For the past two months, KET Early Childhood has reserved Thursday afternoons for the Virtual Learning Series. The series is a response to the need of high- quality professional development on proper utilization of technology and media in the early childhood classroom. During the series educators were equipped with resources from PBS KIDS, KET, and Sesame Street. Each two-hour training explored media and ways it can be utilized in the early childhood classroom to address various needs.
The trainings kicked off with an introduction to PBS Learning Media, a hub with thousands of educational resources designed to be implemented into classrooms. Educators were walked through collections like Everyday Learning, Ready to Learn (2015-20), and Daniel Tiger.
Trainings from the Education and Community Learning (ECL) were offered during the virtual learning series. Introduction to Playful Learning with Media and Integrating Media into Your Practice gave educators tips and ideas for implementing resources. Informational Text with Molly of Denali, the fifth ECL workshop, was released and presented by KET for the first time during the Virtual Learning Series.
Other sessions included Out of School, After-school, Family and Community Engagement Resources, Let’s Talk Feelings: Social Emotional Development with Daniel Tiger, and Sesame Street in Communities. While speaking about the Sesame Street in Communities, the last of the Virtual Learning Series, one participant said, “I honestly thought the whole training was valuable as an educator I think there is a little something for everybody who works in the education field.”
KET will host a second Virtual Learning Series again in 2021. To be notified when registration is available, please sign-up for the Early Childhood newsletter.