Television Stations in Education

Over the weekend, I read an article about how some school districts are providing education to their students during this time of uncertainty.  There are areas in America where students do not have digital devices or access to internet so some districts are getting together with television stations to provide education.

In the past, online education for certain college classes meant you were up at 1:00 AM watching a prerecorded show on the local public broadcasting station.  When it was time to take a test, you might head into campus to actually take the test but all the learning was done by watching those shows.

That idea is being brought back by districts who want to make sure all their students receive an education.  It is felt that almost everyone has a television in their houses while not every house has internet, a computer, or digital device.

For some programs, teachers are creating actual videos at home to be broadcast later by the stations.  One example of this involves a preschool teacher who creates a 30 minute program at her house in Virginia but it will be broadcast to students in the DC area.

In Los Angeles, the local school district with its own television station has partnered with two more public broadcasting stations to provide educational programming to its students.  In addition to showing the programs, these stations will show how the material relates to standards and gives ideas to students on ways to look at the new material. It is called "At Home Learning" and 71 PBS stations have decided to run this enhanced material on their stations.

Since about 80 percent of its students live at or below the poverty level, this is a way to reach its students so they still get an education.  It is beleived that in the second week Los Angeles did this, they had at least 140,000 watching with an estimated 200,000 viewers.

Furthermore, not ever city using television to provide education is doing it equally.  In Boston, MA, the local PBS station and WGBH is providing programming for middle school and high school while the programming on the local PBS station in Bethlehem PA, provides mostly elementary grade material.

It is acknowledged that television does not allow the same interaction as zoom or google hangouts but for school districts with students who don't have the technology to connect,  this is what works.  It means students might not be able to ask questions at the same time but most districts have teachers talk to parents on a regular basis.

Special education people have expressed concern that many of their students will not be adequately serviced by the use of television, especially the blind and deaf. As we all know, this is something school districts have never had to face before and everyone is doing the best they can to meet the needs of students.

Personally, I think using the television is a good alternative in places that have television available.  It means that districts do not have to pass out devices and arrange for homes to get some sort of internet  in order to attend online classes.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.