The ‘Tune Out’ Challenge was accepted
enthusiastically. Of the 121 students who kept a record of
Tune Out Week activities, we found that sixty percent of the
students reported getting through tune out week without using
screen entertainment (TV and VCR, computer games, video games)
at all. Girls were slightly more enthusiastic (62% vs. 54%
for boys) thought older boys (grades 4-6) were far more successful
than younger ones (63%) compared with 41% of younger ones.
The opposite was true for girls as 65% younger in grades 2-3
were ‘media free’ compared with 59% of older girls.
“It was hard without
any media, but I still had some fun. First I took out the
batteries in my TV, then I unplugged my computer. Then I played
scrabble and checkers with my grandpa. Then I played hockey,
outside. I didn't watch or do any media today”.
Grade 5/6 boy
“Today was easy for me not use any media because the
weather was warm and sunny. I played hockey with my dad after
school. Then we went out for dinner and played monopoly when
I got home. Before I knew it, it was time for bed”.
Grade 5/6 boy.
Evidence gathered in the form of contracts for
the ‘tune out the screen challenge’ revealed that
the contract process was important for the success of the
challenge: 64% of the children chose to go cold turkey, 29%
adopted a ‘controlled use’ approach, and less
than 7% ‘opted out’ the challenge. Analysis showed
that the ‘controlled use’ strategy was far more
popular among the younger students where as the ‘cold
turkey’ strategy was chosen by 82% of the older ones
who seemed to take up the ‘challenge’ more enthusiastically.
It was noted that those refusing to take the ‘tune out
challenge’ were disproportionately boys (83%) and also
were far more likely to be from grade 2 and 3.
Of those that adopted a controlled use approach, 56% chose
to allot themselves a time limit (average 1 hour) while 44%
chose to only watch their favourite programmes.
The ‘cold turkey’ group consumed
media on average only 5 minutes a day during tune out week,
gaining 109 minutes of leisure time, and participating in
4.3 activities whereas the ‘opt out’ group consumed
27 minutes and gained 97 minutes, and participated in 3 alternate
leisure activities. The ‘controlled use’ group
used media for 22 minutes per day on average and gained 90
minutes of leisure time, although this was dramatically different
for the younger students (who only gained 64 minutes) when
compared with the older students (153 minutes gained). Again
it was those ‘opted out’ younger boys who consumed
the most media during tune out week (38 minutes).
Displacement Effect
The ‘displacement effect’ was estimated
by subtracting the amount of time spent using media in tune
out week from that during audit week. The net effect was that
students gained 100 minutes a day of leisure time from reducing
their dependency on screen entertainment during tune out week.
Those that went cold turkey gained 35 minutes more than those
that didn’t, but all children seemed to benefit from
the media education programme.
The programme was more successful with the grades
4-6 students who gained 117 minutes compared with 79 minutes
for the grades 2-3 students. Those in grades 2/3 that tuned
out gained on average 90 minutes while those that didn’t
gained only 66 minutes. Those grade 4-6 students who tuned
out gained 133 minutes compared with 92 minutes for those
that continued to use media.
Alternatives to the Screen
So what did those who participated in the Tune
Out challenge do with the discretionary time they gained?
The analysis of 65 tuned out week diaries indicates that sports
and outdoor play was the most frequent activity accounting
for 34% of their responses. Indoor play and hobbies (19%),
eating (15%), homework (14%) and media (8%) accounts for more
than half their recorded time. Reading 6%, and just resting/
‘vegging out’ (2%) accounts for the rest of their
discretionary time. Sleeping, travel and self-maintenance
time were eliminated from this analysis. It was noted that
active leisure is much more common in the after school hours
than in the evening.
Teacher Comments
Interviews with the teachers confirmed that
not only did the students were excited about the programme,
but that the effect of tuning out had a positive impact on
their classroom. One teacher described a calming effect, remarking
on the absence of disruptive behaviour as a refreshing change
from the usual atmosphere in her classroom. Another talked
about the completion of homework and the solidarity that developed
in her class as the students coalesced around taking the ‘challenge’
together.
The project was coordinated by the Media Analysis
Lab at Simon Fraser University’s School of Communication
in partnership with the North Vancouver Parents Advisory Council
and the North Vancouver District Board of Education.
Funding for this pilot project has been provided by the Ministry
of Justice Canada’s Community Mobilization Programme.
To find out more about this research
go to:
http://www.sfu.ca/media-lab/risk
For more information contact:
Stephen Kline, Project Director : 604-985-9661 or email kline@sfu.ca
Kym Stewart, Project Coordinator: 604-291-3434 or email kyms@sfu.ca
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