A study explored the vocabulary development available in a variety of current preschoolers' television shows. A quantitative analysis of seven programs on two networks (PBS and Nickelodeon) was undertaken over a total viewing time of 40 hours; a qualitative analysis of techniques used to present vocabulary was also documented for these shows.…

The International Media section of the proceedings contains the following 17 papers: "West German Media Coverage of the United States and Soviet Union, 1983-1988" (Jeffrey L. Griffin); "Shakti: The Power of the Mother. The Violent Nurturer in Ancient Indian Text and Modern Commercial Cinema" (Jawahara K. Saidulla);…

A study examined the status of research on effects of pictorial advertising and areas within the field which need additional work. The method of investigation was based on a model of memory, incorporating emotional, semantic, and episodic processing of information--focusing primarily on constructing a preliminary taxonomy of visual stimuli, a…

Defining the media experience as the media and social interaction involved in any person's viewing of television and the consequences of that viewing for oneself and others, this paper examines how phenomenology and psychodrama--methods of experiential learning focusing on the feeling and imagining functions of communication--can be used to teach…

The "symbol systems approach" to the study of computers in education that is outlined avoids the pitfalls of past media research--particularly research on the effects of television on children's learning and knowledge--and asserts that media can be usefully distinguished in terms of the symbol systems they present and the kinds of…

This report of research discusses the role of popular television in developing children's verbal skills and in bringing together adolescents and adults. Implications for the home and classroom are described. Titles include "If You Believe in Television, Clap Your Hands," an introductory look at research concerning popular television in the…

The purposes of this paper are to compile and describe the published empirical studies that have examined nonverbal visual production variables, to offer a critique of the lines of inquiry, and to suggest some areas for continued research. The studies are presented in two major sections: intravisual and intermedia. The intravisual section…

Between 1959 and 1975, television replaced newspapers as the public's major source of news. To examine this trend in further detail, a national sample of 1,519 adults were asked to construct diaries of their activities during one day in the fall of 1975. These adults were also interviewed for their use of television news and newspapers. In a…

This is the most recent in a series of retrospective bibliographies on television and children. It includes an annotated listing of research reviews, position papers, and planning documents entered in the ERIC system in the years 1974-1977. Over 100 documents are listed in 14 categories: helping children to learn from television, new experimental…

A set of 10 articles which first appeared in the Japanese periodical "Studies in Broadcasting" comprises this collection. Of the four essays dealing with Japan, one covers the historical changes in its broadcasting policies, treats the legal character of the Japanese public broadcasting company (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), and also reports on…

This paper begins with an historical review of research on television and children, summarizing the major questions asked and the knowledge gained about the medium. The authors then describe a new focus of research, dealing with the form of the television medium, not just its content. (Author/SJL)

Presents media literacy research of eighth-grade students to determine the level of recognizing and understanding visual and nonvisual codes that make up motion-picture stories. Study focused on rhetoric of the film medium: trust, confidence and belief in films among children is very high; if this trust coincides with ignorance of media codes,…

This collection covers a variety of workshops and presentations related to the research, theory, technology, or implementation of some aspect of visual literacy. More than 40 authors are represented, with 12 of the papers dealing directly with television. The document begins with an overview and a keynote address by Neil Postman. Individual papers…

A study examined how use of different kinds of "involvement" measures (behavioral, cognitive, or affective involvement, gratifications sought, and cognitive effort expended) could help explain differences between people's knowledge of election information and whether the way that knowledge is measured affects conclusions about…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 37 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the role of television in the lives of older homebound individuals; (2) radio wars between Cuba and the United States; (3) the relationship between…