Changing economic realities, coupled with children's access to information about the adult world, have drastically changed the social construction of childhood. Noting that education takes place in a variety of social sites including but not limited to school, this book examines the influence of commercial concerns on this cultural pedagogy and…

The notion of excellence in early childhood education is increasingly recognised as both subjective and problematic. The search for excellence can be, however, a motivating force for those committed to providing experiences that enrich and enhance the lives of young children within diverse Australian communities. This commitment is shared by the…

Research concerning the effects of television violence on children--particularly young children under the age of six--has found that it tends to desensitize them to aggressive behavior and, in some children, promotes aggressive behavior in their play and other interactions with children and adults. This guide is designed to assist early childhood…

Important changes in classroom television and the technologies that accompany it have taken place. Videocassette recorders have become more plentiful, giving teachers greater flexibility in presentation and scheduling; the growth of program delivery systems such as videocassettes, satellite, cable, and broadcast services has given educators more…

The set of materials was designed to provide nutrition instruction to Spanish-speaking farm workers using radio broadcasts. It includes audiocassette tapes of four novellas (mini-dramas) on nutrition-related topics (diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, pregnancy, smart shopping), talk shows on the same topics, a public service…

Sports programming plays a significant role in the media messages that American boys receive today. To explore the messages that sports programming presents to its audience, this report relates the findings of a study that analyzed a representative selection of sports programs and their accompanying commercials; also presented are findings from a…

This report compiles information on recent and current trends in media literacy, including research on children and media, declarations related to the area, and a selection of relevant organizations and Web sites. The report first delineates children's rights as stipulated in the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, especially as they…

Television programs are increasingly featuring information technologies like computers as significant narrative devices, including the use of computer-based technologies as virtual worlds or environments in which characters interact, the use of computers as tools in problem solving and confronting conflict, and characters that are part human, part…

Although America is engaged in a national dialogue about race, children's voices have yet to be heard on the matter. This study used a series of focus groups and a national poll of 10- to 17-year-olds to examine their views about race and the role of the media in shaping understanding. Participating in the polls were 1,200 children, 300 in each…

"Let Freedom Ring!" is a radio program built around the Bill of Rights and the questions that these rights raise. It is the contribution of the United States Department of the Interior, Office of Education, to the Sesquicentennial Celebration ordained by Congress. The series began on Washington's Birthday, Sunday, February 22, 1937, and continued…

Presents a teacher's guide for use in conjunction with the Washington, DC, public television station (WETA) four-part television series, "Vote for Me." The series provides a behind-the-scenes look at political factions, and local elections. The Teachers Guide includes program descriptions, previewing, postviewing, and discussion…

The information age has introduced new methods of delivering educational materials to students. One method is two-way interactive television (ITV). As more schools utilize ITV, for distance education and other educational purposes, certain administrative, legal, and ethical issues need to be addressed. This paper focuses on human and ethical…

Developed in Virginia, this publication contains task analysis guides to support selected tech prep programs that prepare students for careers in radio and television production. This guide contains the following elements: (1) a collection of secondary and postsecondary instructional objectives and performance measures that reflect the…

This report identifies some of the different forms that in-school commercialism takes, from outright advertising in school hallways to sponsored educational materials that often contain brand-name plugs and biased messages. It examines the reasons why corporations and other commercial organizations are interested in marketing to kids in the…

Research indicates that children are especially vulnerable to the effects of television viewing. Taking a psychological, social-science perspective, this book explores how television viewing affects children. Chapter 1, "Introduction," (MacBeth) discusses the issues involved, how researchers go about studying media effects, whether television…