Television What will 9th Grade Students Do Without It By Chad Marshall A Master s Project For ED 7999 In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Masters of Arts in Teaching 2008 Major Social Studies Education Approved By Dr Bob Pettapiece Date Table of Contents Chapter One Page 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 Introduction to the project Situation Need Purpose of the study Significance of Study Chapter Two Review of Related Literature Introduction Theoretical Bases Research Suggested Approaches Summary 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 Chapter Three Methodology of the Study Introduction Hypotheses Population Selection of the Students Description of the Project Data Collection 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 Chapter Four Findings of the Study Introduction Hypothesis 1 Hypothesis 2 Hypothesis 3 Hypothesis 4 Summary 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 Chapter Five Conclusions and Recommendations Introduction Conclusions Recommendations Personal Observations 17 17 17 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 References Appendix A Chapter One Introduction to the Project Introduction It seems like everyday the students in my classroom talk about a television show they watched the night before When I take into account what time these shows air at night it is easy for me to see why so many of my students come to class in a zombie like state Too many teenagers stay up late watching television on school nights These viewing habits and the notable effects inspired me to do my study on 9th grade students television viewing habits The Situation In the 21st century times are changing society is evolving and technology continues to get better and better Cable and satellite television continue to offer hundreds of different channels and shows to their customers With so many different programs to choose from it is obvious why so many teenagers are drawn to the TV For this reason among others it has become increasingly difficult to divert the attention of high school students away from the television set As technology moves forward and TVs become more accessible it is now extremely common to find in today s teenagers bedrooms a television they can watch at anytime Unfortunately this viewing has extreme consequences A study done in 2005 found that 68 of 8 to 18 year olds have a television in their bedroom Roberts Foehr Rideout 2005 The latest research published in the April 2008 issue of the journal Pediatrics shows that having a bedroom television not only leads to more TV viewing but also results in less time spent with the family less time exercising lower fruit and vegetable intake more sweetened beverage consumption and lower grades Gordon 2008 The Need Both parents and students need to realize the importance of playing reading doing homework and even the simple interaction with others that is needed for healthy childhood development Children who watch too much television have less time for these activities which are such important ingredients to them growing up Parents also need to understand that regular sleep schedules for children are a vital part of healthy lifestyle The habits they form in their adolescence will last a life time Parents need to assist in this area This may mean taking the TV out of the bedroom and giving their children a sleep curfew but it is obvious that parents need to take more of an active roll when it comes to this issue Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to see if students will have more incentive to do other activities by limiting how much television they watch within a period of 10 school days Limiting television viewing is an interesting proposition The question is what will the students chose to do with this new free time It is projected that students will spend more time with their family opt for outdoor activities read for pleasure and go to bed at a descent time when television viewing time is limited Significance of Study Parents and their children will find these results important This study will provide insight on the positive effects that limited television viewing can have on 9th grade students Parents will see that spending too much time watching television can take away from their child s healthy activities like active play outside with siblings and friends eating dinner together as a family reading or doing homework Teachers may see an increase level of awareness in the classroom as well as an increase in homework completion with students getting more rest and having more free time to focus on their studies Hopefully parents and students will get the message that too much television can have a negative influence on a child in many different ways Chapter Two Review of Related Literature Introduction Television has a good side It can be entertaining and educational It can open up new worlds for kids give them a chance to travel the globe learn about different cultures and gain exposure to ideas they may never have encountered in their own community In addition programs with positive role models can influence people to change their behavior for the better Boyse 2007 Television can also provide educational enrichment by introducing children to new information and concepts and by teaching them problem solving skills Leung Fagan Cho Lim and Robson 1994 however in the actual practice of viewing television the reverse is more often the case Kids are more likely to learn things from television that parents do not want them to discover Television can affect kids health and family life Boyse 2007 Television viewing usually has a negative influence on children by reducing the time spent on homework and reading by fostering passive learning skills by presenting unrealistic views of the world and by providing role models who are violent Leung 1994 Theoretical Bases TV elects presidents TV wins wars TV is both a mirror and engine of our culture Television is undeniably an extremely influential force in our country and never before in history has it been more a part of our kids lives than now Baker 2007 Gordon 2007 stated that the typical American child watches over four hours a day and close to 25 hours a week which is more time than he or she spends with their parents playing with peers or reading books p 2 Parents play into this major problem by allowing television in their children s bedroom and by allowing their children to watch so many hours of television Because of TV America is raising a nation of sleep deprived kids with only 20 getting the recommended nine hours of shut eye on school nights and more than