DOCUMENT RESUME ED 367 312 IR 016 587 AUTHOR Jordan, Sandra S. Utilization of CNN Newsroom in School Classrooms. TITLE PUB DATE 94 90p.: Requirements for Specialist in Education in NOTE Library Media Technology degree, Georgia State University. PUB TYPE Undetermined (040) Dissertations/Theses Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. *Cable Television; Current Events; Discussion DESCRIPTORS (Teaching Technique); *Educational Television; Elementary Secondary Education; *News Media; Programming (Broadcast); Public Schools; Questionnaires; Social Studiss; State Surveys; *Television Curriculum Cable News Network; *CNN Newsroom; Georgia IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This study was an educational assessment of the CNN (Cable News Network) Newsroom by enrolled users throughout the state of Georgia. CNN Newsroom is a 15-minute commercial-free newscast aimed at students in public school classrooms. Supplementing the newscasts are daily curriculum guides (available electronically) that outline questions and concepts for teacher-directed activities in the (1) to determine classroom. The purpose of this study was three-fold: (2) to determine demographic and logistical factors influencing use; teacher practices characterizing use; and (3) to obtain user ratings of the CNN Newsroom by enrolled users. A 22-question survey instrument was designed and sent tc all 621 educators in Georgia who had enrolled in the free CNN Newsroom program. The majority of the users who responded: were from county school systems; work at the elementary level; tAach a social studies curriculum; have 16-to-20 years experience; and hold a master's degree. Generally, the teachers spent five minutes or less introducing the segments and use the service occasionally rather than daily. The user questionnaire is included in the appendix. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/JLB) ************************************** k******************************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Once of Educabonat Research and Improvernem EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O Trim dOcurnen1 has been reproduced as recewed born the person or organization ortginating it 0 Mnor changes have been made .mprove 1 reproOdcbon cluahly Points 01 view or opmionS stated in this doico trent Q not necessaley represent olhciat OEM position or poscy UTJLIZATION OF CNN NEWSROOM IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS by Sandra S. Jordan 1994 -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Sandra Jordan TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES I) INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" UTILIZATION OF CNN NEWSROOM IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS by Sandra S. Jordan A SCHOLARLY STUDY Presented in Partial Fullfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Specialist in Education in Library Media Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education- Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia 1994 3 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT iv LIST OF TABLES vi CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1 1 Overview 1 Statement of the Problem 3 Significance of the Study 4 Delinitations 5 Definition of Terms 5 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 6 2 Instructional Television 6 Channel One 9 CNN Newsroom 13 Summary 17 METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES 20 3 Introduction 20 Population 20 Instrument 21 Data Collection 23 Data Analysis 24 iii RESULTS 25 4 Introduction 25 Logistics of Receiving CNN 27 . . . . Classroom Utilization 29 Program Rating by Teachers 35 . . . . Barriers to Use 36 Demographic Data 38 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 41 5 Findings 41 Discussion 42 Applications 46 REFERENCES 48 Enrollment Form APPENDIX A: 53 Cover Letter & Survey 55 B: Daily User Teacher Comments 59 . Occasional User Teacher Comments 64 D: . Non-User Teacher Comments 73 E: iv ABSTRACT UTILIZATION OF CNN NEWSROOM IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS by Sandra Sue Jordan purpose This study was an educational assessment of the CNN Newsroom by enrolled users throughout the state of Georgia. (1) to determine demographic The purpose was three-fold: to determine and logistic factors influencing use; (2) teacher practices characterizing use; and (3) to obtain user ratings of the CNN Newsroom by enrolled users. Methods and Procedures A twenty-two question survey instrument was designed and sent to all 621 educators in the state of Georgia who had enrolled in the free Turner Educational Systems CNN Newsroom. Frequencies and percentages were used to report the results. Results The majority of the users who responded were from county school systems (83.87%) and worked at the elementary These users had 16 to 20 years (29.85%) (39.61%) level. experience and held a Master's degree (46.43%). Logistical factors involved the services of the media specialist who most often (78.48%) taped CNN Newsroom for Equipment to show the program was readily available use. (93.59%) as was the Daily Curriculum Guide (73.10%). Of those enrolled users who responded, teacher practices which characterized the use of CNN Newsroom found that users most often (47.73%) spent five minutes or less preparing to use the program and two minutes or less (55.73%) introducing segments to students. Occasional use (64.56%) of the program was more prevalent than daily use Regardless of level Social Studies classes used (35.44%). the program more (40.83%) than any other class. Science classes were a distant second (14.50%). Tuesday's International Day segment topped usage (26.92%) with The daily Top Thursday's Science Day following (24.23%). Story was used most often (28.46%) followed by a tie between The Daily Curriculum Anchor Desk and At Issue (19.65%). Guide was sometimes (25.53%) or usually (23.40%) used. CNN Newsroom was used on the day it is recorded usually (41.55%) The program as a whole was usually or always (35.92%). (33.33%) or always (35.92%) used. vi Conclusions According to the results of the study, the profile of a typical CNN Newsroom user would be a county school system elementary teacher with a Master's degree, 16 to 20 years experience and teaching a Social Studies curriculum. Influencing this teacher's use of CNN Newsroom would be cable access, TV and VCR availability, Daily Curriculum Guiag availability, computer online access; and the services Most often of the media specialist to tape the program. used segments of the program would be the daily Top Story They would usually be used and Tuesday's International Day. The teacher would spend on the day that they were recorded. less than ten minutes planning to use CNN Newsroom and less than five minutes introducing segments to the class. All CNN Newsroom program segments were rated as good with its usefulness as an instructional resource rated as superior. vii LIST OF TABLES Page TABLE Enrolled Georgia Users of CNN Newsroom 21 1 Use of CNN Newsroom 26 2 Use of Other Daily Television aews Programs. 26 3 . . Access Vehicle for Daily Curriculum Guide 29 4 Subject Areas in Which CNN Newsroom is Used. 30 5 . . Special Curriculum Segments Used 31 6 Program Segments Used 31 7 Time in Teacher Planning 32 8 Time in Introducing Segments to Students 32 9 Frequencey of Use of Daily Curriculum Guide. 33 10 . . Use of CNN Newsroom on Day Recorded 34 11 Frequency of Use of Entire Daily CNN Newsroom 12 Broadcast 34 Rating of Individual Aspects of CNN Newsroom 13 Program 35 Equipment Needed to Utilize CNN Newsroom 37 14 Type of School Reporting 38 15 . Grade Level of Schools Reporting 39 16 Highest Degree Attained by Respondents 39 17 . . . . . . Years of Experience in Teaching by Respondents 40 18 . . 9 CNN Newsroom in Classrooms School electronic Some education forecasters predict that learning is the predominant educational methodology of the as educational future and electronic delivery modes such Like will influence the movement. television programs lives of students. influences the teachers, television leading learning theorist and professor Mary Alice White, at Columbia University's Teachers College, states "Information is shifting from print to imagery, ... and the is affecting deeply how we see our world, how we shift ... think about it, and how we solve (its) problems." (CNN Video Link: User's Manual) In 1989 Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, debuted CNN Newsroom, a daily fifteen-minute television news program free of commercials and aimed at The program which students in public school classrooms. airs at 3:45 a.m.(ET) is taped by participating schools and teachers play it at their discretion for their students during the school day. 1 10