On June 29, TVOntario CEO Lisa de Wilde announced a new Strategic Agenda for TVO, involving a transition to digital technology, a new content strategy that responds to Ministry of Education priorities, and other exciting new initiatives that will revitalize Ontario's public educational media organization for the digital, multi-platform world. TVO will continue to provide high-quality educational programming and on-line resources, with our focus on content that supports learning outside the classroom for children and their parents, and that fosters citizenship by engaging people as active participants in the economic, political, environmental, social, and cultural issues that define who we are and how we live.

Parents are a child’s first teachers, and the central decision makers about all aspects of life, including access to media. This fall we will introduce a new dedicated online community for parents, offering access to research on the latest thinking and practices in educational media, downloadable tools and a rich selection of interactive opportunities for learning. This online community will also create an environment for parents to share their advice and views with each other, and to choose the best media for bringing educational content to their kids.

Click here for more information.

Look behind the surface of contemporary education philosophy with Michael Fullan, former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto and Special Advisor to the Premier and Minister of Education in Ontario. How did the successful schools in Ontario get to be that way? He discusses how we can make large-scale educational reform a reality....and he tells us of the simple but heart-wrenching question asked to a "roots of empathy" instructor by a child whose mother was murdered.

Family Literacy

Prof. Janette Pelletier of OISE/UT's Institute of Child Study recently conducted a Family Literacy research study with the Region of Peel, which included a subgroup of parents and young children who incorporated TVOKids programs and web activities into their learning of English language alphabet knowledge. Results showed that children whose families participated in the TVO "intervention" had significantly greater literacy growth.

A companion site to TVOntario's award-winning children's Web site, TVOKids.com, the Parents and Teachers site helps parents, caregivers and teachers make the most of TVOKids' impressive range of educational online, on-air and off line projects. Simply click on a Grade Level and a Subject Area and instantly be presented with a list of TVOKids projects - all of which adhere to the Ontario Curriculum.

While visiting, be sure to read the parenting articles in the Resources section and check out the list of parenting books. Learn more about TVOKids' educator in Stacie's Corner. Chockful of information, the Parents and Teachers site proves that TVOKids is a fun, comfortable learning environment for your child.

Visit the Parents and Teachers site http://www.tvokids.com/framesets/grownUps.html now.

There are a number of ways that educators can make copies of TVO programs for use in the classroom without infringing on the copyrights of the authors and owners; the simplest way permitted under the Copyright Act of Canada, is for the educator to tape the program when it airs, and use the copy under the specific exceptions set forth in the Copyright Act.  For convenience, the general nature of these conditions is outlined below.

PERMITTED TAPING OFF-AIR

Under the Fair Dealing exceptions of the Copyright Act, programs may be taped off-air by educators for educational use.  For more detailed information, please consult the Copyright Act, your local school board or legal counsel.

In brief, there are two ways in which programs may be taped off-air and used by educators in the classrooms.

First, news or news commentary programs (excluding documentaries) may be recorded at the time that they air, and used in the classroom for up to one year.  For any use after the one year period, royalties must be paid. 

Second, all other types of programs, including documentary programs, may also be recorded at the time that they air, and used in the classroom.  However, this may only be done upon payment of a royalty.  Once recorded off-air, the educator has 30 days to consider whether or not to use the copy in the classroom for which there is no royalty due.  If the educator decides to use the recorded copy in the classroom, royalties must be paid, and notice of such use given.

When royalties are to be paid and notice given, they are to be paid and given to the copyright owner or, typically, the Educational Rights Collective of Canada (ERCC).  Please check with your individual school board as to the royalty arrangements and how to report your use of television material within your board before you record any materials off-air. 

The Educational Rights Collective of Canada (ERCC) is a non-profit collective established in 1998 to represent the interests of copyright owners of television and radio programs (news, news commentary programs and all other programs), when these programs are reproduced and performed in public by educational institutions for educational or training purposes.

For more information regarding the ability of an educator to use copies of programs made off-air, and to download a booklet entitled "Copyright Matters", a guidebook for educators.

You may also wish to contact ERCC at info@ercc.ca

For more information on programs that may be available for purchase from TVOntario Sales and Licensing, or its distributors, please search our Sales catalogue at www.tvontario.org/sales.

Disclaimer:  The information provided here is not legal advice, is provided for information purposes only and is provided on an ‘as is’ basis.  TVOntario makes no representation or warranty as to completeness, accuracy or currentness of the information, and is in no way liable for any damages ensuing from anyone using or relying upon this information.  Anyone wishing to tape programs off-air should independently verify this information, including consulting a lawyer.

TVO's new content strategy involves a shift in focus from teachers in school to parents at home. We will be collaborating with our partners in the Educational community to bring you leading edge content that helps explain the economic, political, environmental, social, and cultural issues that define who we are and how we live, as citizens, at the dawn of the 21st century.

TVO would like to thank all the educators who have contributed their support as we move in this exciting new direction. Your comments and feedback are always welcome at askTVO@tvontario.org