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What is Society Education Media?
Society Education Media (SEM) is an educational video on-demand channel that features one-of-a-kind videos relating to the fields of social work, juvenile justice and law. Think of it as a “Netflix for classroom use.” SEM content spans a wide range of real-life stories, topics and issues that bring powerful, first-hand experiences directly to students.
Why aren’t these videos free?
This question is a painful one for us. For many years we searched for grant funds to launch an initiative of this scope, with the idea to offer this content free of charge to those who need it most. Unfortunately, after seven years of applications, meetings and endless discussions, we came up empty. It’s been a tough vision to articulate to those with the pursestrings.
Over the past 20 years, we have provided thousands of DVDs and individual links to our videos free of charge (or at-cost) for nearly every educator or organization that has reached out to us. But no matter how many individual orders we try to fulfill, it has never been enough to reach the masses. This is especially true in today’s environment, where streaming video is the fastest, most effective way to reach the classroom.
So, this is a long way of saying, without a financial mechanism to launch and sustain this platform, continue filming in these environments, and release new videos on a regular basis, there was only one way to finally bring this massive initiative to fruition: a streaming subscription platform that will do just that -- allow us to reach everyone who needs this material, wherever learning takes place.
What topics are covered in these videos?
The videos primarily center on issues related to social work, child welfare, child development, juvenile justice, criminal justice, law and psychology. However, with nearly 25 years of experience producing content in these arenas, we have received positive feedback on the effectiveness of this content across the academic spectrum. This includes schools of Journalism, Nursing schools, and programs in Psychiatry, Psychology, and Social Work. Also, high school educators report that our videos are extremely engaging for writing prompts in English and other Humanities classes.
Do some of the videos cover the same cases and stories?
Simple answer: yes. Our experience surveying educators across the spectrum led us to produce and offer this content in various forms. For example, some teachers and professors prefer short, general “vignettes” for curriculum development and class discussion; others prefer a deep-dive documentary film; and still others might solely prefer specific categories of content (i.e. courtroom scenes only). Society Education Media offers it all. The number of videos you purchase -- whether one video, a complete collection or every video on the Platform -- is up to you. If you don’t see a self-serve option that works for you, please contact us at info@societyeducationmedia.com and we will work to create a customized offering that suits your needs.
Can I use the videos in my classroom?
Yes you can. With a standard single user educational license you can watch and bookmark videos, show them to your live class or stream them over video conference to your virtual classroom. If you’d like your students to have their own accounts, so that they can watch videos independently, please contact us for classroom or institutional subscription options.
My video doesn’t play back smoothly. How can I fix this?
Video playback depends on many factors including the computer/device being used, the internet browser, internet connection quality, and many other variables. If there are playback issues, try viewing the video in a different web browser. If that doesn’t help, try using a different computer/device and making sure your internet connection is strong. These are usually the simple fixes for playback issues you may have.
Additionally, some older versions of Android did not manage secure video playback well. This is an Android issue which can easily be resolved by ensuring you have the latest version of Android installed on your device along with Google Chrome. Some Android devices, such as Samsung phones, come with a custom browser that does not support secure video playback. Please ensure you are actually running Google Chrome on your Android device.
More tips to help playback issues:
1. Make sure you have a fast and stable internet connection. We recommend a minimum download speed of 10Mbps for smooth playback.
2. Try refreshing your browser, or switching to a modern browser like Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
3. Restart your wireless router or modem.
I'm having issues streaming videos to my virtual class over Zoom.
Zoom's recommendations can be found here.
What if I have other technical problems with SEM?
For any technical issues please contact us directly.
How long is each video?
The videos on Society Education Media range in length. Consider them the way you might categorize clothing: Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Whether you're looking for a short video vignette (3:00), a medium-length video (20:00), a documentary film or long-form story (50:00) or an expansive deep-dive video (60:00+), we have what you need. This makes mixing-and-matching simple.
When were these videos filmed?
This is perhaps the most important aspect of Society Education Media: our two-decade history covering these stories, cases and issues. This allows teachers and professors to introduce students to the depth and breadth required to truly understand some of the most urgent issues of our time -- the “then” and “now.” The videos on this platform range in dates from the year 2000 to the year 2020. Allowing students to actually witness how system-involved youth have been handled in these closed systems over the course of 20 years, how frontline staff have been trained and perform their jobs, and how laws across the U.S. continually change and evolve over time, gives a window into this world that has never before been offered for classroom use.
Are the videos applicable for introductory and advanced classes?
Yes. A resounding YES!
Can I have access to all the videos on the Platform?
Yes. Society Education Media pricing has been tailored to meet your needs. Our primary goal is to make this content available to everyone who needs it, at a price that is far below other large, aggregated collections. We offer individual, classroom and institutional subscriptions that we can customize to your needs. Please contact us to find out more about subscription options. A portion of the proceeds from this site will be donated to organizations working directly with system-involved youth and families … organizations with a proven track record of generating positive outcomes and a more equitable future for kids and families who are too often marginalized in our society.
What is the pricing structure for Society Education Media?
We’ve tried to make our subscription pricing as simple as possible: annual subscriptions as well as individual and collection rentals. You’ll save a lot on an annual subscription, but we hope our pricing allows you to find what you need in the price range you want. You can always contact us directly for special requests.
Do you offer custom subscription pricing for large school districts, colleges and university systems?
Yes! We understand university systems and school districts often prefer to subscribe to large collections such as Society Education Media in order to make these collections available to all teachers and professors within an entire system. Contact us directly for special subscription pricing for your needs.
Will new videos be released on a regular basis or is this the complete collection?
New videos will be added to Society Education Media as we have the ability to add more from our archives as well as produce new content. We understand the need for updated and engaging content on a regular basis. We look forward to bringing that your way!
Can I download the videos?
No. The videos cannot be downloaded.