tv+and+student+achievement

Monique read an article referenced in ETL Chapter 1: Students.

Thompson, F., & Austin, W. (2003). Television viewing and academic achievement revisited. //Education//, //124//(1), 194-202. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database on 5 May 2010.

Franklin T. Thompson (Ed. D.) and William P. Austin (Ed. D.) are both Associate Professors for the College of Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.
 * About the authors:**

This literature review summarizes studies published between 1978 and 2001 regarding the impact of television viewing on students' academic achievement. Since the connections between age, academic achievement, home environment, socio-economic status, television viewing and other variables in students' lives are so complex, across-the-board conclusions are hard to come by. That being said, the authors' main conclusion is that while large amounts of television viewing tend to have a negative impact on student achievement, small to moderate amounts (less than three hours a day) can be beneficial, in fact better than no tv at all. Television isn't necessarily good or bad; impact on students' achievement depends on the kind of programming (informational vs. recreational) rather than the intrinsic value of the medium itself. It is not clear whether too much television viewing causes low achievement or vice versa.
 * Summary:**

The authors also give several recommendations for parents and educators. They contend that parents should be involved in monitoring the amount and quality of television viewing, and should watch and discuss tv programs with their children when possible, with particular emphasis on the values portrayed. Educators can and should use television as a resource rather than viewing it as the enemy. Judicious use of tv programs can supplement classroom teaching. Students need guidance to learn to use television as an educational resource, for example, learning to distinguish fact from fiction.

The article obviously relates to the chapter topic of "students." If we are to know our students, we need to be aware of the potential impact of media such as television on them as learners. The article makes the same point made in the chapter, which is that American students are incredibly diverse, and television viewing is only one of the many variables that can affect their ability to learn.
 * Connection to Chapter Topic:**

One reason I chose to read this article is that it looks at many studies over a substantial period instead of focusing on just one study. In addition, I'm interested in the topic on a personal level (my own children) as well as a professional level. I particularly like that the authors present their conclusions upfront. While some of them seem obvious, I can appreciate the difficulty of reaching broad conclusions about such a diverse population. Although some of the statistics and observations are eye-opening (for example, from page 194, "more than half of U.S. students watch more than three hours of television per day on weekdays, and 60% of parents rarely or never limit [it]"), the article is fairly dense and somewhat difficult to follow in places. The article is worth reading if you are very motivated and interested in the topic. You may want to check to see if there is a more current and readable literature review before tackling it.
 * Reflection and Recommendation:**