Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-05-18
Hansen Hinges
Verdict on TV
ToU. ). Study

School supt. Carl F. Hansen
raised the possibility today
that District schools will help
establish and operate an edu-
cational teleyision station for
the Washington area.
But he made it quite clear
in a special report to the
Board Of Education that he
must still be convinced TV can
serve a useful purpose in the
learning process.
He recommended that the
board postpone a final decision
about supporting a station I'M
til his staff can analyze more
completely the TV expert
ences Of other school systems
throughout the country.
This analysis. he said. will
not take more than six months.
In January, Dr.. Hansen an
nounced that next year District
schools would stop supporting
the classroom telecasts of the
Greater Washington Educa-
tional Television Association.
His remarks at that time in
dicated his fundamental OBJ
jections to educational televi-
sion.
GWETA Plans Station
Since then GWETA-with
the support Of all the suburban
school systems-has continued
to make plans for next years
schedule and for the opening of
its own station in the fall of
1861. Currently its programs
are telecast over WTTG-5.
The superintendent five
page report to the school
board-was his reply to an in
vitation from GWETA-first
extended two years ago-for
District schools to accept mem
bership on the associations
board of trustees.
The superintendent con-
cluded by recommending tenta-
tive acceptance of the invita-
ton with the clear understand
ing that this step would not
commit the schools to any
policy stand on educational
TV. Any such commitment,
he said. should await the six
month staff analysis "of the
experimentation now in pro-
cess in other cities"
His report on which board
members were expected to vote
later today, is considered to
improve somewhat the chances
Of the city's schools participant
ing in future educational TV
activities. The superintendent
could have recommended fatty
turning down the GWETA in
vitation.
At the same time. however.
DR.. Hansen indicated the six
month analysis would have to
come UP with some striking
justification Of educational TV
before he would consider
changing his own adverse
opinions.
Experimentation over six
years now in the use of educa-
tional television has been
largely negative in finding, so
far as this school system is con-
cerned." he said. ITO over
ride this experience without
scientific and thorough study
would seem to be difficult to
defend"
Limitations OF TV
He claimed that:
l. Television cannot be used
effectively for regular classroom
instruction. History has not
as yet anywhere demonstrated
that education can successfully
operate as a formali2ed and
mechanical process. In
teaching by television, interac-
ton, reaction and checking for
understanding cannot success
fully occur between the studio
teacher and the classroom
pupils"
2. Television as a supple
mental teaching tool is neither
as effective. or as flexible. as a
film projector-for bringing
special enrichment programs
into the classroom. He OBJ
served. in fact, that the ~ set
lis fast becoming a film pro-
jector rather than a source of
vital and fresh on-the-spot
television. I am very doubt
full that educational television
can correct this situation, as
much as this job needs to be
done"
3. Television is no more eff
fective for teaching adults than
it is for teaching children. In
adult education as in child
hood education, he said, the
discipline. challenge and mott
walton of classroom teaching
seem to be essential"
4. The money for establish
ing and operating a TV station
can better be used for improv-
ing existing school services
until more convincing evidence
of the value of television for
school purposes is available"