TV+rots+your+brain.

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//**Myth: TV rots your brain.**//

They call it the "idiot box," so the implication isn't exactly subtle. Images of zombified, slack-jawed children bathed in the artificial light of a television tube have always served as cautionary symbols of the mind-numbing evils of TV's influence. There is a myth prevalent in our culture that television makes you dumber, that it inherently hinders learning, that it "rots your brain." I intend to debunk this myth, at least partially.

According to the theories in both John Dewey's //Democracy and Education// and Frank Smith's //The Book of Learning and Forgetting//, communities, relationships and identities are inextricably tied up with effective learning. As a proponent for the "classic" way of learning, Smith repeats his concept that "we learn from the company we keep." Like Dewey, Smith's approach to learning theory is descriptive of the natural social learning patterns of human beings, and the knowledge-building methods we employ as a society from the moment we are born. Smith points out particularly that the natural patterns of human learning are automatic and constant. It's not question of //whether// we are learning something from our present company at any given moment, whoever they may be, it's a question of //what// we are learning.

So, how does the contraption of the television, so often considered an enabler of anti-social behavior, fit into a framework of social learning theories? Here's how: arabic tv channels in usa

Smith extends the concept of "company" to include authors and their written work, in that when we choose to read and absorb the words and ideas of an author, we are essentially experiencing an asynchronous exchange of ideas. We are "keeping company" with what we are reading, especially if we are interested and engaged by the material. This extension must necessarily include television. The visual and audio presentation of TV is certainly a medium for expressing and transferring ideas and information, no one could dispute that, and every day, millions of us "keep company" with our TVs. A television, despite what it's critics might say, is a very impressive learning tool. In fact, the very heart of the "TV rots your brain" argument is based on the assumption that the teaching capabilities of television are irresistably powerful.

When cranky and surely crotchety critics claim that "TV rots your brain," what they should really be criticizing is not the medium of television itself, but what they perceive to be a poor choice of which television shows to watch. This criticism actually relies on the assumption that watching "trash" on television will inevitably instill trashy behavior in the viewer, like hanging out with the wrong crowd, and what must naturally and consequently follow, of course, is a collapse of all that is good and pure in humanity. The critic is actually supporting the idea that television is a powerful teacher, they are just taking issue with what's being taught.

media type="youtube" key="l2S1lD_qlX0" height="360" width="480"  the "wrong crowd"

So, we will revise the "TV rots your brain" statement, to something more like "TV //can// rot your brain if you watch crappy shows, BUT, TV can also be a powerful channel (ha! pun intended) to learning." Not as catchy, I'll admit, but we must move on.

If one focuses on the positive potential, and often the subconcious learning effect it already has on many of us, TV may be able to lose it's nasty reputation for inducing vegatative-states. When TV is at its best, it is when the designers and producers of a show have taken full advantage of the very formats and structures of the television medium that make it such a powerful agent of learning. We'll focus on three particularly beneficial elements of TV as teacher: vicarious experience expansion, combination of symbol systems, and storytelling capacity.


 * Vicarious experience expansion.** We learn from the company we keep, and we have argued above that that "company" can be extended to include not only the print we choose to read, but the television shows we choose to watch. The technology of a television allows us to expand our experiences, albeit vicariously, beyond what we actually have the capacity to experience in our actual lives. For example, I do not actually know or keep company with expert celebrity chefs, but due to many hours viewing the Food Network and shows like Top Chef, I have learned a rather impressive amount about the culinary profession.

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My knowledge-growth in this area, when I think about it, goes beyond having learned a few recipes. From watching television shows that interested, engaged and entertained me, I have increased my gourmet vocabulary, learned about foods I had never heard of, gained insight into flavor combinations and the concept of developing one's palete, and even learned a bit about the restaurant business and the types of personalities who make careers in the kitchen. The knowledge I have gained from television has translated into application in my actual life in the form of improved cooking skills, increased nutritional awareness, and a more adventurous approach to cuisine.


 * Combination of symbol systems.** As we are all aware, television has the ability to combine visual and auditory information, and when the information presented through one channel supports and reinforces the other, there is some evidence to suggest that it improves learning and retention ([|Learning from Television], 16).

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This is seen, not just in children's programming, such as //Sesame Street// and //The Electric Company//, but is also prevalent in news programming watched by adults.

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 * Storytelling capacity**. The overtly educationally-intended programming is not the only genre of television that has the power to teach. Traditionally narrative programs offer a similar effect to that of expanded experience. According to __ [|Bandura’s (2001)] __ social cognitive theory, which echoes the theories of both Dewey and Smith, children observe and imitate persons found in their everyday worlds, including characters on TV, particularly when those characters are interesting and personally relevant. By "meeting" and keeping the company of the characters with whom we identify in television programming, we can expand our realm of virtual experience, and thereby expand our potential for growing knowledge. Similar to literature, stories on the television offer us opportunities to share in the joy, fear, conflict, heroism, anxiety, suspense, elation, defeat, betrayal, frienship, love, tragedy and victory of fictional or documented characters, and to learn valuable lessons through those vicarious experiences that can be realistically applied to our own lives. What's more, stories have the ability to convey and teach content that transcends "information." A good story, written or otherwise, always contains driving themes, often indirectly stated, that intend to "educate" the audience in some way. These themes can make us reflect upon or systems of morality or personal life choices, they can give us some indication of how to behave in future situations, they can can open our eyes to the complexities and idiosyncracies of human nature and relationships, and they inveitably help us draw real connections between ourselves and all other human beings.

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Though the show //South Park// is irreverent, often obscene and consistently shocking, It's storytelling over the years has created a nearly unbroken legacy for "educating" it's viewers about social issues by identifying ironies and inconsistencies in our society and opening the door to real discussions about often controversial issues in both public and personal arenas. The clip above is tame by //South Park// standards, in the name of good taste, but one could argue that it is the show's most shocking and offensive storylines that have the greatest capacity for teaching and opening up discussion by violently pushing its viewers out of their comfort zones.

...but that's a subject for another wiki...

//**Thanks everyone for your input!!**//

_


 * (Matt W.) Such good memories with that video. Here are two more links that may help out:

[|Learning From Television]

[|Television for Learning]

Annie- I took a distance class through Delaware County Community College when I was in undergrad at University of Delaware. It got me three credits in American History. The school aired videos on PBS and my job was to watch and take notes. Then a few times during the semester I had to go to the campus and take a test in their testing center. The only resource I used was my videos and I passed the class!! (Can't say it was the most exciting class, but I learned from T.V.) Feel free to use this however you feel will fit- Andrea

media type="youtube" key="yPzAjiLr5Zw" height="315" width="420"(trey) - It's how I learned the 3's!! Straight from TV!!

Annie, this week I asked my class what a conjunction was and all at once they burst out singing "Conjunction Junction." While they weren't even alive when this was around the first time, they saw a youtube clip in a previous grade and all remembered it. After not seeing this for YEARS, I even remembered all the words and was able to visualize the cars on the train with "and," "but," and "or" in my mind. Dare I say TV can...get you very far! (Amanda) media type="youtube" key="mkO87mkgcNo" height="315" width="420"

Alright, I am having fun with your topic. Since you are talking about TV and brains, it is only appropriate to mention Pinky and The Brain. I grew up obsessed with this show. I remember watching this episode and thinking the brain was really cool afterwards. Long story short, I geeked out ended up choosing to study the human brain for my 4th grade Science fair project, just because of this. (Amanda)

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This myth buster truly brings back memories. How else could we learn how to tell the difference between things but through watching TV! A great learning experience... like this one from Sesame Street!

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