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THE INFLUENCE OF MOVIES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

In recent times, movies has remained an instrument of entertainment, information and education and it has overtaken more than half of other existing entertainment forms, which equally compete for time and attention of the average citizen. Since the early 20th century, the American film industry dominated the cinema across the world. In early 1910, Griffith a renowned film director shot the ever first movie in Hollywood titled “In old California”. Before World War I, filmmakers gravitated to Southern California as the first Hollywood studio was opened in 1911 by the Nestor Company. The film making industry was later dominated by the Jews who were immigrants as racial prejudice prevented them from industries. By the mid 1940’s, the film market was making 400 movies a year. Onokome (2009) noted that the Nigeria video film has transformed itself into an art, creating its own version of the Nollywood. The motion picture business grew from an estimated turnover of about 2.5 million in 1994 to a 3.4 million in 1999. Larkin (2006) noted that this development resulted in the production of over 600 films a year and this made Nigeria one of the largest filmproducing nations in the world. Okoye (2003) observed that Ken Mnebue a resourceful Nigerian entrepreneur pioneered the Nigerian movies by producing “Living in Bondage” in 1992. However, Nollywood is arguably the third most vibrant film industry in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood. Movies came into Nigeria through the colonial masters in 1930. According to Adieza (2010), these films were sponsored by Herbert Macaulay and was shown at the Glover Hall in Lagos. Film at this period was essentially meant to stimulate interest on the British Empire. In 1960 shortly after the independence, the first genre of Indigenous film produced was “Culture in Transition” an abridged version of Wole Soyinka’s “The Strong Breed”. “Kongi’s Harvest” also heralded the Independence anniversary. Films during this period were shown in large cinema halls which often attracted large crowd, the film hall eventually became a rendezvous for criminals. The cost of showing film through these projectors was high, so in 1980 when movies came into the country, it was embraced by all homes. Producers now shifted to the production of movies which were cheaper and faster. Sor (2011) noted that by 1996, over 20,000 movies were recorded in the film market.

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) (2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010) frequently complains on the low quality of education in Nigeria educational system and the resultant effect of poor academic performance among senior secondary school students. Some blame the pupils for this apparent decline in quality of education and moral values, majority blames the teachers for the woes in our schools, while the teachers shifted the blame on the children and parental attitudes to their children education (Arony & Ogbadu, 2010). Others scholars such Jekayinfa (2007) blamed the government for unattractive condition of service and poor physical facilities in some parts of the system. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that apart from the factors listed as the causes of failure among the secondary school students, the advent of globalization as a result of urbanization and civilization such as access to internet, GSM, Television and Cable Network programs have relegated most students to a mere showbiz and often distracted by series of cartoons and movie activities. They spend most of their time in front of their television sets rather than in reading their books, doing their home-works and mingling with other people etc.

Teenage age is a point at which children are just starting to seriously break dependence on their parents, at least as far as their own identity is concerned. The media gives them a more neutral and less threatening frame of reference from which to relate to their peers (Ohadebeh 2012). This is because the media is something that most teenagers see the same way. Unfortunately, because most teens are still looking for their own identities, they are a lot more susceptible to suggestion and all the perceived peer pressure from the media which can overwhelm what they have already formed of their own identities based on someone else's opinions, what they should think and feel. Without realizing it, they can start picking up someone else's opinions instead of forming their own with the way the media is today (Okechukwu, 2014).

