SCHOOL TV

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30823, 7 August 1965, Page 17

SCHOOL TV

Board Hears Report The Christchurch Boys’ High School board of governors still does not see many immediate advantages in television schools, but it has asked the headmaster (Mr C. F. S. Caidwell) to report on anv developments. It made this decision after Mr Mr Caldwell had reported on the recent closed-circui* television demonstrations. Television had obvious advantages for elose-up views of dissections and miseroscopic slides. It could reach large numbers of students where large assembly rooms were not available, and its information would be up to date compared with films, said Mr Caldwell. More topical and local material could be used in such subjects as botany and social studies. But the equipment was too expensive, and cheaper visual aids were available whenever required. A language laboratory would be more valuable. Television did not save on teachers. Specialised knowledge could still be shared by team teaching. Time taken in preparaing television lessons was not economic when measured in money against man hours. Mr Caldwell suggested that the impermanence of television lessons was a disadvantage, and they could appear drab in black and white compared with colour in live material and films. The return of closed-circuit television was small compared with the money involved, but it had a positive place in teachers’ colleges, particularly for demonstration lesson. It was noted that children were not greatly affected by the cameras. Mr Caldwell said the community was indebted to the Teachers’ College and the commercial sponsors of the closed-circuit demonstration. “Perhaps the easiest development in educational television could be made by using the local channel in time outside normal public transmission,” he said.