Warning: This post is an archive & tribute post + a look at how we started our #MHTVNews program. If you’re interested in starting a TV Studio in your school check out our MHTV Wikispaces page with 11 years worth of information there. Feel free to download, copy, take, use, and share! BUT….the Wikispaces site is going away in July so hurry. After July, I will be posting most stuff here on an MHTV Edublog Page! — Now, Back to the post!

We started our TV Studio the first year we opened our school. In fact, we worked with the architects of our new school to include a TV studio connected to the Library Media Center, fully furnished with a 15K studio curtain (which later got stained with a whip cream pie – not that I hold grudges) and cutting edge technology. It  also featured a kitchen area for cooking shows and connected to the Gifted and Talented Resource Room. (sadly, repurposed due to overcrowding) But, still — it’s a pretty awesome studio & WE LOVE IT!

In our 20th anniversary year, I thought I would share with you a historical online archive of a presentation that Ms. Dianne Wells (our first GT teacher) and I first gave in March of 2000 at MICCA now called MSET called: Lights, Cameras, Action: Technology Integration Through Television Production. Pretty forward thinking for 20 years ago! We’ve been doing MAKERSPACE since 1997. Some stuff will be a bit out of date, but see if you can spot the technology, links, or resources that are now obsolete!

Introduction

• Students integrate available technology to produce a professional, research based, live daily television broadcast in addition to producing pre-recorded research based news magazine segments and public service announcements.

Television Production a Best Practice

1. What are the benefits and/or outcomes of this best practice? Research based television production encourages appropriate integration of technology including use of the Internet, software applications and use of technical equipment. It provides an audience for creative production in the school community and supports and encourages career connections in a variety of fields including journalism, multimedia, photography, technology, public service, and more. Learning outcomes for reading and writing are easily integrated into the processes of television production which emphasize understanding by engaging students in thoughtful application of knowledge, processes and skills, and result in student products and performances. Students are continually required to work collaboratively, to read and write to perform tasks, to inform, to persuade, and to interpret, analyze, and evaluate data.

1. How is this best practice related to the school improvement plan?  This best practice supports the county and state reading and writing initiatives to support student technology learning outcomes, is used as a medium for supporting human relations and diversity within our community. It also is a working model of best practices for appropriate and effective technology integration in accordance with ISTE & MSDE technology standards.

Technology Integration in Action

• • How is technology used? Students access current news from online sources, weather data online, graphics from online sources, digital images of local weather conditions, community members, and other images to support a daily news program.
  • Scripts are written and edited daily using Microsoft Word. Using multimedia software, students design introductions and animation’s to be used in Power Point graphic templates. Students use digital editing software such as iMovie to prepare specials to be used on the show. During daily production, teams operate the studio equipment including a teleprompter, computer graphics, mixing board, and audio.

An Overview of Daily Live Television Broadcast at Murray Hill Middle School

Pre Production:

• • Conduct an application process to select a crew for your studio.
  • Complete application using Microsoft Word
  • Conduct interviews/auditions – Tape the aspiring on-air talent
  • Hire students that show the diversity of your population. Each kid should “see themselves” on the Television show. Keep a good balance of boys & girls. Talent spot and encourage girls to learn the tech jobs- this can sometimes become a bastion of tech guys…try to be balanced in all areas of the show. (WOW, this has really changed over the years, now it’s the girls who run the tech and we only have a handful of guys apply and they usually opt for the on camera jobs)
  • Train as appropriate to operate equipment/perform jobs.
  • Software application: Microsoft Word, Opifex teleprompting software, AWS weather software, Web Browser, Microsoft Power Point, iTunes, and iMovie.
  • Hardware: Video cameras, mixing board, teleprompter, Computer generator, VCRs, CD player, microphones, analog & digital editing equipment.
  • On-air talent
  • Design a basic format to follow for your show. (story board, Power Point template for each day, Internet bookmark list- Backflip Folder or iKeepbookmarks.com)
  • Create a basic presentation software template for the graphic format of your show Power Point
  • Create an opening logo or movie using a graphics or video program (SpecularLogomotion, iMovie, etc.).
  • Assign students a time schedule to arrive (10-45 minutes pre-school, depending on assignment)

Production

• • Using a preset bookmark list of news and weather sources on the Internet, select the news topics for the day or use print copy of newspaper.
  • Download appropriate images or weather graphics.
  • Script writers will summarize and print news stories using word processing software (if using a teleprompter, save as text file to import)
  • Technician will update presentation template with current images to be used with news stories and weather graphics if appropriate; update credits if necessary.
  • On-camera talent will rehearse scripts.
  • All crew members will check to make sure equipment is on and ready.
  • Producer/Director will review production/format changes prior to on-air broadcast.
  • Access closed circuit system in your school.
  • Air broadcast.
  • Videotape productions for review/archive.

Post Production

• • Provide immediate feedback on quality of show.
  • Occasionally have crew members view and analyze previous shows to make improvements (using rubric).
  • Edit show tapes to create an archive of best, special, or bloopers (analog editing equipment and/or digital with AVID Cinema).
  • Conduct a focus group to assess audience impact.
  • Create a organization/labeling system (media archive) to avoid recording over important footage
  • Plan for making duplicate copies for distribution

Internet Resources for Television Production at Murray Hill Middle School

Daily Production

Ikeep bookmarks.com: As students share and add to our list of MHTV bookmarks, we have begun maintaining a universal set of appropriate bookmarks for daily studio use. It is possible to monitor, edit, and password protect the pre-set lists.

Murray Hill’s Current Weather Conditions: In addition to the AWS software in our studio, which allows us to access our current weather data, our current weather data is available on our homepage.  (2018 Update – no longer. We had the AWS on the roof of our building but after 15 years it was oudated and they wanted about $750 to replace it – we didn’t have the money so it sits now gathering dust. Le sigh)

Yahoo News Summary: An easy to use overview of the major news stories of the day for a variety of national, sports, entertainment, technology, and science news.

The New York Times Learning Network: an excellent source for in-depth coverage of long term news issues such as School Violence, Election Campaigns, Crisis in Kosovo, and theWorld Trade Organization. This site includes current events articles related to the topic, background primary source information, research sites and topics, related issues, and points of view related to the issue. Good resource for special features and in-depth coverage of issues.

Cybercollege: Television Production. On online television production curriculum for instruction of students or reference for professionals.