Outreach Overview.EH

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Educational Outreach Overview: Eileen Hughes 1 Educational Outreach Overview ARTHUR BETWEEN THE LIONS POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER Eileen T. Hughes

Transcript of Outreach Overview.EH

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Educational Outreach Overview: Eileen Hughes 1

Educational Outreach Overview

ARTHUR BETWEEN THE LIONS

POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER

Eileen T. Hughes

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Goals & Audience Goals Specific goals for ARTHUR, BETWEEN THE LIONS and POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER vary by season depending on the theme, yet the underlying educational outreach goals remain constant: to promote emergent literacy skills in children ages 4-8, including reading, writing, and speaking, and to get kids excited about books. This is achieved by disseminating a wide range of educational tools and resources to teachers, librarians, parents, and child care providers. Target Audience The target audiences are educators, parents, and other caregivers of young children, ages 4-10. Standards Addressed WGBH outreach resources are based on formative and summative research completed in different seasons. This research examined how to best support emergent literacy in children. Findings showed that both parents and teachers want materials that provide concrete literacy development for children in which children can see their lives and struggles reflected, that are easy to navigate, and are visually friendly and accessible. All our resources are visually appealing and focus on concrete skill development like writing and reading, regardless of the theme or topic being covered. Educational Outreach Elements ARTHUR As a long-running series, ARTHUR exemplifies the number of ways to build on and expand educational outreach over multiple seasons. Each season of ARTHUR has brought unique opportunities to provide innovative resources, expand to new audiences, cement relationships with past partners, and build new alliances. ARTHUR's outreach campaigns have used the familiarity and appeal of the program to address a variety of themes and topics, such as modeling how parents can talk to kids about issues like the ups and downs of friendship, school concerns, and sibling rivalry; helping teachers address accessibility, inclusion, and diversity issues; and supporting librarians in encouraging a love of reading in children. BETWEEN THE LIONS BETWEEN THE LIONS uses a comprehensive literacy curriculum geared to beginning learners. This "whole-part-whole" approach—showcasing the power and pleasure of reading, along with the practices that build key skills in phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension—helps to transform the sometimes confusing process of learning to read into an entertaining adventure for children and their families.

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POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER is an innovative blend of animation and live action starring Arthur's best friend, Buster. Buster's dad, a pilot, is flying Los Viajeros, a rock group, on a North American tour and he's invited Buster to come along. Buster's mom has given him a video camera so he can record his new friendships and discoveries and send "video postcards" back to his pals in Elwood City. Designed to delight and intrigue young audiences, POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER has two key educational goals: to build awareness and appreciation of the many cultures in America and to support the language learning of children in the process of acquiring English. Below is a list of the outreach materials I helped develop and distributed to other PBS stations, and to local and national partners. Print

Season 1 • Audiences: Second-grade teachers • Themes: Writing • Outreach Elements:

o Story Writing with ARTHUR: A Teacher's Guide with Reading Comprehension and Writing Activities -- distributed 66,280

o Tune-in poster -- distributed 70,000 o Pre-broadcast brochure -- distributed 257,000

Season 2 • Audiences: Preschool teachers, PBS stations, libraries,

museums, schools, and community organizations • Themes: Preschool social development and emergent

literacy, hosting ARTHUR events • Outreach Elements:

o Play and Learn with ARTHUR: 100 Creative Activities for Children, Ages 3-6, Volume 1 -- distributed 40,000

o Create Your Own Amazing ARTHUR Event -- distributed 10,000

o Tune-in poster -- distributed 35,300

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Season 3 • Audiences: First-grade and preschool teachers • Themes: Early literacy and preschool social

development • Outreach Elements:

o Learn to Read with ARTHUR: A Teacher's Guide for Beginning Readers -- distributed 105,200

o Play and Learn with ARTHUR: Creative Activities for Children, Ages 3-6, Volume 2 -- distributed 65,000

o Pre-broadcast brochure -- distributed 200,000

Season 4 • Audiences: Librarians • Themes: Attracting nontraditional audiences to

