Local Media and Gonzaga Grad Students Team Up

When local public news television station KSPS-TV was recognized for great work in Instructional Media, Gonzaga students were in the spotlight as well. At the 2018 awards ceremony for the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) KSPS showcased 16 segmented regional documentaries with accompanying classroom materials that had been developed by School of Education graduate students Rosemary Colón and Ali Asiri. The lesson plans include student-centered activities focused on research, discussion, and debate, suggestions for local field trips connected to the content of the documentaries, and digital resources educators can use to supplement their instruction, says KSPS Education Director Bukola Breczinski.

NETA judges complimented the materials, saying they were “full of useful references, engaging activities, and comprehensive learning objectives.” The content is region-specific, including topics such as local Native Americans and Japanese-American incarceration, and are now available to educators outside of Washington. Their project was completed without any outside funding.

Breczinski thinks it is important for KSPS to partner with local students. “University students are immersed in current educational best practices, and working closely with students helps ensure that the resources we develop are meeting educational needs and standards. Additionally, university students who collaborate with KSPS have the opportunity to apply what they are learning in their programs in a real world context.”

KSPS finds community input valuable in developing content, and is eager to work with Gonzaga students to support their ideas with future projects.