Programs produced by CNN, the Weather Channel and Discovery, and others, deliver topical, diverse information about current events, art, math, science, and more. Cable operators also offer training workshops that help teachers integrate these programs into their lesson plans. In 1997, we expanded our High Speed Education Connection to include a teacher training component known as webTeacher. Essentially, this program helps teachers integrate the resources available on the Internet into their daily lesson plans. We offer this program in Spanish as well as English.
Brochures describing the webTeacher program are available in the back of the room.
Another on-going training initiative is Cable in the Classroom's Professional Development Institute. The goal is to make teachers more comfortable with computer technology. The institute operates four computer labs in the Washington D.C. area, and four travelling lap top labs. Our partnerships include one in Sarasota, Florida, where the state Department of Education, Comcast, and the Computer Curriculum Corporation joined together in a pilot program to help improve math problem solving skills. Twenty-nine 4th grade students at Brentwood Elementary School did a minimum of 20 minutes of online math problems three times a week on home computers that were connected to the school's server via cable modems.