libraries • Outreach Elements:

o ARTHUR's Library Adventure: An Activity Guide for Librarians -- distributed 23,000

o Library poster -- distributed 43,500

Season 5 • Audiences: Parents • Themes: Parenting • Outreach Elements:

o Three family activity booklets (themes: sibling rivalry, friendship, school) -- distributed 225,000 (60,000 each in English, 15,000 each in Spanish)

o Workshop Kit for Ready to Learn Coordinators

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Season 6 • Audiences: Parents, school nurses, after-school

providers, and kindergarten teachers • Themes: Technology and health • Outreach Elements:

o Welcome to the Web family activity booklet -- distributed 56,460 (46,355 in English, 10,105 in Spanish)

o Hooray for Health!: A Health Curriculum for Children -- distributed 99,655

o Hooray for Health! brochure -- distributed 60,000 o All About Asthma booklet -- distributed 42,000

(EPA will printed another 100,000) o Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids booklet --

distributed 599,000 (455,000 English, 144,000 Spanish; produced for the WIC program

Season 7 • Audiences: Parents and first- and second-grade

teachers • Themes: Post-September 11 concerns;

communication, access, and inclusion • Outreach Elements:

o Helping Our Children Feel Safe family activity booklet -- distributed 41,750 (33,750 in English, 8,000 in Spanish)

o ARTHUR's Communication Adventure: Exploring Inclusion and Accessibility -- distributed 50,000

Season 8 • Audiences: First- and second-grade teachers • Themes: World neighborhood and diversity • Outreach Elements:

o ARTHUR's World Neighborhood: Building Global and Cultural Awareness -- distributed 50,500

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Person-to-Person Activities Local outreach has been a launch-pad for its national outreach campaigns; that is, a way to test outreach ideas and resources before they are presented to PBS stations nationwide, other partners, and target audiences. Each season, the person-to-person implementation of the outreach initiatives varies depending on theme and target audience. Ready To Learn coordinators are an essential part of national implementation initiatives. I regularly brought ARTHUR, BETWEEN THE LIONS and POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER to national conferences, offering workshops and distributing materials. These conferences include the International Reading Association, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the American Library Association (ALA) and the National Association of Multicultural Educators (NAME).

Season 9 • Audience: Preschool teachers • Themes: Integrating music into the preschool

setting • Outreach Elements:

o Arthur’s Music Jamboree –distributed 40,000 o Making Music with ARTHUR brochure in English –

distributed 160,000 o Making Music with ARTHUR brochure in Spanish

–distributed 40,000 Season 1 • Audience: Second through Fourth grade Teachers • Themes: English language learners and cultural

diversity • Outreach elements:

o Postcards from Buster – distributed 60,000

Season 1 • Audience: Kindergarten Teachers • Themes: Whole-Part-Whole approach to teaching reading

to young children • Outreach elements:

o Get Wild About Reading – distributed 65,000

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The reach is extended through national partnerships and models sites. For example, the EPA has distributed ARTHUR asthma materials through its extensive national networks. Reach Out and Read distributed Learn to Read with Arthur and Get Wild About Reading through their state offices. ARTHUR’s Library Adventure – sample outreach project For the fourth season of ARTHUR, WGBH focused its outreach efforts on libraries: to help libraries build on the appeal of the ARTHUR books and television series to bring new audiences to the library, and introduce readers to a wide range of books. In fall 1999, all public libraries automatically received a free ARTHUR Resource Kit with programming ideas and resources. In addition, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC, a division of the American Library Association) and WGBH selected 10 libraries to participate in an in-depth, local outreach campaign that began in fall 1999 and completed in March 2000. To accomplish our goals, we reached libraries through a two-tiered approach: • We provided all 16,000 public libraries with a free ARTHUR Resource Kit,

containing ideas to enhance existing library programming and help young readers discover books beyond the ARTHUR series.

• We selected and worked closely with ten library sites around the country to

develop and pilot test different models for using ARTHUR as the basis for outreach and programming to attract families who are not currently using the library.

