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    Children's conceptions of masculinity : The mask : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Hart, Simon Charles
    Television's potential influence on its viewers is frequently the topic of heated debate, both in academia and wider society. This research uses media representations of masculinity embodied in the cartoon programme "The Mask" as a basis for the study of the social construction of masculinity. The research has two foci. Firstly, the observation of how children's talk about television, in particular, their understandings of masculinity, actively constructs subject position for them; and secondly, participant use of modality judgements. This thesis holds that modality judgements are a vehicle through which potentially conflicting information (in the form of internal and external modality markers) is actively synthesized. Particular attention is given to how the participants' understandings of masculinity are actively negotiated with the representations of masculinity as depicted by the cartoon. The influential work of Buckingham (1993), Morley (1980) and Hall (1980) provides the theoretical framework in which this thesis is structured. The overall results from the focus group research indicated that participants tended to use traditional understandings of the nature of masculinity to conceptualise how 'most men ought' to be. This research has potential implications for the ongoing societal debates regarding the censorship of children's viewing material.
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    Children and television : a case study of "You and me" : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masterate in Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1995) Shuker, Mary Jane
    This thesis is in the area of children and television. Television viewing is an important but frequently overlooked aspect of pre-school children's socialisation. Contemporary research emphasises the relationship between children's cognitive development and their understanding of TV. This study argues that television viewing is an active cognitive transaction between the individual child, the programme, and the viewing environment. This case study research examined twelve pre-school children's responses, and those of their parents, to the New Zealand educational programme You And Me, screened on TV3 during 1992-93. Qualitative methodologies were utilized, in the broad tradition of family ethnography. The main aspects considered are attention to and comprehension of the programme; gender role socialisation; and language acquisition. It is argued that the role of parents is central to children's television viewing, especially through regulation and co-viewing.
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    Playing in the zone : a Vygotskian interpretation of young children's television-inspired play and talk : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree of Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Brennan, Margaret
    Children's 'representational play' has been extensively acknowledged as contributing to early learning and development. This qualitative case study examined a specialised form of representational play prompted by children's television watching. Participants involved children over the age of 3 years attending a community based childcare centre in a city in New Zealand. The study was carried out over a period of 2 weeks and employed 'naturalistic, observational' and 'stimulated recall' techniques during data collection. Children's 'television play' and talk became both the focus of the investigation and the unit of analysis. The original focus of Superhero play was extended to include other forms of television play that emerged as dominant themes within the studied centre. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning was used as a theoretical tool for analysis with special attention given to Vygotsky's concepts of 'intersubjectivity' and 'cultural tools.' Intersubjectivity was defined and discussed in relation to children's appropriation of 'cultural tools' during representational play. A Vygotskian focus necessitated embedding these concepts within Vygotsky's wider theory of learning and development. Vygotsky's concept of the 'zone-of-proximal development' therefore was also considered in regard to 'television related play and talk'. Nelson's (1986) concept of 'scripts' was examined as Vygotsky viewed language as a primary 'mediating tool' that significantly contributed to children's intersubjective understandings. This study concluded that 'Superhero play' and other forms of television play are the outcome of children's appropriation of sociocultural influences. The study's conclusion supported Vygotsky's theory of development that sees learning as occurring as the result of children's 'internalization' and 'appropriation of cultural tools'.