Abby spent four days in a grief stricken New Orleans neighborhood four years after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. Danny followed around a young gymnast with scoliosis who is beating the odds and excelling at her craft. Jake spent a sunny Saturday afternoon in a professional baseball radio booth. These are a few of the many examples that Ladue broadcast technology student’s experience, due to our unique access and methods to learning.

Did these situations occur due to incredible connections? No. Did they occur as favors? No. Did these prospects present themselves out of luck? No. These unique learning opportunities occurred due to the hard work, special ability, and perseverance of some normal, everyday high school students, who have a passion to make a positive impact on the world through unusual and extraordinary ways.

“The personal skills learned in broadcast technology and video production, extend beyond television production, and into my daily life when dealing with people on a professional level. The level of confidence built, and the strong emphasis in taking pride in own my work, is a lesson that transfers to every aspect of my life,” explained Senior Joe Weil.

So, who are we and what do we do? I am going into my fifth year teaching broadcast technology and video production after a nine-year stint in the radio, television and technology industries. I teach two levels of Broadcast Technology at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis, Missouri. Through scaffolding, stepladder techniques, and throwing kids “into the fire,” we develop our students to the point where they can produce multiple television programs, create amazing confidence in their abilities, and ultimately enhance their overall educational experience.

“As a high school broadcast student, one of the things I love most about broadcast journalism is the teamwork that’s required for a production. I was forced to leave my comfort zone and think on the spot,” said Senior Abby Sophir.

Ladue View is our 40-minute, high school produced television news magazine show. Students enrolled in the Broadcast Technology program at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, write, direct, film, edit and produce news features, entertainment stories, sports highlights, promotional advertisements, public service announcements and community projects on a monthly basis. Our target audience is the greater Ladue Community, and increasingly, our online Internet community. Our goal is to inform and entertain our viewers. The production of this show is an excellent opportunity for students to experience a professional format and atmosphere by creating a publicly viewed television program.

“Though I didn’t really have a choice about asking strangers their thoughts and opinions, it became somewhat natural after hours and hours of doing it. Breaking out of my comfort zone was surprisingly fun! I had a great time getting to know my classmates better and developing my skills of being on a production team,” Junior Lexie Tauben acknowledged.

Ladue’s broadcast technology course aims to teach media literacy, overall broadcast writing and production skills, as well as filmmaking techniques. Along the way, students learn lessons much greater than these. Through the creation of a student-produced live morning newscast, students learn about pressure, accuracy, organization, structure, failure and success. By producing a monthly television program, they learn about deadlines, process, teamwork, and conquering tasks. Additionally, students learn how to become leaders, deal with adversity, celebrate success, and tell powerful stories. I always tell my students that the work they do will expand well beyond the walls of our high school. They have the ability to reach the universe with their stories.

“The enthusiasm brought to the class by our teacher Mr. Goble, was indelible. To him, television and film was a way in which we as students could get our messages seen and heard throughout the world. Hard work in this class wasn’t just helpful; it was required,” said New York University Junior and Ladue alum, Jeremy Cropf.

A unique opportunity was presented to my students in the fall of 2007. A locally based foundation, the Save A Life Campaign, was looking for students to produce public service announcements to encourage young adults to have the moral courage to make smart choices. To date, Ladue students, as well as numerous students from across the country, have now produced over 100 public service announcements for the Save A Life Campaign cause.

“What struck me immediately was the honesty in their (the students’) work. They created something in which they have passion for. They honestly believed in what they were creating. And I loved it! Their work was complete with simplicity and intuitiveness. The students conveyed the message of doing something with passion. And when you teach passion, you are rewarded with passion in return.” -- Dave Fahrenkamp, SaveALifeCampaign.com Founder.

