Digital Resources for the Classroom

[Nikki]

Hello! My name is Nikki and I am part of a new team from NBC News that is creating a unique digital offering for education. Below is a description of what we are doing and I would love to get your feedback!

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Today’s generation of students lives in a media-rich world, demanding content that is engaging, up-to-date, and relevant to the real world. To help teachers bring classroom instruction to life, NBC News has created a special collection of archival video content called the NBC News Archives on Demand. In addition to archival content and current events, NBC News has produced original mini-documentaries exclusively for the platform. Whether it’s a historian explaining the events leading to the Civil War, Tom Brokaw showing the breakdown of communism on a historic night at the Berlin Wall, or Tim Russert answering students’ questions about the 2008 election, NBC News brings the real world into education.

Distributed through a partnership with the HotChalk Learning Environment, the NBC News Archives on Demand gives teachers access to thousands of video resources, along with primary sources, text resources, charts and graphs, and images aligned to classroom instruction. NBC launched in August of 2007 with collections geared to courses in U.S. History, U.S. Government and Politics, and English Language and Composition. In 2008, NBC News collections will include African American Studies, Women’s Studies, Global Studies, Sciences, Heath and Medicine, and Economics and Business.

Each collection with the NBC News Archives on Demand has been aligned to educational standards and organized to make it easy for teachers to incorporate video and news resources. Teachers are using the resources in a variety of ways to improve classroom instruction:
· Students now have access to historical broadcast material, providing a window on how events were perceived at the time they happened, whether it is Robert Kennedy’s announcement of the assassination of Martin Luther King or Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.
· The archives provide a complete “story arc” on historic events that students can use to see how history has unfolded and perception has changed over time. For example, students can watch the original news coverage of the integration of Little Rock’s Central High School, watch coverage of the anniversary dates over the last 50 years, and research additional video and print resources on school segregation issues over the years.
· For events taking place before the days of broadcast news, more than 300 original mini-documentaries have been created on subjects ranging from Mercantilism to the Civil War Draft. They were produced by NBC specifically with the Archives on Demand audience in mind, in collaboration with renowned historians and textbook authors like Allan Brinkley and Eric Foner.
· Teachers in all content areas will be able to find current events that support instruction, whether it is news about the 2008 election, new discoveries in science, or updates on economic issues or court cases. By bringing current events linked to curriculum standards into the classroom, teachers can demonstrate to students how the things they are learning in class are relevant to their lives today.

The NBC News Archives on Demand harnesses the power of video and authentic news resources to make content engaging, accessible, and relevant for today’s generation of learners.

To access this free offering, register at www.hotchalk.com/nbc.html

[Gordon Dahlby]

Nikki,
Is it necessary to put the NBC resources behind a HotChalk account, or could you move it to an area not requiring an account, which is easier for students and parents?

[Nikki]

Gordon,
We chose HotChalk as a distribution partner for several reasons:
HotChalk provides thousands of free lesson plans, teacher forums, calendar functions, assignment builder functions and so much more. In addition, we want students to experience our video in a safe and secure environment where their teachers are very much a part of the learning experience.

[Gordon Dahlby]

Two questions, Nikki. 1. Are written transcripts accessible, especially from Meet the Press? 2. Can the videos be downloaded for inclusion by students in multi-media presentations?

[Nikki]

Hi Gordon,
Yes, we will provide transcripts for all video clips including Meet the Press. We should have this new feature completed by mid-spring. Currently, we are just streaming video; however, we will be providing the functionality for download this spring as well.

I appreciate your questions.
Nikki

[Nancy Bosch]

I have two questions also. How long is the News Archives going to be free? Also I see 70 kids a week, am I going to have to get accounts for all of them? Many districts don't let their younger students have email accounts--so that may be a deterrent.

[Nikki]

Hi Nancy,
The free trial period will end on May 31, 2008. Teachers can sign up and register their students. Our archives are an amazing resource. I look forward to your feedback!

[Nancy Bosch]

How much will the classroom subsciption cost?

[Jady]

This sounds like a very insight resource for teachers to use to show change over time. I plan on checking this out and telling my fellow teachers about it. Can it be accessed on the education.ning.com, so we don't have to buy subscription.

[Gordon Dahlby]

Ditto.
I did not notice "trial" period on the NBC press release. Perhaps a different provider is needed to leave these resources in the public arena.

[Mark Cruthers]

Hi Nikki,

Wiziq would like to help with its virtual classroom technology.

please let me know if you're interested.

Mark Cruthers

[SandraL]

This sounded incredible until I read that there will be a subscription cost. I am wondering if there is any updated information that could be shared at this time. Has anyone tried out the services? How much does it cost?

As someone already said, budgets are stretched so thin, they almost don't exist this year. Too bad...

[Dr.A.Khan]

Dear Ms. Nikki: I am in the process of opening school's for thrid world countries.I would like to request for help and support for the members.Please let know about it?
Thanks
Sincerely
Dr.A.Khan
Locksmith's