Abstract
The opportunity gap is a persistent problem in education that has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that education stakeholders turn to creative and engaging means to support student learning, especially during interruptions to learning. One tool that has been developed to help mitigate this disparity of resources is educational television (EdTV). The literature provides evidence that supports the positive impacts EdTV has on learning. There has been a growing surge of content targeted for children with the expansive development of web-based streaming services. The plethora of programs available can make it challenging for caregivers and educators to determine which shows are high-quality and are conducive to student learning. Through a review of the available literature, Tuning In: Using EdTV to Supplement Student Learning: A Guide was developed to help inform caregivers and educators the features of high-quality EdTV programs. This guide also includes characteristics specific to different program goals, such as social-emotional learning, math and numeracy skills, reading and literacy skills, and language development for dual language learners. The purpose of this project is to provide guidance and help caregivers and educators be critical consumers of media. The guide can be used for children in pre-school through high school. While the guide used as much empirically supported information as possible in its development, it is worth noting that the guide itself has not been empirically validated. Nonetheless, this guide can help education stakeholders begin to understand what high-quality EdTV should look like.