Office of Cultural Education

Educational Television & Public Broadcasting

Continuing Education

New York State’s Public Broadcasting stations are committed to lifelong learning.  Adult Education programming provided by the stations offers adults the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, develop literacy skills, focus on career skills, or learn English as a second language. 

TV 411 teaches life skills in a manageable, lively format. The series focuses on parenting, money matters, and health. Subjects include reading comprehension, research techniques, writing to others, filling out forms, calculating percentages, using fractions, test-taking, and more.

GED Connection is a dynamic multimedia instructional package that prepares learners for the new GED exam and for the world beyond. It creatively combines video, workbooks and the Internet. The series uses an engaging documentary-style approach to instruction, with many real-life examples of how people use the skills and knowledge tested on the GED at work and in their homes and communities. GED Connection combines interviews with experts, learners, poets and scientists with documentary footage and informational graphics. The series is informative and exciting, even for curious, non-GED viewers.

Workplace Essential Skills teaches not just the skills but also the attitudes necessary to succeed at work.  Reading, writing, math, communication, and problem solving are presented in workplace contexts. Learners see how to prepare résumés and applications and how to prepare themselves for interviews and for the workplace. In-depth documentary and scripted footage shows what employers look for in new hires and how to fit in and thrive in a new job.

Crossroads Café is an educational series appropriate for teaching English as a second language (ESL), adult literacy, basic skills (pre-GED), workplace, and correctional educational programs.

Learn to Read provides reading instruction to pre-GED students.

Follow these links to find out about adult education series like GED Connection, Workplace Essential Skills, Crossroads Café, TV 411, Learn to Read and Math Basics, as well as tele-tutoring and outreach from your public television station:

EdVideo Online Adult Education programming on demand free of charge provided by your public television station

Outside Resources

ThinkBright TV Broadcast channel and online service promoting lifelong learning

Thirteen/WNET, New York City

WMHT, Capital District

WSKG, Binghamton

WNED, Buffalo

WLIW, Long Island

Mountain Lake PBS, Plattsburgh

WXXI, Rochester

WCNY, Syracuse

WPBS, Watertown

Last Updated: July 30, 2009