Serendipity35

I might have titled this post simply "Annenberg Media" which is something that I'm recommending here to you, but if you read through this post, you'll see what I'm really interested in about this resource.

I had never checked out the Annenberg Media offerings online. It is a unit of The Annenberg Foundation which works to advance teaching in all disciplines in K-12 schools. They seem to have gone through a number of name changes - Annenberg/CPB, The Annenberg/CPB Project, and The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project are all mentioned on their site.

Their primary methodology is in producing educational video programs that have accompanying Web and print materials. to improve their teaching methods. The programs are intended for teachers (as professional development) and also viewers at home and students in the classroom.

You may have seen some of them on public broadcasting stations. They are also made available on tapes DVD, and air on their own digital satellite channel, called the "Annenberg Channel." The Annenberg Channel is a satellite channel for schools, colleges, and other community organizations. It runs 24/7 and is available free to any agency with a Ku-band satellite dish and a DigiCipher II satellite receiver.

Annenberg Media's multimedia resources can help teachers increase their subject matter expertise and help in improving their teaching methods. A good number of the programs in their catalog can be used with students in the classroom, so it's a great video resource.

Since getting access through their satellite channel is beyond many schools, what I want to call your attention to is the streaming video on demand from the Learner.org Web site. Again, this is a free resource. If the streaming isn't practical for your environment (slow connection, video size etc.), you can purchase them on VHS or DVD through at Learner.org.

I just browsed through some of the titles available and picked a few off the top of the list. You'll see there is a wide variety of subjects and that some video is suitable for classroom use and others are appropriate to professional development. Free sign up is required for first-time users. Here are a few samples:

• The Africans - Beautifully filmed in 16 African countries, this video instructional series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners looks at the many influences that have shaped this complex continent and its people.
• Against All Odds: Inside Statistics - This video instructional series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners leads to a greater understanding of statistics by exploring authentic examples — from environmental studies to weight-loss programs.
• Algebra: In Simplest Terms - This video instructional series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners guides students step-by-step through algebra concepts, while highlighting common trouble spots.
• American Cinema - This video instructional series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners explores film history and American culture through the eyes of over 150 Hollywood insiders.
• Assessment in Math and Science: What’s the Point? - This video workshop for K-12 teachers examines current assessment issues and explores strategies for making classroom assessment practices more effective.

They have a good search feature, so I selected "science" for "9-12" and found Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology - about the diverse roles of microbes in the world - a video suitable for the college and high school classroom and adult learners. You'll see that most of the programs are chunked nicely into small segments. This is not turn off the lights and grade papers while the kids watch a movie material.

I'm personally most interested in looking at the teacher workshops that are available. One series I'm viewing currently is "Learning Science Through Inquiry" which was produced by by Thirteen/WNET New York in collaboration with the Education Development Center (EDC) in 2000.

Inquiry-based teaching, (a key component for the National Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy) is a comprehensive and ongoing approach to teaching, rather than something you inject in a lesson. Most of us never experienced this type of learning when we were students, so we aren't naturally comfortable teaching in this way. The videos show inquiry teaching and learning in action, with real teachers and students in real classrooms.

This approach is Learning 2.0 in that it focuses on students producing knowledge rather than reproducing knowledge that is handed to them.

For some of you, it may be important that Colorado State University offers graduate-level semester credits to those who participate in the complete sequence of sessions and complete the required assignments for any of the workshops/courses.