Role of Media in the Advancement of Science

In this 33-slide PowerPoint presentation, Professor Alay Ahmad evaluates the strategy of using the media to contribute to the development of science. Media, he says, are important tools because a maximum amount of information can be transmitted to a maximum number of people in minimal time. By "media" Ahmad (citing Dr. Wilbur Schramm) means both "big media" such as television, computers, telex, fax, and videoconferencing/teleconferencing as well as "little media" such as radio, cinema, printed materials. However, in this presentation Ahmad focuses on television and print materials such as books and newspapers.

Ahmad highlights the educational use of media as a key way to cultivate scientific advancement, encouraging curriculum committees to approve the telecast of courses to supplement books. He notes that a survey he conducted in 1978 found that Pakistan TV (PTV)'s attempt to have an impact through science-related adult as well as children's programming - "Akkar Bakkar", "Taal Matol", and "Bara Din" - was not effective (95% of viewers developed no interest in science). However, he explains that producers failed to consider age, gender, educational background, timing of broadcasts, and - above all - language and curriculum.

Reflecting on these programmes' shortcomings, Ahmad cites Shramm (1979) in stressing that instructional TV (ITV) is at its best when it teaches indirectly - that is, when it does not take on a paedantic tone. Keeping ITV simple through a 15- to 30-minute programme supplemented by relevant materials delivered by a teacher helps to engage students - be they "normal" or hearing-impaired (Ahmad has found that teletext television, featuring sign language, can have a positive impact on the scientific and general knowledge of deaf children in Pakistan). While on the one hand repeating the same objective/topic in different ways to clarify the concept can be effective, Ahmed notes that novelty is another variable to keep in mind; integrating "current affairs" (recent news items, for instance) can help to stimulate and sustain an audience's curiosity. Good ITV also involves:

• developing ways to motivate students, in part through interaction between the TV teacher and his or her viewers; eye-to-eye contact is effective in this regard.
• ensuring that the audience can follow the teacher - e.g., that the accent and pronunciation are clear.
• using music and sound effects to enhance learning.
• focusing on a myriad of interrelated features, such as the picture, the sound, picture-sound relationships, simplicity and complexity, the teacher, teaching strategies, and humour.

Ahmed culls out some main points from learning theory to contextualise these principles, citing Bandura (1965, 1972) and Skinner (1938). He distinguishes between incidental learning - through which the intended audience learns something by chance from the contents - and intentional learning, where themes are intentionally presented in an effort to teach.

Turning from TV to the printed medium, Ahmed notes that books, newspapers, and cartoons are important ways of reaching children and adults whose cognitive power (e.g., vocabulary, perception, decision making, memory) is strong. Unfortunately, he says, the potential role of newspapers in fostering interest in science among the literate often cannot be realised; while occasionally newspapers publish scientific content, "glamorous contents, pictures of actors, actress or fashion shows" are more the norm in Pakistan.

To request a copy of the presentation, please contact Professor Ahmad (see below).