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Home My WebLink About32-Telecommunications STAFF REPORT EDUCATIONAL ACCESS The City of San Bernardino Community Access Channel began operation in July of 1987 with a 7-day a week, 24 hour/day Community BUlletin Board and a variety of Educational Access programming. Since its inception, the channel has provided an ever-increasing number of program hours, which include Public, Educational, and Government access shows. Through efforts by the Community Cable Television Commission and City staff, a subscriber survey was completed in the fall of 1987, which indicated three prime areas of viewing interest: local news, educational programming, and govern- ment activities. The Division has supported these priorities in production, programming, and Community Bulletin Board announcements. To date, educational access programming has included a variety of sources, as follows: PBS SERIES: a variety of half-hour and one-hour programs covering topics from science and economics to writing and the role of the Constitution in today's complex society. INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED SERIES: including Eco-News, In Print, and Crime File. LOCAL EDUCATIONAL ACCESS CO-PRODUCTIONS: geared toward specific target audiences and specific topical information. Also, certain programs have been produced in cooperation with the Education Round Table and The San Bernardino Unified School District. The Division is currently producing a monthly half hour program with the Education Round Table, which features local schools andlor outstanding educational programs sponsored by one of the participating institutions. Another programming option will be implemented in late March of this year, which will demonstrate graduate and undergra- duate coursework that may be available for City staff, local teachers, high school students and residents interested in continuing education. The source is a five-university consortium consisting of the following institutions: Cal Poly, Cal State-Los Angeles, Cal State-Dominguez, Cal-State- Fullerton, and Cal State-Long Beach. Through the microwave interconnect, approved the the Mayor and Common Council, this Consortium will be able to provide a wide range of classes including fire protection, education, political and health science courses. Arrangements may be made with Cal State-San Bernardino and the S.B. Unified School District to implement registration and accreditation procedures. The Telecommunications Division is looking forward to the implemen~ation of a second channel to carry the above programm1ng, as well as expanding sources to inclu~e.off- satellite and additional microwave fed programs. Spec1flcal- ly, when Comcast Cablevision has com~leted its re-bui~d, there will be two additional channels avallable for communlty access programming, one of which will be designated for educational access programmming. with this channel expansion, more space will be available for ~~ complete carriage f the University Consort~.a programs, as well as a wider 1dnge of programming. Some options include FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association, CTN (Catholic Television Network), and The Open Public Events Network. PLAN FGOR IMPLEMENTATION 1. Complete installation of a dial-up microwave system in the Telecommunications Office. 2. Schedule University Consortium programming for the City's Community Access Channel. 3. Establish an Educational Consortium to discuss and make recommendations for scheduling all programming on the City's second community access channel. 4. Complete agreements with Cal State-San Bernardino and the S.B. Unified School District to provide continuing education and certification credits for access programming. 5. Complete agreements with the S.B. Unified School District and Cal State-San Bernardino to carry regularly scheduled programming. 6. Complete installation of second channel equipment. 7. Install CTN-provided equipment to receive and transmit CTN programming. We anticipate that the above-outlined plan will best satisfy our residents' mandate for educational programming. For as the City takes full advantage of the technology available to provide this service, it acts as the catalyst to stimulate innovative and comprehensive Educational Access for our local cable subscribers, and institutions interconnected with City channel origination. ity of San Bernardino Telecommunications Division Educational Access Staff Report Addendum: Program Descriptions PBS SERIES "The Mechanical Universe": 26 half-hour programs focusing on classical mechanics, including laws of motion; "The Mechanical Universe & Beyond": 26 half hour programs, which cover electricity, magnetism, waves and optics, heat and thermodynamics, relativity, and modern physics; "The write Course": 30 half-hour programs, which advance through the many stages of the writing process; "The Constitution": 13 one-hour programs, in which national leaders engage in intense debate as they examine the Consti- tution's role in today's complex society; "For All Practical Purposes": 26 half-hour programs, intro- ducing