STUDENT TELEVISION PRODUCTION: THE EFFECTS ON STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS SELF AND OTHERS (HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS, MEXICAN AMERICANS, ALTERNATIVE, PERCEPTION, VIDEO).

Abstract

This investigation attempted to answer the following research questions, based upon student participation in "hands on" television production activities: (1) What shifts in the students' perceived acceptance of themselves occurred, (2) what shifts in the students' perceived acceptance of others occurred, and (3) what shifts in the students' perceived acceptance of school occurred? In seeking answers to the above three questions, the investigator located seven volunteers from a high school dropout retrieval program. As it developed, all of them were of Mexican American heritage. This investigation was based upon a theoretical framework drawn from perceptual psychology, education, and television. The framework consisted of television as a perceptual experience tending to effect acceptance of self, others, and school. A small n research design with multiple measures was used during this investigation. Data were collected with a student self-report measure using a modified Likert-type response mode. Qualitative data were collected from student interviews and investigator observations recorded as fieldnotes. The research results indicated no significant patterns in acceptance of self and others as a group. The qualitative data revealed the variety of individual shifts in acceptance of self, others and school. Certain unanticipated results occurred because the participants were Mexican American. These included cultural-related observations. The data indicated that "hands on" television production activities involve "learning in context" processes which might have important implications for dropout retrieval programs. The investigator recommended further "learning in context" TV or video studies with multicultural groups of students.