MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY PRIZE
Thirteen/WNET, New York, NY
Thirteen/WNET New York’s WIDE ANGLE: Window into Global History project aims to engage high school teachers and students in issues of global significance by providing provocative multimedia teaching and learning tools via the web. Window into Global History draws its content from the critically acclaimed primetime documentary series WIDE ANGLE, which is the only program on American television exclusively dedicated to covering current international affairs. The Window into Global History website provides educators with brief downloadable video clips that are easy to integrate within existing curriculum, related lesson plans that are aligned with New York State Global History and Geography Regents as well as Advanced Placement World History, and tips for classroom use all free of charge.
The thematically arranged video segments are each accompanied by a set of guiding questions and cover topics from conflict to economic systems to power to the movement of people and goods to human rights through gripping moving images and compelling interviews. These same segments can also be accessed by geographic region or specific country. Lesson plans enable educators to draw parallels between historical and contemporary situations as well as across geographic lines by grouping specific videos. These interconnected clips explore subjects ranging from migration to girls education to globalization and are accompanied by clearly identified learning objectives, links to standards, required materials, teacher preparation, and other relevant websites.
The program incorporates current research on the use of video as an educational tool and builds upon Thirteen’s longstanding experience in training teachers in the use of technology in the classroom and substantial expertise in education, research, and assessment. Since its launch in May 2006, the website has received over 100,000 page views, been featured by the National Education Association in its member magazine, been showcased by the National Council for Social Studies at its Annual Conference, and will be presented at this summer’s College Board’s Advanced Placement Annual Conference. Plans are underway to double the number of video clips thereby extending the breadth and depth of the international content currently offered. Moreover, the success of the Window into Global History’s cohesive structure, which integrates a website, video clips, lesson plans, and outreach, has led to the adoption of the model for two other projects currently under development by Thirteen and has become Thirteen’s standard for incorporating technology into educational outreach in new and innovative ways. The program is also representative of Thirteen/WNET’s broader commitment to promoting international education as an important theme of its work with teachers, as is evidenced by the focus on global awareness at Thirteen’s recent Celebration of Teaching and Learning, a conference which draws thousands of educators and administrators from across the country.
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