Arcangelo Iurato '21
30 April 2020
During health-related school closures, Mrs. Stephanie Roberts' Broadcasting classes have developed a series of PSAs informing viewers on the best practices to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. These videos are designed teach viewers about the coronavirus and what to do if it is contracted.
Fight COVID-19 Together by Dvija Thacker
"The main goal of the public service announcement (PSA) project is to raise awareness of, and change attitudes and behaviors to help flatten the curve of COVID-19," said Mrs. Roberts. "The assignment portion of the project was for students to write and produce a clear, accurate message."
In addition to being an authentic teaching experience tied to current events, the PSA project was also a test of the skills students learned all year long. This was their first major project outside of the classroom, with less real-time support. "It was a challenge for students in the CTE Broadcasting system," said Mrs. Roberts. "They had to adapt to editing using applications that their devices at home support."
Stay Safe and Stay Clean by Angelo Fuentes
Broadcasting students rose to and embraced that challenge. Many were even able to have a bit of fun with the creative nature of the project. "My favorite part of the project was adding humor by incorporating my siblings into the video," said Dvija Thaker '20. "I think this will help families who watch the videos by perhaps teaching them something they may not have known, or maybe even create a peace of mind as they see little kids as a part of the video."
Mrs. Roberts is very please with the way the projects turned out. "I'm proud that so many students have risen to the challenge and created broadcast quality PSAs," stated Mrs. Roberts, who also had to learn more about other types editing software on the market. "As their instructor, I provide remote technical support, which entails me learning what editing applications they are using so that I can help them."
How COVID-19 Spreads by Christian Rosa
The videos were filmed by students and posted on PVTV's YouTube and Vimeo channels as long as they met requirements. Videos were supposed to be between 30-60 seconds long. The homevideos could be anything COVID-19 related, such as proceedures for going out in public or what to do if the virus is in your home, as long as the information was accurate and in line with government policy.
"Mine, personally, talked about the things you can do during quarantine," said Thaker, "Washing your hands properly, maintaining social distance, and making your own masks at home."
Mrs. Roberts believes this experience will help students in the future. "I think that students are learning to be more independent and troubleshoot," noted Mrs. Roberts.
Determining accuracy was one of the biggest challenges in screening the students' PSAs. Luckily, Mrs. Roberts had a little help. "My husband is involved with the public health industry, so I have an excellent source at home," said Mrs. Roberts. "I think it's even more important during this time to for students to research and determine if information is coming from a reputable source."
Coronavirus by Jenny Both
It's safe to say that students have learned some things themselves. Not just guidelines and tips, but an overall shift in reality. "What I have learned from this experience is that the virus has changed how we practice our day to day activities," said Thacker.
