With the continued need by schools and parents for At-Home Learning during this time, WNIT Public Television - PBS Michiana is continuing to refine and expand the programming we offer for learning experiences in the home. Focusing on students in grades K-12, the shows align with educational curriculum standards.
The PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel on WNIT offers children ages 2-8 educational programming across a spectrum of learning domains including literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and social emotional learning. PBS KIDS programming can be viewed Monday through Friday during the day and Sunday mornings on channel 34.1, Saturday mornings on channel 34.2 and 24/7 on channel 34.3. A complete listing of cable channels in your area can be found at www.wnit.org/programs/channels.html.
The WORLD At-Home Learning Service, a partnership of PBS and WGBH - Boston being offered locally over-the-air on temporary channel 34.5 and on Comcast channel 1160, is designed to supplement learning for middle and high-school students. The WORLD Channel will continue to be available weekdays from Noon – 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
WNIT has published programming schedules and corresponding curriculum resource materials focusing on these key subject areas. The curriculum resources from PBS LearningMedia are a free online service of thousands of educational tools. Television program schedules have been augmented with information about grade-level appropriateness, subject area focus, and learning objectives. Programming schedules may be found by visiting the Indiana Department of Education website or by going to www.wnit.org/athomelearning. A sample of the schedules for the week of September 6, 2020, is attached and includes hyperlinks to the digital learning materials.
“Our goal was to package easy to use materials that combined the best of PBS educational television programming and learning resources. We focused on making the materials accessible for a broad range of learners across the region, from the youngest child to the incoming senior. We further wanted to provide easy-to-use parental guidance and coaching for teachers,” said Greg Giczi, President and General Manager of WNIT. “Our stations reach virtually every family in Michiana, including those who don’t have internet access or computers at home. The most important service that we provide is curriculum-based, educational programming and tools to enhance the At-Home Learning experience. At this critical time, we are proud to leverage our relationship with PBS to provide these tools to our community.”
The PBS LearningMedia resources were developed with the input of educators. They are contextualized for educational use and align with Indiana curriculum standards. The resources include grab-and-go activities, lesson plans, interactive lessons, and media that illustrate specific topics or themes and support materials across subjects. All are designed to provide students with access to high-quality, evidence-based learning during this critical time outside the traditional classroom.
With offerings such as the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, the WORLD Channel, and programs such as Nature and NOVA, WNIT is committed to ensuring that their educational programming and resources are widely accessible to students throughout the Michiana area.
Additionally, parents may sign up for a weekly WNIT e-newsletter highlighting specific programs of interest for the coming week and a weekly PBS KIDS e-newsletter highlighting content, activities, and tips for parents - aligned to the weekly at-home learning themes.
To view current schedules for grade level and subject programming, as well as correlating materials, please visit: www.wnit.org/athomelearning. For more information and access to PBS LearningMedia, please visit: www.pbslearningmedia.org.