Topic: TV/Radio

Saul Rockman and several of the research staff have backgrounds in media and a history of working on radio and television projects. Our work over the years has included evaluations of public television and radio series for children and adults, educational programs for use in schools, video resources for teacher professional development, and Web site materials related to television programs. In more recent years, we have done work for public television stations that are integrating radio/tv and Web platforms for a comprehensive approach to topics. 

Bill Nye the Science Guy Bill Nye the Science Guy is a high energy, inquiry-based educational television program presenting science content directed at fourth grade students. This nationally syndicated series is funded by NSF and Disney. more» Client: KCTS, Seattle Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio

DNA Files SoundVision Productions is developing a sequel to the award-winning DNA Files radio program. It is designed to educate the general public on topics related to genetic science. The accompanying Web site is designed to provide additional educational resources even after the program is off-air. more» Client: SoundVision Productions Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Web Sites

DragonflyTV Rockman et al developed an impact study for the educational television program: DragonflyTV, a science program for and about 9-12 year old children, during its second season. A controlled classroom viewing protocol was established for schools in Chicago and San Francisco. more» Client: Twin Cities Public Television Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio

EARTH-The Operator's Manual (E-TOM) Evaluation Funded by NSF, Earth – The Operators’ Manual (ETOM) is a users’ guide to the present and future energy resources of our planet, providing “users” with the information, attitudes and tools to make wiser choices about powering homes, schools, businesses and communities. ETOM uses a hybrid model of science communication including video + in-person presentations + Web 2.0 social networking. more» Client: Passport to Knowledge Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education Program (ISE) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Technology and Education

Evaluation of the Youth Radio Science and Technology Program Youth Radio's (YR) mission is "to promote young people's intellectual, creative and professional growth through training and access to media and to produce the highest quality original media for local and national outlets." Their NSF-funded Science and Technology Program (STP) consists of developing a Digital Technology Institute and YR Science Desk as new components of the existing YR organization. more» Client: Youth Radio Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Technology and Education

Exploring Time Twin Cities Public Television, in association with Red Hill Studios, produced the Exploring Time television special and associated outreach material. Exploring Time consists of two, one-hour programs to be distributed on Discovery Channel’s Science Channel, promotion, outreach, and dissemination activities, and a Web site that provides access to the video materials via streaming video and a rich complex of resources to extend the programs’ contents. more» Client: Twin Cities Public Television (TCPT) Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education Program (ISE) Topic: TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media

Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Adventures REA served as the evaluator of educational outreach activities for a new six-part KQED series called Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Adventure. In the program, Jean-Michel Cousteau and his diving teams explore an array of natural phenomena, investigate little known territories and ecosystems hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, and come face to face with the friendly and ferocious inhabitants of the deep. more» Client: KQED Public Television Funding Agency: The Dow Chemical Company. Additional Major Support from: the William K. Bowes Jr. Foundation, Ann Bowers and The Robert Noyce Trust, the William and Gretchen Kimball Fund, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Professional Development, Community Outreach, Technology and Education, Informational Media

Media in Informal Science Rockman et al was asked by the National Research Council to write a paper on adult's media-based learning in informal science. The paper includes a comprehensive review of evaluation reports and articles on informal science education media and applicable learning theories. more» Client: National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/ National Research Council (NRC) Funding Agency: National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/ National Research Council (NRC) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Informational Media

NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Science Reports Rockman et al developed an impact study for the television program: NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. NewsHour received a grant from the National Science Foundation to create a special science unit. The mission of the unit was to document significant science research projects in progress and to report on major scientific achievements and discoveries. more» Client: MacNeil/Lehrer Productions Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio

Pathways to Technology The Pathways to Technology project is a multimedia outreach effort created to raise awareness of the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technology Education (ATE) programs, currently operating at community colleges around the country. Developed by the WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston, the Pathways to Technology project showcases ATE programs to prospective students and the people who influence them via engaging multimedia resources. more» Client: WGBH Educational Foundation Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Community Outreach, Informational Media

Preschool Media Pilot (Ready to Learn) KQED, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) media organization serving northern California, was one of five national entities piloting “Raising Readers,” an online course on language and literacy for pre-school educators and caregivers. The six-week course is part of the TeacherLine professional development series designed by PBS and is sponsored by Ready to Learn, a federal initiative. The course was piloted with groups of early childhood educators and caregivers by five PBS stations in Fall 2007. more» Client: KQED Funding Agency: Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Web Sites

Science Literacy Project Workshops SoundVision Productions is offering three intensive, five-day science literacy training workshops for mid-career public radio reporters who are involved in reporting the sciences. The goal of the workshops is to enlarge the pool of skilled radio reporters and producers who bring science stories to the public radio audience. The workshops are being held in Boston, San Francisco, and Austin. more» Client: SoundVision Productions Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Energy Topic: TV/Radio, Professional Development, Informational Media

Seeing in the Dark Seeing in the Dark, a documentary film about stargazing directed by Timothy Ferris, is based on Ferris' book (of the same name) that was named by The New York Times as one of the 10 best non-fiction books of 2002. The program is in part personal documentary, as well as profiles the work of amateur astronomers. more» Client: Tim Ferris Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media