Hernandez recognized as Jacobs Educator

By Risha Rohera
Theme Editor

Students who take broadcast journalism not only have the opportunity to experience and enhance their exposure to technology in the real world, but also have the opportunity to work with Costa’s media arts teacher Michael Hernandez, one of five Jacobs Educators in the country.

Chosen from applicants across the nation, Hernandez was recognized as a Jacobs Educator by Indiana University for the 2012-13 school year in September. The Jacobs Educator Award recognizes teachers who use technology to support inquiry-based teaching and learning.

“I’m an Apple Distinguished Educator, so we have an email list that I belong to,” Hernandez said. “Another one of those Apple Distinguished Educators is a graduate student at Indiana University, and he’s coordinating this program, so he sent something out to everybody. I saw that and I applied [to be a Jacobs Educator].”

Hernandez founded the nationally award-winning media arts program at Mira Costa in 1999. The program he established consists of the broadcast journalism and video production courses.

“Inquiry-based learning in classes is where the students have to work on projects and figure things out,” Hernandez said. “Broadcast journalism [is] inquiry-based because you have to become an expert on the topic, and you have to interview people and find facts.”

Hernandez applied to become a Jacobs Educator by writing an essay describing his beliefs on how technology can best be incorporated to support learning and teaching. He also submitted a video of broadcast journalism students who spoke about their views of the technology accessible to them and how it is integrated into their class.

“In our broadcast journalism class, we don’t just stick to one type of media,” Mustang Morning News director Allie Campbell said. “We do a broadcast show every week, but we [also] tweet, we blog and use video blogs with iPod Touches, which are accessible to everybody.”

As a Jacobs Educator, Hernandez will mentor students and teachers at Indiana University about ways to incorporate technology into inquiry-based learning. He is a resource for students who wish to learn about this unique type of teaching.

“He taught me everything I know and has provided us with all the resources we need,” broadcast journalism student sophomore Claire Hunt said. “We have a Mac lab with over a dozen computers, professional quality-cameras, and now we have a class iPad cart. My knowledge and interest in technology has grown exponentially since I have been in his class.”

The Jacobs Educator Award Program plans to honor Hernandez and the four other Jacobs Educators at the annual “Call to Teach” ceremony on Nov. 3 at the Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Education.

“You can really learn from [other educators] and share your ideas so everyone becomes a little bit better, which I think is the most valuable part [of teaching],” Hernandez said.