A recent Phi Delta Kappan article caught my eye about using TV
in the classroom: Teaching with television: New evidence
supports an old medium, by Deborah L. Linebarger. In the
article, Linebarger cites research affirming that TV can be used
effectively in the classroom – especially where it supplements,
rather than supplants, good instruction. There are some obvious
benefits in having videos that enhance a lesson. I recently was
watching Fabric of the Cosmos – a four-hour series on PBS
featuring Brian Greene. The third episode (Quantum Leap)
showcases the weirdness of the quantum world. In just 20
engaging minutes, Greene is able to beautifully illustrate
concepts that I could never replicate in class (and it’s free
online too). But Linebarger also reveals a reluctancy that
teachers might have in using TV: Those who choose to air video
content in the classroom risk being called lazy, if not accussed
of educational malpractice. This brings to mind the movie Bad
Teacher, where Cameron Diaz exhausts her supply