How do you use news programs, documentaries, and other great educational programing without worrying about copyright violation or fast forwarding through commercials? The answer is Cable in Classroom.

Cable in the Classroom allows educators to use commercial free educational programing for direct instruction. Unknown to most educators is that many informational programs are shown at various times of the night and early morning, commercial free. It allows you to have up-to-date video instruction for students.

Created in 1989 to help schools take advantage of educational cable programming and technology, CIC has become a leading national advocate for media literacy education and for the use of technology and media for learning, as well as a valuable resource of educational cable content and services for policymakers, educators and industry leaders.

The Cable in the Classroom television programs cover a wide curriculum spectrum. They have programs for pre-school through college in a variety of subject areas. Some of the subject areas you most frequently find are:

• English
• Math
• History
• Science
• Health

The programs have various video taping permission guidelines. Some programs may be taped for classroom use without an end date, while others may only be used for a specific time period. You may often keep the program for one to two years. This is much loner than the 45 day restriction for most off-the-air tapings. There is a monthly Cable in the Classroom guide which has the video tape permission information.

These aren't old, boring programs, but the latest productions. Some of the commercial free television programs associated with the Cable in the Classroom program are well known programs. Many cable companies will provide free subscriptions to the The Cable in the Classroom guide. The website has a wealth of information for the educator who may be new to using this type of technology in the classroom.