So, here is what I learned about video distribution:
- The most common use of this is the school news, which is a live program that is completed daily.
- The cost has increase dramatically with digital verses analog.
- Due to the cost increase most schools in my county are paying to have cable run into one television (in our school that would be the MC television) and no other classrooms
- Our VCRs act as a remote control and allow each classroom to access three school channels and 3 cable channels.
- With the increased use of Discovery Education and the autonomy this has afforded our teachers, it is very rare that anyone requests that a program is recorded and then played back over the closed cable system
- We have used this system to play programs (vocal programs, target competitions) and the Presidential inauguration.
Overall it seems that in my county this is relatively dated concept, replaced by Discovery Education and online streaming. Having said that we have used it for other issues than the school news broadcast. We streamed the Polar Express or the lower grades during the holiday season. We recorded the school vocal concert and played it the following day, in addition to playing competitions that target participated in.
There seems to be a definite place for this system, but I think as technology continues to grow and increase, we will find that streaming online videos is more cost effective and easier to access.
Our District has replaced all televisions with Smart Boards. The only video streaming is the morning news; but the tuners in half of our Smart Boards in our schools are not working. That means that half of our classes are not watching the morning news and announcements.
ReplyDeleteThe District switched cable companies and they are having problems with reception on the Smart Boards that are working. Teachers do use the GPS video streaming. Watching it on the Smart Board with surround sound is as good as sitting in a movie theater.
Our school also streamed the Polar Express around Christmas. But the majority of classes just brought their own DVD's to play. Now, that brings in the topic of Copy-righting! I'll save that for my post! Vickie Holmes
Unfortunately, I am in a district where each school is different. I work in DeKalb County and I used to work at a school that had the closed circuit units in each classroom. We would use it for morning announcements and that was all. At my current school, there is not a closed circuit system available, if anything, they don't have it implemented. I can't say that we are very advanced in the streaming video department, especially compared to other school districts. We do have a subscription to the Discovery Education website to view videos, lesson plans, etc. I can say that all of our classrooms have the Promethean Boards with the exception of two classes. I don't see a lot of teachers using the video streaming technology to their advantage. Most educators at my school seem to use the boards as a general instructional tool rather than for streaming videos. It is interesting to see and hear how other schools and districts perceive the use of videos during instruction. I think it would be great for all classes to be able to view something like the Inauguration or other special events. I remember being a student in middle school and it was a huge event for us to watch the Space Shuttle going into space. It would be nice for all students to be able to view significant social events like that during the course of their instructional day.
DeleteYou gave a good description of video distribution and GPB. I think you are right that as time goes on as technology advances, online video streaming will prove to be more cost effective and easier to access. Here is a little information about video distribution and GPB at my school. Moses MS uses a closed circuit cable system. It is used daily for morning announcements and school news. Channel One plays throughout the school starting around 8:25 and plays until 8:40 at which time the morning news show is played using Safari Montage on the closed circuit system. Originally, Safari Montage was supposed to be played over teacher computers (many via SmartBoards) but there were too many technical difficulties so they decided to play it closed circuit. The closed circuit system is also used to show movie clips for books that students are reading in their LA classes. A media center powerpoint of book reviews and other media center “happenings” shows throughout the day in the lunchroom and any other TV that is left on. Teachers do not have input over the distribution system but if they would like to add an announcement they let the media specialist know a day in advance. Teachers at my school use United Streaming but I don’t think that they realize the multitude of resources that GPB has. I plan to speak with the media specialist to let her know that she might want to check out www.gpb.org so that she can use it as a resource in collaborative meetings with teachers.
ReplyDelete