PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification by KQED
Frequently Asked Questions
Are certificates of course completion the same as the PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification by KQED?
No. Certificates of course completion are individually awarded each time you complete an instructor-led course on KQED Teach. The PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification by KQED is a certification program designed to recognize classroom educators’ media literacy expertise through the earning of 8 micro-credentials. Learn more about becoming a PBS Media Literacy Certified Educator.
Special Instructions for TOSAs and Teacher Coaches
TOSAs and teacher coaches are encouraged to apply for the PBS Media Literacy Educator micro-credentials. As a TOSA or teacher coach, you may not have direct access to students. Several micro-credentials include a requirement to submit examples of student work or student reflections. For these requirements, you have two options:
- Submit work or reflections by teachers you have trained or worked with directly.
- Submit student work or student reflections of the teachers you have trained or coached, who have implemented what they have learned from you.
Specific Micro-credentials
This micro-credential requires the submission of an assessment tool (such as a rubric). For a TOSA or teacher trainer this can take two forms:
- An assessment tool that you use to assess the media created by teachers you have trained. In this case, you would also submit feedback you gave to teachers, using this tool. Assessment tools that may be more relevant to TOSA and coaches include feedback forms and informal evaluation forms.
- An assessment tool that a teacher you have trained implemented in their classroom. This teacher would also provide feedback they provided to their students, using this tool.
This micro-credential requires the submission of a “code of conduct implemented by the educator.” A trainer is unlikely to have or need a code of conduct for the teachers they work with. You may share a code of conduct that a teacher participating in the PD implemented with their youth, or a district or school-wide code of conduct.
The micro-credential requires a “a reflection on the experience of creating and implementing the code of conduct.” This can be a reflection by the TOSA or coach or by teachers who participated in the PD and implemented a code of conduct.
This micro-credential requires “examples of student work or student reflections indicating student learning.” “Student work” can refer to work that teachers participating in a training or one-on-one coaching session created or that students of those teachers created, as a result of that training or coaching.
This micro-credential requires “examples of student work or student reflections indicating student learning of these skills.” This can be work or reflections by the teachers participating in a professional learning training or coaching session, or students of those teachers, as a result of the professional learning.
Implementing Media Projects in Early Childhood
This micro-credential requires “the lesson or unit plan created and implemented by the educator.” This can be the lesson plan of the TOSA or coachor one by a teacher as a result of a professional learning workshop or coaching session.
It also requires “two media artifacts created by children as part of the unit of instruction.” These can be from students of a teacher who participated in a professional learning training or coaching session by the TOSA or instructional coach.
Implementing Media Projects in Upper Grades
This micro-credential requires “two student media artifacts created as part of the unit of instruction.” This can be work by the teachers participating in a professional learning training or coaching session, or students of those teachers, as a result of the professional learning.
Special Instructions for Librarians
Librarians are encouraged to apply for the PBS Media Literacy Educator micro-credentials. As a librarian, you may be providing instruction to students, but may not be reviewing or assessing their work in the same manner as a classroom teacher. In such cases, student reflections can take the place of student work. See the specific micro-credential for details about what reflections to solicit from students.
Specific Micro-credentials
A code of conduct for students using your library is appropriate to submit for this micro-credential. This might include proper use of digital technology, their conduct online, and what sites are appropriate to visit.
As a librarian, you are in a unique position to support students in finding and evaluating information they encounter. Share a list of digital media resources that you have accessed for credibility, a plan for how you instruct students in finding reliable sources online, and student work or reflections as a result of that instruction.
Evaluating Online Tools for Classroom Use
There are a wealth of online tools that your library may make available to your students. For this micro-credential, provide an analysis of the different federal privacy laws as they apply to your educational context and examine three online educational tools for their appropriateness for your students.
I still have questions, how do I reach you?
For other questions about the content and/or requirements associated with KQED/PBS micro-credentials, please contact [email protected]. If you encounter technical challenges with the Digital Promise Micro-credential platform, please submit the relevant information via the contact form here.