The Futures Channel was founded in 1999 with the goal of using new media technologies to create a channel between the scientists, engineers, explorers and visionaries who are shaping the future, and today’s learners who will one day succeed them.

Where will The Futures Channel take you? Here's a glimpse.

 

 

The Futures Channel Mission:

To produce and distribute high quality multimedia content which educators in any setting can use to enliven curriculum, engage students and otherwise enhance the learning experience.

To connect mathematics, science, technology and engineering to the real world of careers and achievement, providing a context and purpose for what students are learning, allowing them to envision their own successful futures. 

To provide a channel through which professionals from the sciences, engineering and technology sectors can reach their future workforce prospects and interest them in their fields.

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Teachers tell the story...

"I just watched the Ares Rocket video...awesome! My students are beginning to show the fatigue of a long school year plus our state mandated testing is next week. Add to that the next objective for my Algebra I students is quadratic functions, I need a motivator. I plan to use the video for my advanced students to show them how many different ways their math skills can be used. Also, there were numerous examples of parabolas throughout the video I can have the students identify. With the volume on my computer turned up, the music is sure to get the attention of even the most apathetic student and good things can happen when you have their attention. You all did a good job on this at The Futures Channel...A+."
Judy Brown
Math Teacher, 8th grade
Kingwood, TX

“The Futures Channel offers my diverse student body an opportunity to exit the classroom and review ‘REAL’ world applications. Thanks for your efforts. it's appreciated on a daily basis by more than 150 academically engaged students. Thanks.”
Jim Leitzke
Santa Fe High School, NM

“There are over 3 million teachers in America who face the challenge of relating what they are teaching to the real world. They are expected to be able to effectively answer the questions: ‘When will I ever use this?’ The Futures Channel is going to help them answer that question.”
Dr. Milton Chen,
Executive Director,
The George Lucas Educational Foundation

“The Futures Channel team pioneered the creation and delivery of short, broadcast-quality video clips and ‘micro-documentaries’ which teachers can use to bring context and life to their lessons and engage their students. This is a new direction for educational media, one that fits that way that teachers actually teach.”
Dr. Eric Robinson
Professor of Mathematics
Ithaca College, NY

“The Futures Channel’s videos are great for vocabulary development. I have students listen and write down unfamiliar words in the videos. Later, we will either Google the words or look them up in the dictionary. The students can then incorporate the words in their writing samples.

“I also use the videos for expressive writing. Our fifth grade students are required to write an expository essay, a persuasive essay and a narrative essay. I have used the videos as "story starters" for the class. For example, the students may choose to write a persuasive essay on why we need to use wind as a resource for electric energy, a story or narrative about the day in the life of a wildlife veterinarian, or how science and math are involved in the flower market.

“One of my favorite cross-curriculum activities involved the fraction concepts taught in "Drumming in Fractions.” Not only did it introduce to most students that "music is math and math is music,” it also connected to a cultural icon as we had just read a story about Louis Armstrong. The vocabulary was common in both the video and the passage we had read. Different styles of learners were engaged and more importantly the students were willing to cross over to another style of learning as activities were introduced.”
Thank you again,
Sincerely,
Sandy Smith
Fifth Grade Teacher
Poplar Road Elementary
Sharpsburg, GA

“The Futures Channel’s content is unparalleled when it comes to connecting classroom concepts to the real world of careers and achievement. It brings the curriculum to life, it’s tied to standard and it engages student. We’ve tested it in our training programs and the response from teachers and students is very enthusiastic.”
Anna Park
Viva Technology
Hispanic Engineers Achievement Awards Corp.

“More and more, my students beg to see what Futures Channel has for the week. It’s not only a part of my lesson, but it’s a treat for the class. I use it as a reward. Thank you for bringing such exciting, informative and captivating programs right into our classroom.”
Angela Barriga
Hungerford Elementary
Maitland, FL

"Long story short, I have VISUAL LEARNERS with backgrounds not conducive to seeing how their efforts NOW connect to the FUTURE SUCCESS!!! So I am a big fan of these movies. I used one last week on bicycles. "The bicycle is basically two triangles..." I used the movie in support of a lesson on triangles and then we made triangles out of strips of paper and brads. The movie was actually my "anticipatory set" which is to get the guys hooked into the lesson. But as you listen to this element in classrooms, you see "anticipatory set" has become TEACHER TALKING about what the lesson will be about. Well, TEACHER TALKING is not what my students need. They are lost or turned off by the time the lesson starts!!

"So, you are headed down the great road in using the visuals to make connections to the real world. Math is emerging!! Finally. We are getting ready to really look at math instruction for the rest of us!!

"Keep the movies coming. Best money I ever spent! Also, incidentally, loved the one on the structural engineer. All these folks---the stars----so young and hip... great cultural and ethnically diverse representatives that make it REAL for my students."
Annette Volberding
Westside Community Schools
Omaha, Nebraska