ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Public Broadcasting Service have utilized Ready To Learn grants from the US Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement to engage in research on how to support teachers in preschool classrooms as they leverage transmedia-based activities to increase children’s learning. It describes the current context for most early childhood educators, and how the Ready to Learn Initiative has designed teaching and learning environments that support teachers in engaging in the types of learning activities that are most productive in leveraging transmedia-based resources. Clearly, research is required for the reader to take advantage of the potential benefits of transmedia, given the current needs and realities of the preschool classroom and the lack of formal preparation of most early childhood educators. While the professional development that the people have offered has varied slightly in its exact delivery, it typically consists of formal in-person professional development sessions accompanied by on-site teacher coaching.
