully understand the programs. stayed This feature of television can perhaps be called “the effect of mere reception” which usually slows down mental activity and distorts the human spirit.
Another important point is that the relationship between the television and the audience is a one-way relationship and in this messaging process, it is up to the sender to determine the type of messages and awareness, and the receiver of the message is neutral and passive. receives In this context, the producers of the programs cannot be criticized; Because they cannot meet the expectations of all audiences due to time constraints and the necessity of changing scenes and programs.
In general, television can give direction to spending free time, especially for people who have a low level of information, it can be used as a kind of self-education tool and remove existing barriers between social classes in the country.
Other research has been done in the field of learning through watching television and learning through written media. These studies show that there is a significant difference between these two types of learning. Watching pictures is associated with the emergence of emotions, feelings, and emotions; While the study of written materials leads to reasoning and thinking.
11. Conclusion
New technologies and rapid development in the field of communication have brought deep economic, social, and cultural transformations and turned the current world into a world of communication. These technologies, along with the many advantages they contain, change social structures and create certain hierarchies in societies. Among these structures is the emergence of a few classes of the rich (nobles) who are the main decision-makers of social affairs and impose their standards and values on other people and classes of society through mass communication media, especially television. among them, we can mention the stars of the world of cinema, singers, and athletes.
As a powerful mass communication tool, television attracts many audiences around the world. Research shows that people, especially in childhood and adolescence, spend most of their time watching TV. Although there is a possibility that television makes people lazy and passive or introduces them to issues such as violence and aggression, the occurrence of these phenomena cannot be attributed only to watching too much television, but to other factors such as cultural factors and Cognitive also play a role in people’s perception of television images.
Most researchers emphasize that television is effective in people’s learning; But this type of learning may happen accidentally and with the purpose of entertainment; While the type of learning through books and written media is rational and deeper. The studies conducted on the role of television in learning show that this type of learning does not leave a lasting impression on the individual and between children who learn through television and those who learn through books and other media. the written ones get information, there is not much difference.
In addition, research has shown that the importance of television as an educational tool decreases with age and entering higher education levels. In general, for people who do not have a high level of knowledge and information, television acts as a self-educator and is useful and effective in their learning.
Criticisms have also been raised about learning through television. Some believe that learning in this way does not give enough opportunity for the audience to connect the contents with thinking, reflection, and complete understanding and to reread and recognize the previous contents.
Another criticism suggests that television deprives a person of the ability to think and meditate, and instead, affects his learning process with the feelings and emotions that arise from watching television images. A clear example of this is the role of television in changing the nature of public opinion about political and economic issues, where people’s decisions and opinions are influenced by the emotions caused by television advertisements. For example, during an election, voters may choose their vote based on television advertisements.
Some consider television to be a pretending technology that benefits from the logic of seduction and deception and has no significant resemblance to reading and writing, which are associated with rational logic. In the opinion of these people, television does not portray the facts as it should and maybe not; This is the camera that changes the nature of limited and wide perspectives and makes landscapes and objects bigger and smaller, and does not give the person the freedom to express the details and what is the essence of reality.
Regarding the disclosure of content on television, it is said that television does not distinguish between children and adults in presenting its programs, and its programs are broadcast to the public equally; For this reason, through these programs, children learn things related to adults and adult life, and this naturally leads to the deterioration of childhood.
It should also be remembered that some of these programs are already manipulated and changed. Everyone should learn how to protect themselves against these types of programs and not be influenced by their prevailing attitude.
In addition, producers of television programs should also keep in mind that people in society generally have a set of their own opinions, which are caused by family affiliations, co-stars, social classes, etc. They and the producers are forced to avoid their stereotypes and prejudices in preparing and broadcasting the program and to have comprehensive and complete information about the demands and opinions of the mass of society who are their main audience.