Like most educators, Wendy Shue had heard of PBS Learning Media but wasn’t familiar with all it offers. But then she attended a joint presentation given by Kentucky Educational Television and Alabama Public Television at the 2022 Alabama Association for Public Continuing and Adult Education conference.
Education staff members from both stations shared information about how resources are developed and uploaded to LearningMedia, a massive free repository of learning resources. In addition, the session explained how KET and APT partnered together to bring FastForward, an online course to prepare learners for the GED® exam, to Alabama adult education programs at a significant cost reduction.
“It was like a light bulb went off when I learned about all the resources available, especially math at all levels,” Wendy said. She explained that sometimes she just can’t reach some of the learners she works with, especially in math. “When I saw all the ways there are to teach content through PBS LearningMedia, I was so excited. I immediately started showing my students the website. For instance, calculating area applied to construction makes so much sense.”
Wendy was so excited about what she learned and how she saw it helping learners in her program at Coastal Alabama Community College, she created a PowerPoint to present to her colleagues. “When we were preparing for the meeting and they said I could present, I was as nervous as a wet-setting hen,” exclaimed Wendy. Even though public speaking isn’t her favorite thing to do, she knew it was important to share what she had learned. “It’s just a great tool. When I can’t help them immediately on my own, I know with so many resources available in PBS LearningMedia I can find something that helps them make perfect sense of what they are learning. This kind of access to so much and it being free is too good not to share,” Wendy says. Beyond her colleagues and learners, Wendy encourages adults in her program who have children at home to utilize PBS LearningMedia with them. “I show them how to find all sorts of subjects and levels so they can help their kids with homework.”
PBS LearningMedia includes videos, lesson plans, games and more available for all reading levels. Content is created and published by public television stations and is free to use once an account is established. KET is a contributing partner to PBS LearningMedia, as well as the producer of FastForward, a comprehensive, proven online course to help learners prepare for GED® or HiSET® tests. FastForward is available in numerous programs across Alabama through a partnership between Alabama Public Television and KET that allows adult education programs to invest in digital licenses for learners at a reduced cost. With FastForward, adult learners can study inside adult education classrooms or through individual distance learning anywhere, anytime on any digital device.
Visit KET or APT to find out more about available resources.