British Preparatory Schools Activities: Television and Videos
Figure 1.--Here the commons room in a barding house is equipped with television and video player. The telelevision is not, however, commonly used for recreationl viewing.
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Television is not a major activity at the prep schools. The schools of course have television, but the usage is restricted. They are used for instructional purposes in the classroom. Here there are educational broadcasts in Britain as well as instructional videos. Both the schools and individual teachers can build up libraries of instructionl videos. When we visited, CDs were not yet in use. Recreational TV usage is very resticted. The children are encouraged to engagfe in other activities. At one school, the boarders as a treat were allowed to see a popular science fiction show that aited before bedtime. But for the most part the TVs were used for news broadcasts and major sports events. Over the weekend a movie video was often shown for the boarders. Often there was a good eal of discussion as to what movie to be seen.
