We also rotate trivia questions on the screen that run all day long so every student has a chance to see them. The mixer allows us to transition between camera shots and, with the Edit Suite, students can manipulate tapes to make them look more professional, such as adding credits. But what really impressed me the most was that the equipment has been so easy to use that I can teach students the basics in one day. I then physically step into the background and let them experiment on their own. Through that experimentation, students are able to include a lot of embellishments and eye catchers in our broadcasts.
Students really feel like they are putting on a show every day.
And since the technology is a simplified version of the kind used in the broadcast industry, students can easily apply what they've learned here to a broadcast journalism career. Because students know how to manipulate the equipment for a live broadcast, it now gives us the opportunity to do more varied things. We can record our school plays and events and then bring the tapes back to the studio and make them appear like a real television production or even personalize them and give copies to parents. We are now trying to encourage our teachers to feel more comfortable about coming into the studio and producing some of their own shows that would feature special lectures, unique activities or even story-telling. I wish every school had the opportunity to have this equipment.