Instructional Television

Instructional Television has been an interest of mine throughout my career. I have worked both inside and outside the classroom in this field and find it to be a neglected topic today. This blog presents some information and ideas about this topic for your consideration.

Recommended Video Program
I have often been dismayed by students in the U.S. who do not understand the potential of an education while students in other parts of the world will overcome overwhelming odds to obtain an education. I have tried to explain this in schools where I have taught without much success. WIDE ANGLE on PBS has created an award-winning 12-year documentary project, Time for School, which follows seven children - from Afghanistan, Benin, Brazil, India, Japan, Kenya and Romania - who are struggling to achieve what is not yet a global birthright - a basic education. This series of videos will open eyes about going to school. The video made me think about who the next world leaders will be.

To get more information or watch the series go to PBS WIDE ANGLE

Alternative to Channel One
I believe that video and television are important tools in the classroom. One of the companies deeply involved with video in the schools is Whittle Communications who sponsor Channel One News and other commercial promotions in schools ( click here to read an article about Whittle ) As a media specialist I tried to provide alternatives to Whittle’s commercial new programs for teachers. However, Whittle offered free televisions and other hardware that school leaders wanted to acquire. Now, with the advent of high speed internet it is easy for a teacher to develop a program for using the news in their classroom without intervening commercialization. One way to do this is by using CNN Student News. This is a daily news broadcast for students that provides questions and other media literacy information with the daily broadcast. I thin that a teacher who wants to incorporate the news into their curriculum and has access to a couple of computers in their classroom can use CNN Student News.

To get more information go to: CNN Student News

TV Production Skills
In my experience that the most productive use of TV in the classroom is video production. This job is frequently given to the technology teacher (it may be better placed in the drama department but that is another story). Usually students are sent out in teams or as individuals to make a video program about something they think is interesting. This is a good project but it does not really provide an understanding of how TV works.

When I began teaching schools were creating video studios based on the idea that learning to create a studio program might be a lot like work students might be able to find after graduation. It was the beginning of authentic curriculum. In the district where I began working, all the studios were dismantled in the 1990s and computers replaced television as the preferred technology. The computer provides opportunities for different kinds of video instruction and can be a central part of a studio. But, students seldom get an opportunity to expericence video production from the perspective of a team in a studio. Students I worked with who did studio work learned a whole new way of watching television, a spirit of team work and tons new information.

If you are interested in this idea, E school News has a great video about the benefits of students using a studio. In this video students at Minnesota's Eagan High School talk about their experience working with the Student Video Network (SVN) . SVN is a project-based educational program provided to selected schools free of charge by the national news organization eSchool Media. Learn about the opportunity for students to earn valuable video-production experience--and a shot at national recognition for their efforts.

Educators may obtain more information about SVN from Associate Editor Meris Stansbury at mstansbury@eschoolnews.com.

You can read more at eSchool News