mathematical concepts and methods in the context of their application to contemporary issues; Economics U$A": 28 half-hour programs, examining the prin- ciples of macro and microeconomics through major economic events such as the establishment of the Federal Reserve, the breakup of AT&T, and the deregulation of the airline indus- try; "Planet Earth": relationship to "The Brain": 8 relationship to 7 one-hour programs, which trace the sun and other planets; one-hour programs, which trace the sun and other planets. the earth's the earth's INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED SERIES: "In Print": ongoing half-hour !)rograms featuring Michael Cart interviewing authors of the nation's best-selling works; "Eco News": ongoing half-hour programs focusing on issues of environment and ecological concern; "Crime File": 30 half-hour programs produced by the National Institute of Justice, which cover a variety of topics from heroin addiction to domestic violence. OTHER SOURCES AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees): a variety of half-hour programs, covering such topics as investments, women in the workforce, and health issues. The Learning Channel: several programs such as "Gangs: Not my Kids." California State Parks Department: 6 half-hour programs, "California Magic." LOCAL EDUCATIONAL ACCESS CO-PRODUCTIONS "Second Chapter": half-hour programs geared toward senior citizens; "Legal Issues": half-hour programs focusing on issues rele- vant to the residents of San Bernardino; "Story time": half-hour programs targeting child audiences; Other topical programs, such as the one-hour "Inland Empire AIDS Report," and "Literacy Day at the Feldheym." Education Round Table: "D.A.R.E.", Hillside School, Martin Luther King school Target Program, and "The Safety Net" program. -- CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-LOS ANGELES: Offers a variety of coursework over a one-year period: Fire Defense Planning Fire Protection Administration and Technology Fire Protection Systems Design Fire Protection of structural Members and Building Components Fire Prevention and Building Codes: Interpretation and Enforcement Foundations of Vocational Education Seminar in Vocational Education Construction of Teaching Aids Curriculum Development in Adult and Occupational Education Methods and Materials in Adult Learning Counseling in Adult and Occupational Education Methods of Teachiing Vocational Education Gifted Education Gifted Individual II School Relations Outreach Program Health Studies on Alcohol, Narcotics, Nutrition and Tobacco Urban Politics Organization and Management Personnel Administration Public Financial Administration CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Offers a "Young Scholars Program" on its "Polynet" system, which is an interactive video system transmitted live from Cal Poly. For-credit courses are available for participating high school juniors and seniors with a 3.0 average, who are recommended by the school's guidance counselor or principal. General Education Series courses fulfill General Education requirements in the California State University System as well as in other institutions, and include the following: Business and its Environments General Psychology The Visual Arts Introduction to Engineering Introduction to Ethnic studies Family Relations Science and Scientists Contemporary Aspects of Nutrition Introduction to Cultural Anthropology A staff development series of one-hour sessions on bilingual education is currently in process. Participating schools pay $1500/year for Poly Net membership; minimum enrollment of 5 students per quarter among all courses offered with no maximum number of enrollments; students pay $4.00/quarter with credits earned as cited above FEMA(Federal Emergency Management Association) This organization provides periodic satellite-feeds of educational programming of interest to municipa~ employee~, especially Fire, Police and any Department 1nvolved 1n emergency situations. Sample programs include the following: .... - -- Protective Actione or Hazardous Materials Heat stress Inducea by Chemical Protective Clothing Community Floodplain Managment Course National Disaster Medical Systems Meeting Special Needs of the Disabled in Evacuation and Sheltering Systems THE OPEN EVENTS NETWORK Transmitted via satellite from North Carolina offers a variety of programs covering government and civic topics, such as: Property Tax Legislation civic Literacy state Infrastructure Tax Line Reading Connection Aging Well CATHOLIC TELEVISION NETWORK with approval of a technically feasible satellite link, CTN could provide additional programming of an educational rather than religious nature. Program options include the following: "A Better Way": half-hour weekly magazine format broad range of topics including home gardening, environmental quality, energy, conservation, improvement. "American Interests": half hour program devoted affairs, including guests drawn from journalism, business and academia. "Artscape": focuses on teaching of visual art. covering a nutrition, and home to foreign government, children the basic concepts