Touch That Dial
Using Video in the Classroom

Produced by the Educational Programming Department

Part of the WGBH Collection - closed-captioned for the hearing impaired Funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education through the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications and "Reach for the Stars."

Every year teachers are bombarded with new catalogs of educational materials and articles about trends in curriculum products. More and more of these feature some form of video or "instructional technology." Many teachers are unfamiliar with these technologies. They aren't given time to explore what is available to them. They often don't know how to use the technology as a component of a larger lesson. Our research shows that Touch That Dial is the first series of its kind to address these issues.

The series consists of four 10 to 11-minute programs which demonstrate how to effectively incorporate different video technologies into the classroom. The host of the series is stand-up comedian and talk show host, Bertice Berry. A former teacher with a Ph.D, she was one of the most popular and humorous instructors at Kent State University before she began working full time in comedy. She is able to make the series both entertaining and instructional.

Each of the four programs showcase a different technology. Bertice describes the basics of using the technology, and shows how to use it to actively engage students, using many diverse clips from educational programs as examples. At the end of each program she gives tips on how to design successful, comprehensive lessons which include using the technology.

Educators may purchase Touch That Dial for classroom use (Note: Each order comes with a Teacher's Guide) from:
Films for the Humanities and Sciences
(800) 257-5126

The programs explore broadcast television, videocassettes, satellite transmissions, and videodisc and CD ROMs.

broadcast:
A lively 10-minute overview of how to use broadcast television as a tool for teaching in the classroom. Humorous anecdotes, a rich array of examples from real programs, and a detailed checklist of advice about the "nuts and bolts" of using broadcast television in your curriculum.

disc:
This 11-minute video looks at the many forms of videodisc material now available for use in schools, from CD-ROM, to laser-disc players, to computer-driven interactive video discs.

satellite:
Filled with exciting examples from actual satelllite programs, this videotape for teachers provides clear, useful information about how satellite programming reaches your classroom, and about how to use it.

videocassette:
A 11-minute overview of how to use the vast resources now available on videocassette to enrich and broaden classroom teaching. This tape also gives clear, simple instruction for effectively using the controls on the VCR.