Film and Television have the potential to act as a window on the world for civics - Kristen A. Barr

Television is a medium with great potential to influence the lives of children and adolescents. Considering billions of people around the world spend large portions of their lives watching television (American Psychological Association 2011) and film much research and public opinion is focused on possible negative influences of these media forums. Hardy and Claborne (2007) argue in their paper titled Headword: Morality, Television, and Moral Messages that there is ample research suggesting that watching violence on television contributes to aggressiveness in children and adolescents. Additionally, researchers such as Collins et al (2004, pp. 280-289) have also reported links between television content and adolescents’ sexual behaviour and attitudes. Hardy and Claborne reveal however that ‘like researchers, it seems that policy makers, educators, and the general public also tend to focus on the negative effects to television viewing, yet not all television content is negative. Hardy and Claborne (2007) continue ‘there is so much on television that might be considered ‘moral’’. For instance, such messages may appear in the form of proscriptions or prohibitions. ‘Proscriptions are ‘thou shalts’ which encourage behaviours that should be engaged in whilst prohibitions are ‘thou shalt nots’ which discourage actions that should not be performed’ (Hardy & Claborne). But, what moral messages are children and adolescents exposed to on television and film? More importantly, what effects do these moral messages have on children and adolescents?

Differing opinions exist on what might be considered ‘moral messages’ on television (Hardy & Claborne 2007) and moral panic is often incited by heated debates concerning violence and/or sexualisation of children/teenagers. These areas of interest are of course legitimate concerns that should not be overlooked however the power of television reflected in a positive light as a result is minimised. Nevertheless film and television have the potential to act as a window on the world for civics, democracy and the Australian Constitution providing a focus on justice morality and prosocial or care morality. The Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation (2011) argue the importance of studying civics and citizenship stating ‘young Australians are becoming increasingly disengaged with the systems and values that underpin the Australian way of life’. The Australian Civics (AusCivics) campaign has been designed with a goal in mind ‘to make civics education, local government and the values that are the foundation of our democracy ‘cool by association’, especially for young Australians. In an attempt to reach and teach students the Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation stalwartly support the use of participatory culture and in particular film and television. The AusCivics Media and Research team (2011) has selected a range of Australian and international films and television programs that are integrated into the Five Pillars platform and used to ‘comment directly or indirectly on matters related to civics, democracy, the constitution, and related current affairs’. Each film or television program is critically reviewed; a short clip, with one scene or a package of highlights, is combined with questions and further analysis to engage students. ‘The Five Pillars of Australian Democracy provide the organising framework for each segment and for the series as a whole. Each segment is linked directly to the respective state/territory civics curriculum’ (Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation 2011)’.

Using the film/television piece as a window to the real or imagined world of the media creators, teachers will be able to frame subsequent discussions and/or assignments to help students develop their own insights for today’s civics issues. The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (2007) concur that Civics and Citizenship provides a vehicle for students to challenge their own and others’ views about Australian society and film and television play an indispensable role in this process. In doing so film and television offer an intriguing lens through which to view democracies (and other kinds of societies) from a multitude of perspectives. Referring to Pillar Four in the Five Pillars of Australian Democracy model (Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation 2011) pillar four focuses on shared values and requires a clip from the film Broken Hill is viewed to explore the topic Is it safe? The movie scenes appear to ignore safety concerns like seat belts and helmets, whereas behind the scenes safety consciousness is obviously paramount. This topic is used similarly to each media segment to invite further criticism and analysis in five key areas: media context, media critique, analysis and review, the Australian constitution and Australia today and personal application. After watching the clip from Is it safe and using the key area analysis and review as an example, television and film media illustrate the positive impact it can have on education by evoking the following discussion points:

1. Describe your local laws in regards to the wearing of seat belts in cars and helmets on bikes.

2. Research the laws in your state regarding use of a left hand drive vehicle.

3. Define the purpose of the laws relating to questions 1 and 2.

4. What impact could the violation of the above safety laws have on the individual, family, local community or health care system? Consider a range of scenarios.

There are several possible mechanisms by which exposure to moral messages on television and film might positively impact children and adolescents. According to Hardy and Claborne (2007) first ‘moral messages might be conveyed through modelling of moral behaviours’. The American Psychological Association (2011) argues that Dr. Bandura’s research combines the power of television and promise of psychological theory to address social problems such as AIDS, overpopulation, illiteracy and gender discrimination. The APA state that ‘several organizations apply social learning theory in their educational entertainment programs and controlled studies are utilised to monitor the success of these programs in changing audience’s behaviours. The following example is raised by the APA: ‘in Tanzania, a serialised drama that addressed the spread of Aids was associated with a reduction in reported numbers of sexual partners’. In Civics and Citizenship education television and film clips should be used that model moral behaviour for example advocating peace as depicted in Peaceful Explosion (Pillar Four). Another possible mechanism is that programs might actually verbally promote proscriptions and prohibitions. Hardy and Claborne explain ‘parents in a television program might talk to their child about the importance of being honest and not cheating on a test in school’. Adolescents studying Civics and Citizenship may study Swing Vote where a young female student learns about the power of a vote and civic responsibility from their teacher and shares this knowledge with her disinterested father. In the USA, as in Swing Vote, voting is voluntary but is represented as a proscription or alternatively ‘thou shalt vote’ which is comprised of actions and attitudes associated with democratic governance and social participation. The Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation (2011) view television as a ‘super peer’ that is fundamental in addressing their concern that ‘more than 50% of Australia’s youth don’t know or don’t care that Australia is a democracy and 1.4 eligible voters were not enrolled for the 2010 Federal Election’ therefore portraying television and film not only as being cool by association but critical in reaching and teaching students.

The environment in which the child watches television and film can mediate the effects of televised moral messages. Hardy and Claborne (2007) claim ‘when the watching of moral messages on television is accompanied by additional instruction by adults, such as teachers or parents, there tends to be a stronger positive effect on children’. Whilst attention has been focused on the potential impact of negative television/film messages on children and adolescents, it seems television is also a source of moral messages which might have positive influence. This is reinforced in Civics and Citizenship where film and television is often used to investigate how, in a democratic tradition, informed and diverse contributions and participation by citizens is important. Students learn about, contest and enact the values that are important to be an engaged citizen within a community. The Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation (2011) maintain the critiqued media segments are sourced from a diverse array of producers and cultures and analysis and questions are entirely non-partisan. The power of television can remain positive when students through critical analysis be invited to form their own judgements both in relation to the techniques of storytelling and production used by the producer/s, writer/s, film directors, news and current affairs presenters and guest/s; and form judgements about the issue or principle involved. This will in turn contribute to the student’s ability to critically analyse the general media, political and social whilst developing critical literacies skills.

References

American Psychological Association (2011) Putting the Power of Television to Good Use. Available October 6, 2011 from http://www.apa.org/research/action/tv.aspx

Australian Civics and Heritage Foundation (2011) AusCivics Curriculum Resources. Available October 3, 2011 from http://www.auscivics.org.au/resources

Collins, R., Elliott, M.N., Berry, S.H., Kanouse, D.E., Kunkel, D., Hunter, S.B & Miu, A. (2004) Watching Sex on Television Predicts Adolescent Initiation of Sexual Behaviour [Paediatrics Vol. 114 No. 8 September 1, 2004 pp. e280-e289] doi: 10.1542/peds.2003-1065-L

Hardy, S.A., & Claborne, G.B (2007) Headword: Morality, Television, and Moral Messages. Available October 6, 2011 from http://www.cdhrm.org/showimg.php?iid=58

Victorian Essential Learning Standards (2007) The VELS. Available October 9, 2011 from http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/