PBS, Stations To Launch PBS LearningMedia

PBS and WGBH Boston, along with other PBS member stations, announced plans today to launch PBS LearningMedia, a new public media education platform available to every teacher and student across the country in time for the 2011-12 school year. Bringing together media from 1,500 public media producers and more than 350 local PBS stations, PBS LearningMedia is a next-generation digital media platform for PreK-16 classrooms to help re-imagine classroom learning, transform teaching, and more creatively engage students.

PBS said its member stations are the No. 1 source of educational media for students and teachers, at home and in schools, from coast to coast. Distributed by PBS member stations in every school district, the new digital media platform will deliver “classroom-ready, high-quality content tied to curriculum standards, professional development courses, a robust content delivery system and a flexible infrastructure designed for customization and seamless integration into existing services,” according to PBS.

“It takes commitment from the entire nation to help build the classroom of tomorrow, and our member stations stand at the ready to partner in every community,” said Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO. “Digital media content — so pervasive in the lives of children — has the potential to dramatically change the way students learn and participate in a global society.”

More than 60% of K-12 teachers frequently use digital media in the classroom and are increasing their reliance on free resources due to school budget cuts, PBS said. “Public television stations are assisting teachers with free access to carefully produced high-quality content,” added Jon Abbott, president and CEO of WGBH. “We are maximizing the capacity of broadband technology to deliver a cost-effective education service for school districts and states that will increase student achievement.”