ERIC Number: ED212378
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1976-Oct
Pages: 89
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Children's Visual Responses to "Sesame Street."
Flagg, Barbara N.; And Others
Formative research on the eye movements of children in the older age range of "Sesame Street's" target audience was conducted and results were used to answer a range of formative questions concerning television programing goals and their implementation. Forty-six low-income, black and caucasian children, ranging in age from 4.9 to 6.9 years participated in the study. Research procedures used involved (1) the administration of the Sesame Street Familiarity Test (SSFT), a measure specifically designed for this study, as well as other pertinent questions, (2) equipment calibration and viewing of one show consisting of several segments, (3) refreshment break, post-questioning and administration of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, (4) viewing a second show, (5) post-questioning concerning the second show, and (6) compensation payment to the subject. The purpose of all pre- and post-viewing questions was to determine the extent to which the child comprehended the instructional message of the segment viewed. Segments focused on numbers, letters of the alphabet, and classification concepts. Results are presented for performance on measures used. No sex or race effects were found. Subsequent discussion describes the viewing patterns and post-viewing results for each of the 23 segments in the three shows. In concluding remarks, format design variables considered important in attracting and maintaining the child's visual attention are pointed out. Related materials are appended. (Author/RH)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Children's Television Workshop, New York, NY.; Spencer Foundation, Chicago, IL.; Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Center for Research in Children's Television.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A