Middlesex University Research Repository An open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Jamalinik, Seyed Hassan (2008) An historical and comparative study of schools television in Britain and Iran: analysing the production criteria for teaching mathematics in primary school as case study to examine how to enhance the quality of schools television in Iran. PhD thesis, Middlesex University. [Thesis] UNSPECIFIED This version is available at: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/9507/ Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this work are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners unless otherwise stated. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. 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See also repository copyright: re-use policy: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/policies.html#copy MX 0717590 6 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 An Historical and Comparative Study of Schools Television in Britain and Iran: analysing the production criteria for teaching mathematics in primary school as case study to examine how to enhance the quality of Schools Television in Iran A Thesis Submitted to Middlesex University In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Seyed Hassan Jamalinik School of Arts and Education Middlesex University March 2008 To my dear Nikki Dedication: ABSTRACT The population growth in Iran over the last three decades has made it enormously difficult for the government to provide equality of educational opportunity. Accordingly, the government, in 2002, re-established a national education television network as one component of the solution to the problem of mass education. However, due to the scarcity of experience in the production and distribution of educational and Schools Television programming in Iran there is need to benefit from the practice of other cultures. This research explores the benefit of half a century of experience of schools broadcasting in Britain. In order to see whether or not the production criteria and models of British schools broadcasting might be useful to enhance the quality of Schools Television production in Iran, this research has employed a tripartite system of investigation. First, an extensive historical survey of the educational and school broadcasting provision in both Britain and Iran was conducted, in order to establish significant similarities and differences. Second, research was conducted into relevant pedagogical theories, cultural context, and aspects of the effectiveness of television as pedagogy to explore how learning from television takes place. Third, a comparative study was made of the production processes, values and textual strategies used by current Schools Television in Britain and in Iran. This was carried out through a case study on mathematics in primary schools in order to understand how to simplify abstract concepts in complicated areas, where ideas are difficult to illustrate. Abstract: 11 The results indicate that Schools Television in Britain benefits from the extensive educational backgrounds of programme makers, the work of education advisers, consultants, and close relations between broadcasters and educational authorities across the whole production process. However, the benefit of this history does not generally result in the direct use of any prescriptive pedagogical theory. The schools programmes of the BBC and Channel 4 use textual and televisual techniques that combine entertainment and learning materials in the style of mainstream channels, where the producers try to make the educational contents 'invisible', following the philosophy of 'learning through fun'. In contrast, Schools Television in Iran, through a long history of delivering a curriculum prescribed by the government, tends to be more rigidly influenced by the traditional, monotonic and lecturing styles of the formal classrooms. Therefore, Schools Television is being used generally as a 'container' for instructive content, delivered through 'talking head' sequences. In conclusion it is proposed that school broadcasting in Britain played a pioneering part in creating a democratic environment in the classroom, where the teaching process changed from a pyramidal into a more horizontal model. It is found that, as long as the educational system in Iran is following a teacher-centred, 'banking' education policy, Schools Television cannot take full advantage of the medium. However, despite significant historical, cultural and political differences, Schools Television in Iran can learn lessons from Britain. This is not preserving a western cultural primacy but understanding and practicing whatever is best for the context of particular educational needs, social and cultural values. Abstract: iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is almost impossible to acknowledge all the people who have been involved with this research study during last few years, however, I do strongly believe that even if it were possible to record such enormous assistance and support, my words here would be unable to show the deepness of my appreciation. First of all I would like to express my appreciation to IRIB Organisation, and my special thanks to the former Vice Chancellor of IRIB Education Mr. Mohammad Zoragh, and his colleagues in different departments, who support and enabled my MA and PhD studies at Middlesex University. I am really grateful to Dr. Claire Pajaczkowska my Director of Studies, and my supervisory team Dr. David Furnham, and Dr. Debbie Jack for their tireless contributions and guidance through this long-term research. I am deeply indebted to a number of important contributors at the BBC Education and Channel 4 Learning, some of who are detailed below. I am genuinely thankful to Mr. Malcolm Ward former education officer at Channel 4 Learning, and Dr. Julie Cogill former head of education officers at the BBC Education, who first opened the doors of Britain's broadcasting world to this research study. My deepest appreciation goes to Ms. Karen Johnson Executive Editor for Children's Education at the BBC and Mr. John Richmond former Commissioning Editor of Channel 4 Learning, for their incredible consideration and unfailing Acknowledgements: IV invaluable support. Also a special tribute goes to Ms. Sue Nott, Head of BBC Education production, Ms. Sarah A Miller, Ms. Judith Tyrer, and Ms. Melissa Burhop, producers of school programmes at the BBC, for their precious support during my participant observations and their provision of wide range of information to this study. Equally my special gratitude goes to Mr. Len Brown, Mr. Robert Eagle, and Ms. Sally Beeston, independent school television specialists and programme producers for their contributions and information support. I also would like to note my special appreciation particularly for the help given to me by Professor Hamid Mowlana, Dr. Mehdi Mohsenian Rad, and Dr. Ali Asghar Saeidi for their invaluable information and contributions. I also wish to thank all of my colleagues at IRIB Organisation and IRIB Faculty, particularly like to thank Dr. Javad Zahiri, Mrs. Farzaneh Kheradmand, Mr. Bizhan Taheri, Mrs. Elaheh Karim, Mr. Mehdi Rezaee, and Mr. Mehdi Hamzeh for their unfailing support and encouragements. I also owe so much to my precious friend Mr. Mohammad Hossain Tamjidi for his tireless, constant support and kind consideration through the whole processes of this research study. My great thanks much also be conveyed to those colleagues who took part in my investigations and patiently answered my various questions during the time ofthis study. Equally I wish to thank my colleagues at the Education Technology Centre and those individuals from other institutions who provided various documents to this study and also participated in answering different questionnaires and evaluated the sample school programmes of this study. My special thanks go to Dr. Adel Yaghma Editor-in-Chief of Roshd Educational Technology Magazine and his colleagues for Acknowledgements: v their constant support. Also my appreciation go to Mr. Rahmatollah Mehrabi former Director General of ETC, Mr. Azim Babazadeh, Mr. Mir Younes Noroozian, and my special thanks go to Mr. Reza Ziaee Doostan, and Mr. Yadollah Shahbazi, independent school programme specialists and programme makers, for their information, moral support and encouragement.