The role television can play in Early Childhood Development: an in-depth investigation of Tsehai Loves Learning
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Date
2008-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study is an inquiry into the use of television as a tool for education. The area of early
childhood development is taken as a particular case of the study for the reason that it is an
under-researched field. To gain a deeper understanding of the issue, the study is based on a
local children's television program called Tsehai Loves Learning.
The study is guided by theories of child education. The different approaches taken in the
education of the child are seen as relevant literature for the purpose of this study.
The researcher has collected data using qualitative research methods of in-depth interview and
document analysis. Accordingly, interviews were carried out with key informants from the
Ethiopian Television and Whiz Kids Production to shed lights on the issues affecting them. Also,
documents such as the Education and Training Policy, the Kindergarten Syllabus and Whiz Kids
objectives and missions documents have been analyzed.
The study has found out that Early Childhood Development, which is included in the preschool
education system in Ethiopia, is a grossly neglected field and solutions and alternative routes of
educating children have not been exploited. also, through the process of this study, it has been
discovered that the government is not doing its share in supporting the initiatives of the private
sector in an attempt to expand Early Childhood Education.
It has also been revealed that using television as an educational tool for children is not yet
appreciated and the Ethiopian Television itself does not give due attention to programs for
children.
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Keywords
Childhood Development