GPB’s Video Streaming – An Innovative Teaching Tool for Georgians!

Tess Keller, East Fayette Elementary School, Fayetteville, Ga.

Georgia Public Broadcasting proves its worthwhile educational value once again. I was fortunate enough to attend the Georgia Educational Technology Conference from Nov. 9 – 11, 2005. After attending 14 sessions, I was sent away with a multitude of fabulous new ideas! When a teacher leaves excited about teaching innovative ideas, then the children are inevitably going to profit educationally! My kindergarten class is going to be reaping the benefits of my attendance for the rest of this year, and for many years to come. By the end of the year, I will be able to write at least six articles about the use of technology in my classroom enhanced by this conference. However, I will begin with a wonderful new resource from Georgia Public Broadcasting. I was introduced to and impressed with the United Streaming feature for school teachers.

The instructors were knowledgeable and pleasurable. The session was taught by Patrice Weaver from Georgia Public Broadcasting and representatives from Discovery Education. During the first break, I obtained the pass code for my school and thought about the many possibilities available to my students. The directions given were clear and concise, and it truly was simple to utilize once I was back in my own classroom.

This video streaming is free and convenient to all schools and home school students in Georgia, thanks to our legislature. Videos may be downloaded, burned to a CD, or stored on a flash drive. You can even cue your computer to download the videos overnight. Their website gpb.unitedstreaming.com also offers “Webinars” for teachers along with other resources such as clip art, lesson plans and writing prompts.

The following two videos are only a small sample of the immersed availability for Georgia’s students. Selections can be made according to grade level and subject area. For our upcoming Snow Day in kindergarten when we discuss weather and seasons, I found two perfect resources for the event. We used Weather Changes and Measurement and The Four Seasons videos. You have the option of selecting a small portion of the video or you can view it in its entirety. The children enjoyed the educational videos and they were quite impressed by the computer screen being displayed on the television.

Great ideas are shared by great teachers. Just as GPBS shared with me, I was able to share this information with my colleagues. They are quite excited about the valuable resource. Once a video is downloaded, all the teachers in my school and system have instant access. It really is that simple and wonderful. I appreciate the opportunity to attend such a wonderful conference, and am looking forward to continuing my journey as a student!

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