However, it cannot be over-emphasized that television has taken a centre stage in our daily activities especially in the 21st Century with the emergence and consolidation of different television stations and service providers in Nigeria. It has been observed in cities that satellite and cable televisions have a greater amount of audience than the local television stations. However, this study examines the effect of late-night television viewing among students in secondary school. It is evident through previous researches that with television stations at their fingertips, teenagers spend a whole lot of their time watching television. A conservative estimate has been given of an average American teenager who spends 2.5 hours per day watching television. The teenagers spend an average of 16 – 18 hours watching television per week, starting from 13 – 19 years old, watching most often the most popular rated movies as evidenced from previous research outputs teenagers. It has been discovered that most of the programs teenagers watch are entertainment related, for instance, movies, musical videos, soap operas etc. Olorogun (2013), asserts that the influence of these programs on teenagers may not be immediate or effective due to some other variables like family, social groups, peer groups etc. Nevertheless, the influence might lead the teenagers to false ideal and negative social behaviors. However, the more they expose themselves to entertainment television with reference to the amount of time some of them put into watching entertainment programs, the greater the chance for them to develop a world view and a perception of reality similar to what they watch over time on television.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Movies could be said to have both negative and positive influence on the Nigerian child depending on the type of film, the time, and the level of control parents are able to adopt. It is however clear that a child imitates what he sees hence he must be guided. Onokome (2009) stated that violence is one of the effects of movies. Children who watch a lot of violent films are prone to violent acts. There is the belief that people often accept the fictional representation in the media for their vivid and demonstrative relay of pictures. The Home-video is popularly considered by many people as a school of violence as it has the ability to hold its audience better than any conventional school. There are the long-term and short-term effects of movies especially as it affects the behavior of the child. Traits such as hostility may be the effect of watching films with violent content. This can stimulate aggressive thoughts and feelings. Adesanya (2008) believes that viewing violent program can alter children’s behavior such as making the child afraid, worried and suspicious or increasing the child’s tendency for aggressive behavior. Pornographic films have untold negative effects on the child as it escalates his sexual urge and he tends to venture into experimentation. The most dangerous is the fact that movies takes children’s time as noted by Adesanya (2004), thereby depriving them of maximum concentration on their school work such as revision of notes, assignments and even domestic chores. They prefer to remain glued to the screen rather than participate actively in home chores. In most Nigerian homes, the best form of entertainment is watching films. Most movies have a time duration of one hour, thirty minutes and some two hours, so there is a high risk of obesity. The problem of this study manifest from the behavior of school age children. The assumption is that many school children have positive desire for watching films rather than concentrating on their school work. This positive desire occurs in the form of spending more time watching films and less time in school work which may result in absenteeism and lateness to school. Another problem could be found in the behaviour of these children who have been exposed to watching movies without much control. They learn new form of speech pattern, dressing and immoral acts.  It is therefore the aim of this study to investigate the influence of home movies on the academic performance of secondary school students in Oshodi-isolo local government area of Lagos state.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of movies on the academic performance of students. Specifically, the objectives of this study is

1.     To examine the level of student addictiveness to home movie and the influence on their academic performance.

2.     To determine the genre of movie that the students are more exposed to and the influence on their academic performance.

3.     To find out the influence movies has on the academic performance of students.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were raised to guide the researcher during the course of the research:                  

1. To what extent would student addictiveness to movies influence their academic performance?

2. Does the genre of movie that the students are more exposed to influence their academic performance?

3. What influence does movies has on the academic performance of students in general?

4. Does watching of movies influence the behavior of the child?

1.5   HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

1.       Ho: Watching of movies does not significantly influence the academic performance of children.

H1: Watching of movies significantly influence the academic performance of children.

2.       Ho: Watching of movies do not significantly influence the behavior of children.

          H1: Watching of movies significantly influence the behavior of children.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant to the teachers, parents and students. This study will help the teachers of the school to know the influence that movies has on their students, so as to assist them to enlighten and create awareness to the students on the possible influence it has on them. The study is of significant to parents in the sense that they will know the possible effects these movies has on their children, so as to serve as watch-dog to their children . The study will enable the students of the senior level so that they will be aware that, apart from the social benefits of this movies site, using the sites more than necessary will pose possible dangers to their health. It will be relevant in assisting students in understanding the diversity of movies. It will provide relevance material for students and other researchers undertaking similar research. The study will help researchers with more information on the Influence of movies on student’s academic performance.

1.7   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The focus of this research work is to primarily study the Influence of movies on the academic performance of students. The study will comprise of students in Lagos State, Oshodi/Isolo local government area to be precise.

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