Outreach Sites The ten pilot sites were selected by out of 100 libraries through a request for proposal process. Working with the ALSC, I developed the application, the criteria and the review process that became the model for future projects. We focused on library systems with diverse locations, sizes, and experiences with developing outreach programs. The target audiences for the programs were elementary school aged children; most librarians aimed to reach 1st and 2nd graders. Each site used a stipend from WGBH to develop and implement an ARTHUR’s Library Adventure program in their area. I oversaw all legal contracts and payment schedules for the stipends. Each site partnered with at least one local community organization, as well as their local PBS station as part of this project. Key Findings From the Evaluation Overall Assessment of the Project Goodman-Research Group, Inc. (GRG), was contracted by WGBH to evaluate ARTHUR’s Library Adventure. The following information is taken from the evaluation.

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ARTHUR’s Library Adventure was successful at helping libraries improve their programming for kids as well as partnerships with area organizations. Librarians from each of the sites characterized their ARTHUR’s Library Adventure as “successful” but stressed different criteria as their definition of success. Overall, librarians and partners greatly valued ARTHUR’s Library Adventure program because it:

• offered an opportunity to provide a new program or to try to reach new audiences,

• received positive responses from participants, community members, and the local press,

• strengthened existing relationships with community organizations -- relationships they said would continue,

• provided an opportunity to collaborate with organizations with whom they had not worked before,

• created a program that will continue in some form at each of the ten sites,

• increased the library’s profile in their community, and • provided fun activities for all who participated.

Success in Meeting Goals Each of the library programs achieved some or all of the goals set by WGBH for this project. The goals and the outcomes are described below. Bringing New Audiences to the Library There are multiple challenges to reaching new audiences for a library program. Many sites said they definitely reached new audiences. However, the appeal of the ARTHUR character alone was not enough to entice the target audiences to attend library programs. What seemed to be most important in reaching new audiences was whether librarians got to know new audiences and/or worked with organizations with which their target audiences were already comfortable. Familiarizing Children and Families with Library Services All ten librarians were able to familiarize ARTHUR participants with the library and library services. Activities associated with this goal included library tours, visits from librarians to schools and other community organizations, and devising games where participants had to find various sections and services of the library. Encouraging Children and Families to Read a Wide Range of Books and Authors All ten sites used books as an integral part of their ARTHUR program. While a few sites used only ARTHUR books, most incorporated both ARTHUR and non-ARTHUR titles. The majority of sites reported that participants in ARTHUR programs checked out all types of books for use at home after participating in

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the activities. Most librarians believed that ARTHUR’s Library Adventure encouraged children to read. They especially appreciated the chance to use an educational television program to promote reading. Developing Models for Effective Partnerships among Community Organizations As part of the ARTHUR grant, each librarian partnered with local community organizations (including PBS stations) and even with their own branch libraries. Examples of partner organizations included Head Start Agencies, public school systems, and a local hospital. Most believed they worked with the community organizations effectively in creating their programs and all indicated they hoped to continue to work with these partners after ARTHUR’s Library Adventure was completed. The partners with whom GRG spoke were also pleased with the relationship with the library and the resulting ARTHUR program because they were able to offer special programs to their constituents. They also were able to encourage library use among their constituents, most of whom represented populations that were not accustomed to using their local public library. Developing Models for Effective and Replicable Outreach Strategies The ARTHUR’s Library Adventure projects created models for effective outreach programs. Overall, the most successful models had the following characteristics: staff from both libraries and partner organizations were able to spend adequate time planning and organizing their ARTHUR projects, the goals of the projects were compatible with the missions of the participating organizations, and, when necessary, the librarians were willing to reexamine and change their approach throughout the course of the project. CONCLUSION Participants, library staff and staff from partner organizations gave high marks to ARTHUR’s Library Adventure. The ten libraries and their partners developed ten unique programs using ARTHUR as a theme and believed ARTHUR was an excellent vehicle for encouraging enthusiasm for books and reading among program participants. Partnerships Through the three shows I have worked with, I have developed and improved relationships with local and national organizations including: American Library Association (ALA) A strong, longtime partner of ARTHUR, the ALA had been interested in finding a "new take" on the popular children's book series by Marc Brown. By partnering with WGBH, it was able to connect libraries with local PBS stations to develop innovative outreach efforts to bring new patrons to the libraries.

