The Educational Television Show Team UmiZoomi

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Recommended: Relevance of socio-cultural theory in teaching and learning

The educational television show “Team UmiZoomi” is an animated show aimed at preschoolers that focuses on mathematical concepts such as numbers and shapes. This show often places an emphasis on the inclusion of the audience as a way to signify that the child who is watching it has math abilities that can be used. The episode “The Aquarium Fix-It” follows the three main characters as they help the seahorses at an aquarium by fixing a leak in the tank. The segment of this episode that will be analyzed is intended to teach children how to measure and count correctly. The characters first show how to measure the length of the crack in the glass in units by counting and encouraging the audience to join in. Then they get tape to fix the crack and guide the child’s measurement of the tape but do not specifically go through the steps again. This segment of “Team UmiZoomi” adheres most to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning and is fairly consistent with his views.

According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning, much of children’s learning occurs due to social interactions between teachers and learners (Abaied, 2014, Feb. 19). This specific segment first shows the children who are watching how to count and then gives them the opportunity to do so by themselves. The sociocultural theory emphasizes the fact that interaction with others shapes thinking and knowledge and that humans like to teach and learn. In addition, Vygotsky focuses on the fact that we should measure what children can do not by what is achievable by themselves but by what they can do with help (Abaied, 2014, Feb. 19). This segment of the show first allows the child to watch a measurement of units and then lets the child complete the task on his or her own...

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...al, but the overall idea is to help others in the community, an important concept for children to learn. Most television shows for preschool aged children have a focus on helping others, but this show specifically focuses on math, and the segment of the episode “The Aquarium Fix-It” that focuses on measurement and helping others is fairly consistent with the sociocultural theory of learning. Knowing how well the sociocultural theory applies to education television shows is important because we need to strive to help children learn better and more efficiently. Figuring out what can be done to increase the effectiveness of television will improve our society as a whole.

Works Cited

Abaied, J. L. (2014, February 19). Cognitive Development II.

Kim, S. (Creator), & Perkins, B. L. (Writer). (15 Jan 2010). The Aquarium Fix-It [Television series episode]. Team UmiZoomi.

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