ITV Humanities Project - A History of Five Experimental Programs for Instructional Television

Sep 2, 2026

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Report recounts how the ITV Humanities Project, announced in February 1967 under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, selected and developed five pilot instructional television proposals for high school humanities. It describes the workshop-style development process, panel selections across multiple cities, and how produced pilots were reviewed by broadcasters, schools, and teachers. Transcribed conferences and expert, student, and teacher comments document the evolution from original ideas to final productions, including production chronology for each show and practical lessons for instructional TV production.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages156

Reading Time6 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

A Search

An experimental pilot for instructional television produced by Warren Buford

A Journey is a Person in Itself

An experimental pilot for instructional television produced by John Malcolm

Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper

An experimental pilot for instructional television produced by Rick Krepela

The Spade and the Chisel

An experimental pilot for instructional television produced by Patricia Barnard

Man's Ability to Search and Reason

An observation of students using an experimental pilot for instructional television produced by Martin Fass

PANELISTS

ED 031080 EM 006860 The ITV Hu nanties Project;A History of Five Expermental Programs for instructional TelevisIOn.WGBH Educational Foundation,Boston,Mass. Spons Agercy-Nationel Endowment for the Humanties,Washungton,DCPub Date [68] Note-154p. EDRS Price MF-50.75 HC-S6.24 Descriptors-Audovisual Instruction,ducational Television,*Experimental Programs,Experimental TeachingHumanties,*Humanties Instruc7ion,instructional Aids,*Instructional Innovation,Instructional Meda,*Instructional Television,*Interdsciplnary Approach,Meda Research,Meua Technology,ProductionTechnques,Televised InstructionIdentifiers-ITV Humanties Project In 1967,the ITV Humanities proiect,under a grant from the National Endowmentfor the Humanities,sponsored a search for instructional televisIon series proposalswhich were to show an innovative,interdisciplinary approach to the teaching ofhumanities at the high school level.Five proposals were selected to be developed intopilot productiors.The creator of the idea for the series met with a staff of televisIonproduction pei sunnei and Humanities experts to produce the pilot program.Theprograms were then viewed by producers,directors,and ITV personnel at theNationai Association of Educational Broadcasters national convention,a typical highschool class,and 25 high school teachers.Scripts and verbatim transcriptions ofconferences and discussions document the evolution of the original idea into the finalproduction.The comments of ITV experts,high school students and teachers serve asan evaluation for each program.A production chronology is given for each show.Thereport is intended primarily for anyone who may be interestedin the problems relatedto producing instructional television programs.(JY) 08013003 theITV HumanitiesProject theM ITVO HumanitiesProject 0689O0≤山 # a Historyof Five ExperimentalPrograms forInstructionalTelevision Administered by theWGBH Educational Foundationunder a grant fromThe National Endowmentfor the Humanities # U.S.DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,EDUCATION&WELFARE0FFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THEPERSON OR ORGANIZATIOW ORIGIMATIMG IT.POINTS OF YIEW OR OPiWIOWSSTATED DO NOT MECESARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATIONPOSITION OR POLICY. # ITV HUMANITIES PROJECT The ITV Humanities Project was announced in February,1967,under a grant fromthe National Endowment for the Humanities.The original brochure stated the projectgoals as follows: "To stimulate reevaluation of the medium's potential y ITV personnel "To encourage an inter-disciplinary approach to the Humanities on thehigh school level. "To select the five most promising program proposals currently available andprovide the creators with an opportunity to develop actual pilot productions. "To employ a workshop approach to the pilot productions giving the participants anopportunity for exchange of ideas with well-established experts in the Humanitiesand Television. "To make the productions available for in-school classroom use or seminars withother ITV personnel.” Each applicant submitted ten copies of a series proposal he considered an innovativeand effective contribution to ITV.Development of the idea was left solely to theapplicant,except for the advice and guidance supplied by the Project staff,orconsultants in content and production.The decision as to whether any advice given wasto be used was left to the discretion of the selected applicant. There were more than sixty qualified entries under the regulations stated in theannouncement,submitted from twenty-one states.In April and early May of 1967,selection panels convened in New York,Chicago,Los Angeles.Denver,and Atlanta,each one considering approximately twelve series proposals.The panelists were selectedfor thei;interest in ITV or the Humanities,or both,with each panel having at leastone person who had actual working experience on the high school level and preferablyin ITV.The results of the panels'dis

FAQs

What was the purpose of the ITV Humanities Project announced in 1967?

It aimed to encourage an interdisciplinary approach to teaching the humanities at the high school level and to develop five promising instructional television series proposals into pilot productions.

How were the five experimental pilots selected and developed?

Applicants submitted series proposals, then selection panels evaluated about twelve proposals each. Development relied on the applicant’s work with guidance from project staff and content and production consultants, using a workshop approach.

What sources does the report use to explain how the pilots evolved?

The report is built from transcribed conference and discussion materials documenting the shift from original ideas to final taped productions, supported by expert, student, and teacher evaluations and a production chronology for each show.

Sep 2, 2026

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