MGTV is the acronym for Michigan Government Television, Inc., a non-profit 501© 3 corporation. MGTV, a public affairs initiative of Michigan's cable industry, provides live and taped coverage of all branches of Michigan government. One part of MGTV's mission is to provide students and educators with a working knowledge of the three branches of Michigan government.

How can MGTV help to enhance my curricula?

Lesson Plans	Teachers can download free lesson plans from this website. Both MGTV's website and printed materials offer an "Order of Business" for the Michigan House, Senate, and Supreme Court. These define the terms used as these bodies go about the business of making laws (House and Senate) or hearing arguments in a case (Supreme Court).
Viewing Government at Work	Students can view live coverage of the Michigan House and Senate, plus Michigan Supreme Court Oral Arguments by tuning in to MGTV on the air. Check Cable Channel Locator for your local cable provider for availability in your area. Also, MGTV offers a complete House and a complete Senate session as well as Michigan Supreme Court Oral Arguments in the archive of "Video Stream" programming.
Student Participation	MGTV conducts live programs with state government leaders and often involves government and social studies classes participating in these shows by videoconference or telephone. Past Programs with Student Involvement have included: Michigan's Civil War Battle Flags School Voucher Issue Interview with Justice Elizabeth Weaver Michigan Supreme Court Justice Candidates Michigan 2000, National Student/Parent Mock Election Extravaganza at the Genesee ISD
How To Participate	What Do I Need to Do to Participate in MGTV's Educational Programming? Contact MGTV at (517) 373-4250 or E-mail at mgtv@mgtv.org to discuss upcoming programs and topics. You can also become a member of our Education Outreach Database. As a member, you will receive the MGTV EDUCATOR newsletter, which will inform you of upcoming events and programs.
Cost	Does it cost the school to participate in a program? MGTV does not charge for participating in live programs, however, there may be phone line charges or fees for using other facilities, etc. Please check with your tech support person to discuss your specific technical situation.
Technology	What technology is required to participate in a program? First, contact your technology coordinator to find out if you have two way interactive capabilities. The two main ways of participating in a program are: By telephone. The classroom should be furnished with cable service by a system currently carrying MGTV. The telephone must have the ability to call out long distance. Cell phones can be used. Video conference. The classroom should be furnished with cable service by a system currently carrying MGTV. Please note that there are various circumstances and conditions that do occur with each program and school. MGTV will make every attempt to work with your school's current technical situation. Please call for details if you are unsure about your technical capabilities. What if our school does not have the technology to participate? Many different situations can occur when working with technology or lack of technology. Past participants have made arrangements to participate from other sites, such as traveling to their local ISD, REMC or Community College. What is compressed video technology? What is a codec (CODER-DECODER)? Technically, compressed video technology digitizes and compresses video and audio signals for transmission to a receiving site where they are decompressed for display. A computer, referred to as a codec, is used for data digitizing, compression and decompression. Compressed video technology makes two-way and distant learning feasible for schools. Currently, two or more schools can communicate with MGTV using compressed video.
Videoconference Participants	How do the students interact with guests of the program? Frequent interaction will occur between the moderator, program guests and the students in a question and answer format. MGTV's moderator will tell each school when it is their time to ask a question. Do I need to get release forms for my students to participate in the program? Yes. In most cases, the standard form that parents and guardians sign at the beginning of the school year allowing for their children to be recorded is sufficient. However, teachers should check and make sure that all students participating in the program have their signed release form on file. Release forms vary widely in their content, so it is advised to obtain a Michigan Government Television Videotape Release Form that can be distributed to students participating in a program. Please contact MGTV at (517) 373-4250 for further information. Are there a minimum and/or maximum number of students who can participate in a program? No. However, due to time constraints, if multiple school sites are participating, it may be difficult to have each student ask an individual question. In past programs, students have asked their questions in pairs or in a group. For what grades/age group are MGTV programs best suited? It is up to teachers to determine just where a particular program will be most useful. Past programs have featured students from elementary, middle and high schools. How do I prepare my students? As soon as the topic of the show is determined, students can start researching in order to collect and organize information to help formulate questions for the guests. Students should practice presenting their questions out loud. Involving all students in the preparation process encourages student participation on the day of the show. Background information and research can be incorporated into lesson plans and field trips can be arranged to encourage interest in the topic. ( Example: A trip to the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing to see Michigan's Civil War Battle Flags ). If the scheduled MGTV program topic is Michigan Civil War Battle Flags, students can use all of the materials from MGTV's Civil War Battle Flags Project to prepare for their participation in the program. The package includes a thirty-minute video and accompanying print materials and lesson plans (available on-line or by calling (517) 373-4250). Note: In most cases, an outline and some suggested questions will be available to educators before the program. Can the programs be taped for later use in the classroom? Yes, as long as the program is used for educational purposes only. MGTV programming is copyrighted material. You may also order videotape copies of the program from MGTV. Please contact MGTV at (517) 373-4250 for further information or visit Tape Sales at the MGTV website. Can I preview a past program? Yes. Call MGTV (517) 373-4250 to request a past program with student participation. You can also go to the Video Stream link at MGTV's website. What do I need to do right away ? Have tech support contact MGTV. (517) 373-4250 Reserve equipment/room when necessary. Finalize the date and time of the program with MGTV. Invite superintendent, principal, and other administrators. What do I need to do one week before the scheduled program? Have tech support discuss technical issues and contact information with MGTV. Make sure a test of the equipment has been scheduled with MGTV. Reserve equipment/room when necessary. Schedule a practice session with students to review questions and discuss expectations. What do I need to do on the day of the program? Talk with your technology/distance learning coordinator about the arrangement or set-up of the room. Relax! Be at the allotted place on time. Check equipment. The connection with MGTV should occur 15-30 minutes before the program is scheduled to begin. If a technical problem occurs, call MGTV at (517) 373-4250 or call (517) 241-1122 (Master Control) during program time. Encourage students to keep background noise and motion to a minimum. Remember, the purpose of the program is to expand the classroom experience by providing a valuable learning exchange between Michigan students and Michigan Government Television. If a problem occurs we will do everything possible to make sure the students will be able to participate in some way. What follow-up activities would I need to do after a program? Immediately following the program, if time permits, discuss with the students their feelings about the program. Were there questions that they did not get a chance to ask? If so, discuss the questions with them now. Did their opinions about the topic change after the show? What about their opinions about the guest(s)? Did they enjoy the program? Why or why not? Teachers should consider the following after the program: What new concepts and vocabulary did students need to learn? Did the program enhance student comprehension and reinforce or extend new concepts? What did you like/dislike about using the technology? What would have improved the program? What should be done differently next time? How did the experience compare to a more typical classroom experience? Have the students write about what they learned. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER - MGTV would love to get feedback from educators. Please Contact MGTV after the program to discuss the experience!