“The computer revolution is affecting thousands of teachers and students in the Los Angeles County as they learn to cope with the new technology. The process can be thrilling, enlightening and inspiring. It can also be frustrating, infuriating and funny. Here are some reports.”
Kim Foltz, The New York Times (1923-Current file); Mar 21, 1990; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2009), pg. D21
[deetronic talkin’] Just a note to add- In the post WWII years, comics featuring atomic power, atoms, superheroes and villains changed by atomic power, etc. were popular. It sort of makes this one fascinating, as Edison clearly caught on to what children were paying attention to, as well as giving us a sense of what they were paying attention to.
Madame Curie: “Please, professor, let me experiment with it!” And naturally Eskimos need power outlets in their igloo walls.
This is just amazing.
This is the front cover of the General Electric Company’s Adventures in Science Series, Inside The Atom, published in 1948. George Roussos was the illustrator. In the early days of nuclear energy projects such as this were deployed by the government and private industry not only to inform, but also to put a friendly face on atomic power. In the case of Inside The Atom, children in particular were the targets of this propaganda project. The intent was twofold, to ease the fears associated with atomic power and, to encourage young people to become familiar with a technology that would require future technicians and scientists for implementation and research.
You can view the entire comic and read more details about it by visiting the most excellent website, Comic Book+ here. A special h/t goes out to Quiof Thrul at Facebook for this way cool find.
“Average Video Game Player Well-Adjusted, Survey Shows” Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Feb 6, 1984; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times (1881-1990), pg. A6
S. 1383 – Children’s Protection from Violent Programming Act of 1993 Senate Report
Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – United States Senate – October 20, 1993
On discussing the qualities of television programming, and its damage to the American family, Senator Danforth admits he does not watch television, but:
It is clear to me, as a nonprofessional and non psychologist and non sociologist, that a good part of what has gone wrong in this country is due to our mass media- the coarsening of America; the fact that not only are people shooting people, children are shooting children; the collapse of the American family; the constant parade of stories of sex offenses by teachers against children, and on and on it goes. And it really is a cultural problem in America. And the great, great creator of culture in this country is the mass media, and particularly the medium of television….
The violence, the sex, the general sleaziness both of broadcast and cable television is really an outrage, and it is more than just something that shocks the basic sensitivities of people. I am absolutely convinced that it causes a major problem in the way we treat one another as Americans.
He also knows enough of what’s on television to know that there are constant black-tie ceremonies
where they honor themselves for what wonderful jobs they are doing and what wonderful benefits they are to this country.
But really:
I think somebody sponsor a sleaze award ceremony where people show up, not in black ties but in coveralls, dressed as garbage men…
Chairman: You have not been watching MTV. They do wear overalls and garbage.
S. 1383 – Children’s Protection from Violent Programming Act of 1993 Senate Report
20 Oct 1993
In a Special to The New York Times, Warren Weaver, Jr., reported on a Republican “political challenge” to the Democrats, “unlikely to be confused by historians with the 1957 American response to Sputnik.” Democrat officials said they were not about to be “stampeded into a space race,” but would continue emphasizing policy “over public relations” (they didn’t have Clinton, yet).
Apologies for the bad lighting in the photo.
This comes from a 1984 David Savitsky article in Educational Technology, listing ten rules to follow when producing good educational software for children. It should have “NEW content,” must be “motivational and offer some challenges,” subjected to “rigorous field testing,” “provide a data trail,” and “free of personal abuse, sarcasm, and derogatory remarks.”
But it should absolutely not contain violence!
“A Publisher’s Guidelines for Educational Software Development” Educational Technology April 1984, 45
it continues: “… more traditional instructional materials, such as books, movies, magazines, and filmstrips.”
Apparently they weren’t using books like All Quiet on the Western Front or Roots way back in 1984.
If anyone knows more about this conference, please let me know. I need some records if they exist. Harvard Library says they don’t exist in University Archives. Strange much?
In 1983, Harvard University held a conference titled, “Video Games and Human Development,” during which several researches praised the potential for games as educational tools. Some educational games were demonstrated, encouraging exploration, creativity, and analytical thinking, and concerns about violence were “partially eased by these clearly non-violent games and learning materials. For example, Dr. Robert Kegan, Lecturer in Education at Harvard, warned that adults might be projecting their fears onto children and video games. Kegan saw potentially positive outcomes of video game playing, such as developing personal competence, relationship building, experiencing control, and developing concentration and logical analysis. Another researcher found that even with video games more generally, she “found no detrimental effects on school achievement, homework routines, or extra-curricular interests.” Video games were also being used to promote social rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents (irony!).
Mitchell, Ellen. “Video Games Visit Harvard Yard.” Antic 2, no. 6 (September 1983): 1–4.
Video:
http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/04becc-the-group-tv-children-and-violence
Summary
Panelists: Peggy Charren, founder, Action for Children’s Television; Juliette Tuakli-Williams, pediatrician, South End Health Center; Ceasar McDowell,President, Civil Rights Project, Inc., Asstistant Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Craig Latham, forensic and child psychologist; Ronald Slaby, senior scientist, Education Development Center.
Source
In a 1989 article, “The Next Generation of Interactive Technologies,” Karen Frenkel discusses planned interactive, multimedia strategies of various entertainment companies, in which interactive developers have “desire to increase and enhance participation, to democratize access to information in one way or another.”
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