Chocolate Covered Broccoli is a phrase we use to explain a show, game, etc. that we are trying to teach through by masking the learning with something sweet. Unfortunately, chocolate covered broccoli goes down just as good as broccoli. So either way it can be problematic.
When a shows main purpose is to teach a skill or a set of information, it is extremely important to follow certain guidelines.
The content needs to be age appropriate (this includes the problems that are being addressed)
There needs to be organization and structure to the material that is being taught
Whenever a question is asked (specifically if the question is about something onscreen) the answer must be visual.
All three of these guidelines are consistently broken in every episode of MMCH I have seen.
The show tries to teach (1) how to solve problems through critical thinking (2) basic information and (3) cooperation and group work.
(1) how to solve problems through critical thinking:
When the tools in the episode do not make sense in solving a problem, a child isn't thinking critically. They are confused. And the worst thing you can have is a confused child. Why? Because their interest in the show diminishes and the viewers start to look else where for entertainment
(2) basic information:
If MMCH is trying to teach basic information, it should be a top priority. As a educational researcher in children's television, it is obvious that many of the "mini games" and lack luster. In one episode the audience is suppose to help stack blocks in order of height and then in the next they are requested to name off 3D shapes (cylander, cube, etc) these two are games are at different ends of the spectram for understanding. From my expereience, what should be done is that each episode focuses on a knowledge domain. Instead of jumping from shapes to addition and subtraction, the mini games would favor better if there was a central theme. For example, patterns for one episode and shapes for another.
(3) cooperation and group work:
This is the best aspect of the content. They do this best, it might because the characters are so well engrained in our society and have been enteracting for years. But again there are some flaws. Mickey is the leader of the club... duh. But let some of the other characters lead once in a while. There is a bunch of them. Let Donald steer the ship, cooperation and group work is better when everyone gets a turn to lead.
How to fix it:
If the mini games aren't going to be improved (which shape is this, etc) get rid of them. I would rather have my son watch a show that's not trying to "teach" than a show that is and isn't successful at it. And make the tools realistic. There is already a lot of magic going on in the show, the tools can be grounded here in reality.
Friday, May 6, 2011
MMCH Formula
In my last two posts I briefly covered the visual and music aspects of Mickey Mouse Club House. So in this post I will discuss the structure of the show. Many shows that are aimed at children have what we call a formula. The formula of the show never changes (unless ratings drop), just the content that is plugged inside.
The formula of MMCH is the following:
(1) The cast of characters is introduced (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, and Goofy)
(2) One character encounters a problem
(3) Mickey gets his Mouskatools from the Mouskadoer (3 concrete tools and a mystery tool)
(4) Tooldles is introduced
(5) The characters begin on their journey to solve their problem. And while trying to solve the main problem, they run into 4 small problems. Which are all fixed with mouskatools, delivered by tooldles
(6) Once all the tools are used, it is an indication that the main problem will soon be solved also.
(7) After the main problem is solved, all the characters return to the club house to do the Hot Dog dance where Mickey recaps the main information that was introduced in the story.
(8) The end
The first time I watched the show, I was extremely confused. I had so many questions:
"What in the world is a Mouskadoer?"
What is tooldles? And what is his purpose?
A mystery tool? How in the world does that work?
And why are the tools so random for the problems they encounter? (this will be covered in the next post)
The second time I watched it, I was even more confused. And as the story goes, my confusion grew with every episode I endured. Until one day I encountered an episode that answered all my questions. Tooldles Birthday Celebration.
It took me approximately 10 episodes to figure (fully) what was really going on.
What in the world is a Mouskadoer?
A Mouskadoer is a machine that Mickey has in his clubhouse that provides tools for the crew to use to accomplish their mission
What is tooldles? And what is his purpose?
Tooldles is Mickey's old alarm clock and his purpose is to bring the crew their tools while they are out solving the main problem
A mystery tool? How in the world does that work?
A mystery tool is the only tool you don't know. And when all the other tools don't work, you select your mystery tool.
There are many flaws to this formula.
(1) If parents aren't understanding the basic structure of the show, it's unlikely that children are fully understanding what is going on either.
My Solution: Get rid of the Mouskadoer. Let the characters do something on their own (it feels like every action is done by a machine in the clubhouse). Have them go to the shed in the backyard and grab their toolbox. Isn't that where tools go (a shed, garage, closet), not a random spot in the middle of a clubhouse. Then tooldles can pop out and show the tools being used.