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The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Along with Children's Hospital Boston, BPHC is a key partner in the development of an asthma campaign in Boston. The BPHC, as well as other public health commissions across the country, is particularly interested in projects that change the public's behavior and attitude regarding health issues. The BPHC has encouraged WGBH to focus on helping low-income families recognize that they deserve a better quality of life and that they have the right to advocate for that, especially when health and housing are at issue. ARTHUR's asthma campaign will now include an advocacy component for families designed to give them the information and coaching they need to make informed choices and work toward a better quality of life. Children's Hospital Boston When WGBH and Children's Hospital first began discussing partnering opportunities, neither expected that the relationship would evolve to the point where Children's Hospital would provide $150,000 to support workshops on asthma in children and a Boston-based media campaign on asthma. The model that grows out of these efforts will eventually be disseminated to PBS stations nationally. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA awarded ARTHUR the National Environmental Asthma Educator Award in 2002 for its "Buster's Breathless" episode. ARTHUR's popularity has helped educators and children learn about asthma. The accompanying All About Asthma booklet was so successful that EPA plans to reprint 100,000 to 200,000 copies to distribute across the country. National Education Association (NEA) The NEA and WGBH collaboration has brought fresh, new teacher-tested resources to NEA's membership of 2.7 million educators. NEA's State Directors helped to distribute tens of thousands of ARTHUR and BETWEEN THE LIONS resources, and our materials have also been featured in several of NEA's Read Across America electronic and print publications and at the Read Across America booth at its national conference. This relationship has expanded across to other WGBH programs and educational outreach efforts. Ready To Learn (RTL) Coordinators These public television station staff members provide resources and support to local community partners to help them promote emergent and media literacy, social, and academic skill development in young children. They are key partners in localized outreach efforts. Ready To Learn coordinators receive the full range of WGBH resources and outreach support for local efforts. U.S. Peace Corps

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The World Wise Schools division of Peace Corps was instrumental in helping to shape the ARTHUR's Neighborhood outreach campaign and resources. Audience Reach WGBH materials virtually fly off the shelf, as demonstrated by the quantities of publications distributed, many of which have gone through more than one printing. The ARTHUR, BETWEEN THE LIONS and POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER series and the outreach are indeed reaching their intended audiences. Each year, more educators are using WGBH resources in the classroom. WGBH outreach materials allow teachers to use the shows, activities, and trade books together or as stand-alone teaching resources. Teachers have rated the resources very high in increasing general interest in reading. Parents appreciate the friendly, informative, easy-to-use formats and information. Challenges & Lessons Learned Over its many seasons, WGBH has worked with a number of partners. In developing these relationships, we have constantly challenged ourselves to be a better partner -- to say, "Here's what we think; what do you think?" Working with a wide range of partners, the team has learned to bring partners in early in the process and to build meaningful, reciprocal relationships. It can be difficult to maintain communication and relationships with multiple target audiences, especially given shrinking resources. To address this challenge, we usually chose one or two target audiences each season and keep our efforts focused. The long-term impact is cumulative. Teachers face many challenges in the classroom, including teaching to meet standards, ensuring that children test well on standardized tests, and keeping students engaged -- all within a limited timeframe. Our challenge has been to create materials that are doable in the small windows of time teachers have available. This means creating materials that complement and support the curriculum and the standards, while engaging and motivating students and providing the content they need to know. I have learned early on that the popularity of our shows means that resources are in constant demand. Each season, we have received so many requests for materials, from both current and past seasons, that we decided to make most of our materials as evergreen as possible. This makes the materials useful beyond their normal shelf life. All nine seasons of ARTHUR resources, three seasons of BETWEEN THE LIONS and the first season of POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER are still being distributed in print or through the Web.