The “capability theory” suggests that students learn best when educational tools like television and computer games are used to present lessons based on their ability to remember and understand topics. The theory examines how unconventional tools can help students learn and acquire knowledge, and discusses three important elements: narrative processing, educational content processing, and distance. The theory suggests that television shows should take into consideration the social and cultural context of their target students, and that the channel and narrative content should complement the lesson effectively.
Simply put, the “capability theory” or “capability model” states that a student can actually learn when a lesson is presented based on their ability to remember and understand the topics. It’s a fairly recent theory that examines how unconventional educational tools like television and computer games can help students learn and acquire knowledge. The theory is often credited to Shalom Fisch, who presented a paper in 1999 titled “A model of children’s understanding of educational content on television.”
In recent decades, watching television has become a part of a person’s daily habits, and the education system has begun to incorporate television programs as a way to teach students. Numerous studies may have reported much success in using media as an educational tool, but only a few have actually studied the learning process behind watching educational programs. This prompted Fisch to conduct his own study and identify which elements are significant in influencing a child’s learning ability. Capability theory discusses three important elements in its effort to explore the learning process: narrative processing, educational content processing, and ‘distance’.
In the first component, narrative content processing, Fisch defines the term “narrative” as the story that a program presents to its viewers, with elements such as characters, location, and sequential events within the story. Capability theory states that when students can relate to storytelling, learning is more effective. This means that television programs should take into consideration not only the educational background but also the social and cultural context of their target students. For example, an educational show aimed at British children might use soccer, a favorite sport in the UK, in teaching about body parts. The use of appropriate words is also very important in conveying the lessons in terms that students can understand.
The term “educational content” in the second element of capability theory refers to the very concept of the lesson that the show wants students to learn. In the example above, the narrative content would be the football story, but the educational content would, in fact, be the different parts of the body. In this component, the capability model suggests that television shows take the learner’s “prior knowledge” into account when introducing a new lesson. If the student has this so-called prior knowledge, the elaboration of this educational content would be easier. For example, in teaching the multiplication table, a student should have a prior knowledge of adding numbers.
The third element of the theory of ability, the “distance”, concerns the relationship between narrative and educational content. The theory states that the smaller the distance between the two contents, the greater the student’s ability to learn and remember the lesson. This means that the channel, the narrative content, should complement the lesson, the educational content, effectively. For example, an educational show that portrays a character searching for pirate treasure can teach math lessons by presenting the clues as problems in addition, division, and square roots. Studies have shown that students learn best when there is a place where they can apply their lessons.
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