(2) The magic of the show is so extreme that it lacks a sense of reality.
My Solution: Bring it down a notch. You can still have that wonderful Disney magic without going so crazy that none of it is believable.
(3) Children are curious about novel situations but they also enjoy watching something they understand and know.
My Solution:Use tools that are logical. In one episode they had the following for their tools: Bouncy Shoes,
Building Blocks, and 2 Hippos. The bouncy shoes were to catch up with a grasshopper, building block were made into stairs to get the grasshopper out of a really tall tree, and the hippos were used to get across a creek (by hopping on their backs). And just to point out, all of these items aren't tools in the sense that we most commonly think of them.
(4) The mystery mouskatool shouldn't be a mystery. It is too abstract to be a multiple choice option for the age group viewing.
My Solution: When all the tools don't match what needs to be done, have something in the environment around the crew that can be used to solve the problem. This way the viewer can search and find (on their own) what can be used. It will provide a deeper more interactive moment. And actually encourages critical thinking.
The writers on the show have such amazing backgrounds, but I find myself extremely surprised by the quality of the structure of the show. But as I stated in my last blog, if children enjoy the music and are dancing does the show need to be more than that? For the sake of money, time, and effort that is put into developing MMCH, I would hope that they were aiming for more than that.
The formula of MMCH is the following:
(1) The cast of characters is introduced (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, and Goofy)
(2) One character encounters a problem
(3) Mickey gets his Mouskatools from the Mouskadoer (3 concrete tools and a mystery tool)
(4) Tooldles is introduced
(5) The characters begin on their journey to solve their problem. And while trying to solve the main problem, they run into 4 small problems. Which are all fixed with mouskatools, delivered by tooldles
(6) Once all the tools are used, it is an indication that the main problem will soon be solved also.
(7) After the main problem is solved, all the characters return to the club house to do the Hot Dog dance where Mickey recaps the main information that was introduced in the story.
(8) The end
The first time I watched the show, I was extremely confused. I had so many questions:
"What in the world is a Mouskadoer?"
The second time I watched it, I was even more confused. And as the story goes, my confusion grew with every episode I endured. Until one day I encountered an episode that answered all my questions. Tooldles Birthday Celebration.
It took me approximately 10 episodes to figure (fully) what was really going on.
What in the world is a Mouskadoer?
A Mouskadoer is a machine that Mickey has in his clubhouse that provides tools for the crew to use to accomplish their mission
What is tooldles? And what is his purpose?
Tooldles is Mickey's old alarm clock and his purpose is to bring the crew their tools while they are out solving the main problem
A mystery tool? How in the world does that work?
A mystery tool is the only tool you don't know. And when all the other tools don't work, you select your mystery tool.
There are many flaws to this formula.
(1) If parents aren't understanding the basic structure of the show, it's unlikely that children are fully understanding what is going on either.
My Solution: Get rid of the Mouskadoer. Let the characters do something on their own (it feels like every action is done by a machine in the clubhouse). Have them go to the shed in the backyard and grab their toolbox. Isn't that where tools go (a shed, garage, closet), not a random spot in the middle of a clubhouse. Then tooldles can pop out and show the tools being used.
(2) The magic of the show is so extreme that it lacks a sense of reality.
My Solution: Bring it down a notch. You can still have that wonderful Disney magic without going so crazy that none of it is believable.
(3) Children are curious about novel situations but they also enjoy watching something they understand and know.
My Solution:Use tools that are logical. In one episode they had the following for their tools: Bouncy Shoes,
Building Blocks, and 2 Hippos. The bouncy shoes were to catch up with a grasshopper, building block were made into stairs to get the grasshopper out of a really tall tree, and the hippos were used to get across a creek (by hopping on their backs). And just to point out, all of these items aren't tools in the sense that we most commonly think of them.
(4) The mystery mouskatool shouldn't be a mystery. It is too abstract to be a multiple choice option for the age group viewing.
My Solution: When all the tools don't match what needs to be done, have something in the environment around the crew that can be used to solve the problem. This way the viewer can search and find (on their own) what can be used. It will provide a deeper more interactive moment. And actually encourages critical thinking.
The writers on the show have such amazing backgrounds, but I find myself extremely surprised by the quality of the structure of the show. But as I stated in my last blog, if children enjoy the music and are dancing does the show need to be more than that? For the sake of money, time, and effort that is put into developing MMCH, I would hope that they were aiming for more than that.
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