Watch PBS for College Credits?

Would you believe that the Kentucky EducationFramework for Democracy Spring 2007 | Summer
Television broadcasts fully accredited college-level2007
courses statewide on their PBS channel? Convenient?Human Geography Spring 2007 | Summer 2007
You bet! Cheap? Hey, anybody with a TV set canIntroduction to Marketing Spring 2007
tune in. So why doesn't your PBS offer it?Journey to Health Spring 2007 | Summer 2007
Open University (OU) has successfully used televisionLiterary Visions Spring 2007 | Summer 2007
to broadcast teaching programs at the college level inLiving Literature (Part II) Spring 2007
Britain since 1971. Their website claims around 150,000Portrait of a Family Spring 2007 | Summer 2007
undergraduate and more than 30,000 postgraduateTaking the Lead Spring 2007
students. It's an interesting story. If you want toThe Power of Place Spring 2007
check it out, just go to Google and log on to "OpenThe Unfinished Nation (Part II) Spring 2007
University."The Western Tradition (Part II) Spring 2007
The obvious question is: if television college educationWhat Britain and Kentucky have provided their
works for the British, why don't we give it a try incitizens is not only a matter of convenience, but in
America? Then I found out; we have -- in Kentucky.essence what they offer is a "free" college education.
Kentucky Education Television (their website is listedSure, their students pay for books and exams if they
in Google) not only offers what they call "Distancewant the credit, however the televised education
Learning" fully accredited high school classes in foreignprograms are there for anyone who wishes to view
languages, the humanities, and physics via videotapethem.
DVD and online delivery, they also offer fullyWouldn't that same educational opportunity be
accredited college-level courses. Their students arewelcomed by the citizens of your city and your
accorded the convenience of taking their classes atstate? Corporations and businesses currently support
home via KET.many worthwhile programs on PBS. Why shouldn't
Started in fall 1978, KET College Courses has loggedthey want their names listed as sponsors of
more than 130,000 student enrollments. Thisuniversity credited education programs? And why
successful program has allowed many non-traditionalshouldn't your local colleges and universities be as
students to go back to school and earn collegesupportive of televised education as those in
credit, despite their busy schedules and active lives.Kentucky?
Throughout Kentucky, state universities, communityKentucky is leading the way in education. For the last
colleges, and independent institutions offer credit to28 years, they have proved that college education
students enrolled in KET College Courses. The currentworks on television. All the rest of us need to do is
participating universities and colleges are:follow their example and methods for the benefit of
Elizabethtown Community and Technical Collegeour own citizens.
Kentucky State UniversityOn another education front, considering the large
Northern Kentucky Universitynumber of Hispanics now in America, wouldn't a PBS
Owensboro Community and Technical Collegebasic English program be helpful in acclimating them
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technicalinto our language and culture?
CollegeCheck out your local Public Broadcasting Station, and
University of Kentuckysee what they provide. If they don't offer the
Western Kentucky Universitycollege level courses, ask them: "Why not?" A letter
Courses offered for Spring and Fall 2007:or two may persuade them to at least consider the
Discovering Psychology Spring 2007 | Summer 2007idea.
Dollars and Sense Summer 2007Kentucky's model could help spread the availability of
Exploring Society Spring 2007 | Summer 2007education to anyone who wants it. And, I think you
Exploring the World of Music Spring 2007will agree, that's good for our citizens and good for
Faces of Culture Spring 2007our nation.