Forward Thinking, Media-Minded

Michigan Learning Channel LABS (learning and Building Statewide) is a digital community and resource hub for Michigan educators to Learn and Build Statewide alongside the Michigan Learning Channel team. Our LABS spaces are powered by Mighty Networks and include opportunities to network, bring real TV production into your classroom, share resources and tips, offer feedback and ideas, support new content development, and spread the word about MLC initiatives and materials.

The Invitation

Joining MLC LABS is a commitment to celebrating yourself, your students, and your community. We invite teachers, coaches, and education professionals for preschool through high school to join our growing cohort of educators who believe in the power of media.

What LABS Educators Do

  • Join our community powered by Mighty Networks.
  • Use Michigan Learning Channel and PBS resources in your classroom.
  • Take an active role in our Mighty Networks Community to network with educators from around the state.
  • Consider sharing the lessons that you create which leverage media to meet learning goals.
  • Consider sharing media that your students create in response to PBS content or for other projects that you design.

What LABS Educators Get

  • Access to exclusive educational materials to get students analyzing and creating visual media.
  • Ongoing communication through Mighty Networks about new content and resources from the Michigan Learning Channel and PBS.
  • Media-focused opportunities for student voice and project-based learning in your classroom.
  • Access to media producers and experts who can support student creators.
  • Opportunities to collaborate on new content and teaching resources.

LABS Learning Projects

We periodically issue new projects with prompts that give students an active role in creating and analyzing media. Teach journalism and reporting skills with local interest and storytelling projects, learn about history with projects launched in tandem with major PBS series and documentaries, and learn what goes into making film and TV content with our video production challenges.

Iconic Michigan

Showcase icons in students’ communities through research, collaboration, and media making.

Book Review

We’re turning the traditional book report on its head and giving it a 21st century twist.

Bearing Witness

Create video segments that explore historical events and advocate for change.

Mental Health Awareness

Use media to explore mental health and learn about ways to handle stress.

Are You Ready to Join the Community?

Joining MLC LABS means you are excited about using public media in your classroom to engage, educate, and inspire. You’ll be the first to hear about our upcoming opportunities and you’ll have direct access to our statewide team of education and public media experts for support. Join our Mighty Network and start meeting like-minded educators.

Public Media in Education

LABS and the Michigan Learning Channel connect educators to media from across the country that you can integrate into your classrooms and programs. Learn more about some examples below.

PBS LearningMedia

Free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for teachers and students.

KQED Youth Media Challenges

Middle and high school students create media for a variety of subjects.

PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs

High school students learn local reporting, video production, and civic engagement

StoryMaker

 StoryMaker is a powerful learning platform developed by PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs to build the next generation of media creators.

What is Public Media?

Public media changes the way classrooms and students get access to high-quality educational materials. The Michigan Learning Channel has been providing free public media resources from PBS stations across the country for over a year, and we’ve heard from teachers across Michigan asking to be part of the movement. Learn more about public media on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting website.