In addition to the life skills student’s gain throughout our program, I make sure to stay true to the state standards required of our curriculum. A journalism and technology course by its very nature involves research, synthesis, technology competency, and oral, visual and written communication. Furthermore, many of the activities rely heavily on shared task completion, gaining professional experience, and building a portfolio of completed work. So in the past two years, it was my goal to find and access, a unique media-sharing web partner, in which to internationally showcase my students finished products. We found a life-long partner in SchoolTube.com.

“SchoolTube.com provides real-life applications and real-life opportunities to utilize technology in the classroom,” exclaimed Ladue Principal Dr. Bridgett Hermann.

SchoolTube.com provides students and educators a safe, world class, and free media sharing website that is nationally endorsed by premier education associations. Ladue High School has produced over 450 videos in the past two years. On top of this accomplishment, all of Ladue’s administrators not only approve of our program’s use of SchoolTube.com, but they encourage it.

“I use SchoolTube when new families come into the district and they want to know about activities at our school,” declared Ladue Activities Director Kurt Knoedelseder.

Students are not the only ones creating videos for the web either. All around the country, teachers are now integrating technology into their curriculum and classroom, and they are reaping benefits that would have been unthinkable in years past.

“More core teachers are using SchoolTube.com to record lessons, so if students are absent or need to review a lesson, it is there for them to do. It’s an amazing opportunity for students to share and use technology to its fullest,” confirmed Ladue’s Dean of Students Mike Tarpey.

In fact, through our partnership with SchoolTube.com, nine Ladue students have earned professional broadcast internships with a variety of local production companies. And, colleges and universities from around the country are able to access my student’s videos, easily, and free, through the use of my SchoolTube.com channel: http://www.schooltube.com/user/dgoble

As a part of your school’s administration, how comforting is it to know that there is a unique, safe, technological and educational resource for students and teachers to access. Not only are students allowed the ability to share their videos with the world, so are teachers! To view the video of Ladue’s administrator’s endorsing SchoolTube.com, go to:

http://www.schooltube.com/video/17236/NASSP-and-SchoolTube-Partnership

I model what I want my students to produce, and I explain to them the reasons why, and purposes behind, each of our activities. Reading journalism textbooks are useful, and showing instructional videos can be helpful. However, these methods have not been the best methods for our Ladue program. What has proven to become a best practice has been for me to actually get in the trenches and produce the work with my students, living the experience along side my enthusiastic learners.

As an administrator, what can you do to improve your student’s learning? First, if your school has a broadcast, video or technology program, support it! Financially, personally, through encouragement, resources, whatever it may be. But let your broadcast or technology teacher know the value of the lessons they bring to the classroom, and the overall student educational experience. If your school does not currently have a broadcast, video or technology program, establish one! As with any of the fine arts, kids are constantly looking for ways to creatively express themselves. This is the YouTube/Facebook generation, so as educators and administrators, we shouldn't fight this revolution, but embrace it. I believe that we should teach our kids safe ways to use social networking and technology to their advantage.

To me, gaining unique access to heroic people, special events and high profile productions is extremely fun and rewarding. But even more than that, I take pride in helping students achieve unusual and extraordinary habits to learning. By providing an opportunity for students to creatively excel through broadcasting and technology, I feel empowered to support their learning styles and help them reach for success well beyond what they thought possible.

You can reach Don Goble and see morework done by students at Ladue Horton Watkins High School by visiting http://www.schooltube.com/user/dgoble

Sidebar

The personal skills students learn through mass media communications lessons are immeasurable. Encourage and support the study of the mass media and offer students a unique access to learning.

Create a broadcast, video, film or technology course. However, if your school already has one, find out how it is being used in the community and how student videos are being showcased.

Introduce your teachers to http://www.SchoolTube.com. This website is endorsed by the NAESP and NASSP. At SchoolTube.com, teachers, students, and administrators create your own personal Channel, upload student and teacher videos, access customizable lesson plans, and build partnerships with other professionals around the country.

Technology integration in the classroom is more than the use of a computer or PowerPoint presentation. Encourage your staff to incorporate the use of video and the use of the Internet in their lesson planning.