INFLUENCE OF EDUCATIONAL TV PROGRAMMES ON THE INTELLIGENCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract OF EDUCATIONAL TV PROGRAMMES

The study investigated the influence of educational TV programmes on the intelligence of secondary school students in Port Harcourt particularly among students of AAA College, BBB International School, CCC Secondary School and DDD High School. The study was anchored on the Source Credibility Theory and the Perception Theory. A survey research method was adopted while questionnaires were used to elicit responses from the respondents. Descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) with the aid of SPSS version 23 was used to analyse the data that were collected while tables were used to present the data. Findings show that the majority of the respondents (44.3%) claimed that exposure to educational television programmes has boosted their intelligence to a high extent. Equally, the majority of the respondents (32%) went for “Take A Step” as their favourite educational television show. Therefore, a substantial number of the respondents (77.3%) agreed that they have never participated in any educational television show. The majority of the respondents (85.6%) concluded that there was no hindrance at all in watching educational TV programmes. It is recommended that the television industry should as a matter of fact create some decent educative programmes that will continue to promote the educational values of Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The use of television for promoting learning or as a supplement for classroom teaching continues to attract much attention because of the major role television play in contemporary society. The instructional materials which television provides in the form of programmes are often used in the educational development of students in Nigeria (Joe, 2017) cited in (Nworgu and Nworgu, 2008).

This constant use of television for instructional purposes has led to the popularization of the abbreviation, ITV (instructional television) among scholars both within and outside the country. Television has also become the recognized storyteller of the world (Joe, 2017). Thus, the place of television in educational development and advancement cannot be overemphasized especially in today’s world even before this era. This fact was recognized by the then Western Regional Government in Nigeria when, in 1959, it started the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV).

One of the major reasons for the establishment of the WNTV was to use it as a surrogate teacher, particularly in rural areas where the government at that time lacked sufficient teaching staff to service the free education policy of the Western Regional government (Olaaynka, 2021) cited in (Folarin, 1998). Meanwhile, television has been used in Nigeria to supplement teaching in schools. It has contributed to the educational development of Nigerians (Duyile, 2007). Hence, there seems to be a strong relationship between education and television.

It should be pointed out that television can be used to teach arts, drama, poetry, and music thereby improving the cognitive and intellectual abilities of students, and also bringing inspiration to teachers, artists, and scientists into the lives of millions of students who may not have the opportunity to be members of the formal education population (Joe, 2017).

Television can also bring learning and knowledge to a huge number of people and thus becomes a motivation for an increase in actual enrolment in many Nigerian schools. All these potentials, which abound in television, could be used to promote learning in schools. But regrettably, the potential has not been fully utilized, the reason is not far-fetched. Many of the educational and instructional programmes on Nigerian television stations tend to have audiences that are merely passive viewers. They are passive because little contact is usually made between the producers of educational programmes and the audiences (Okunna, 1999).

It should also be recalled that before the Covid-19 pandemic, education (academic education) was limited only to classrooms in most cases where teachers and students can identify with each other, but this is no longer the case as students and teachers meet via television and teachers do not necessarily know the students and vice versa (Olayinka, 2021). No wonder television has a unique position as a socializing agent; in fact, it is a very potent socializing agent for reaching a big varied and widely scattered audience, typically children and adolescents, among whom secondary school students fall.

Television’s audio-visual qualities elevated it above other mass media. Television not only transmits information and messages, but also provides visual representations of government activities and non-governmental agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Programme, quizzes, debates, and other educational and scholarly activities that benefit students. Recent television innovations have had a significant impact on the educational sector, particularly teaching; television resources in instructional delivery in schools, allow for more efficient classroom instruction.

Because teaching and other educational shows on television are generally more effective than radio. In this context, the study looked into the influence of educational television programmes on secondary school students‘ intelligence in Port Harcourt, specifically among students at AAA International School and BBB International School (private), CCC Secondary School, and DDD Model High School (public).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The study on television for educational programmes has received less attention from researchers unlike television as an entertainment medium, this is evidenced in so many studies that studies the effect of reality TV show, television violence and lots more, as a result, many students are exposed to majorly to reality TV shows and movies among others with little exposure to television educational programmes.

Despite that, there are lots of efforts on the part of the federal government to make education wax stronger, especially using television with the launching of NTA education channels (NTA Knowledge on Starttime channel 590).

However, there are lots of studies on the effect or impact of television on children/adolescents, particularly television violence or television effects in general (Hadiza and Shamsudeen, 2021; Imhanobe, 2019) while there are few empirical studies on the role of television in disseminating educational programmes to students.

It is against this backdrop that this research is thrust to investigate the influence of educational television programmes on the intelligence of secondary school students in AAA International School, BBB International School, CCC Secondary School and DDD Model High School.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

To determine the level of exposure to educational television programmes among students of secondary schools in Port Harcourt.
To ascertain the extent do educational TV programmes boost the intelligence of secondary school pupils in Port Harcourt.
To investigate the main barrier preventing students from watching educational television programmes.

1.4 Research Questions

To what extent are secondary school students in Port-Hacourt exposed to educational television programmes?
To what extent have educational television programmes boosted the intelligence of secondary school students?
What is the major challenge hindering students from watching educational television programmes?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will benefit mass media outfits and television programme departments on the need to include in their broadcast running order some programmes that can promote and improve education such as quizzes, debates, brain tests etc in secondary schools etc.
Secondary schools authority will through this research discover the best way to use television and the benefits capable of acquiring, especially for secondary school students.
The government will also see the importance of mass media especially television in achieving educational objectives.
Future researchers and students will find the material relevant as it will form bulk literature that exists in the field of mass communication and journalism etc that they can lay hands on when carrying out research related to or similar to this.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study which investigates the influence of educational television programmes on the intelligence of secondary school students shall be narrowed in scope to secondary school students in Port Harcourt. Therefore, the geographical scope of this study shall be within Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The study will focus attention mainly on four selected secondary schools in Port-Harcourt i.e AAA International School and BBB International School (private), CCC Secondary School and DDD Model High School (public). The schools are selected because of their proximity to the researcher as it will be difficult if not impossible to study all students across Port-Harcourt due to the limited time available for this study.

1.7 Limitation to the Study

It is not an overstatement that a work of this nature cannot be carried out without some difficulty. Although, the research is on the influence of educational television programmes on the intelligence of secondary school students in Port-Harcourt and any school located outside of Port-Harcourt will not be considered. However, other limitations of this study are:

Stress from other academic activities is one of the limitations of the research work
Financial constraints to travel to different places.
The duration for the research is relatively short
Materials that are available on this topic are relatively small as the concept is new or people are not writing from that angle.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Influence: In this research, influence means the effect or the impact that educational television programmes have on secondary school students in Port Harcourt.

Educational Television Programmes: In this research, educational television programmes are programmes designed to teach students such as Take a Step, KKB shows, Once Upon a Time, Super Smart Kids and Cowbellpedia etc.

Intelligence of Secondary School Students: This has to do with the overall reasoning and academic performance among secondary school students in Port Harcourt.