The Weekly Update
from SD State Library School Library Services
February 1, 2022
Swank K-12 Streaming
You asked...the SD DOE and SDSL answered!
Based on discussions with and feedback from South Dakota educators, the SD Department of Education and SD State Library recognized the high demand for a video streaming option in our schools. After a lengthy vetting process, the DOE has entered into a three-year statewide agreement with Swank Motion Pictures. Swank's K-12 Streaming platform offers exclusive access to over 30,000 movies, feature films, documentaries, and foreign films to K-12 schools for instructional support. This agreement will provide an extra tool for SD educators to enhance lessons and provide online resources.
You now have access to a curated collection of top, educational films which are click-and-play ready in your streaming library. You are also able to search the entire library of films and request new films be added with an approved lesson plan.
This resource is being funded with federal dollars available to the Department of Education through the American Rescue Plan.
Swank is set up on the SDSL Database page as Educator Access Only. Simply click the link and then log-in with your k12.sd.us email and password.
Once logged in, you can browse Swank's extensive streaming library, show a film in class, and/or assign a film to your students to watch outside of class (with a link that can be emailed, posted in an LMS, or otherwise shared). When students click the link, they will also have to log in with their k12 account information to view the film on their own devices. *If you are not in a "k12 school", an alternate username/ password system is being set up for you.
Please note that in the Swank catalog, there are films that are pre-licensed for South Dakota educators that you can access immediately, and there are films that can be added for SD access upon request. If you do not see a title in their catalog and you make a request for it to be added, your school district will be charged the acquisition fee if the request is granted.
Also, please note that there are films available with a variety of ratings. If you have concerns about assigning titles to students, it is recommended that you use Swank as an in-school resource only. Questions on content/use can be directed to the South Dakota State Library staff.
Swank Training Call
Tuesday, February 15: 9am MT/10amCST
Join the Zoom meeting here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88047882735?pwd=Wm1SOHU1cUdHbWxVTm96NFhtQ1lqQT09
Thursday, February 17: 3pm MT/4pm CST
Join the Zoom meeting here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89916525714?pwd=eGhxSitIcEVoMS9VVzNMSzFhRE8wZz09
The School Library Scoop with Scottie
Episode 16: Swank K-12 Streaming
I hope you're enjoying this new platform for short tutorials on school library services, technology tips and trends, and so much more. If you have suggestions or requests for future topics, please click the "Topic Suggestions" button below. Past episodes can be viewed on SDSL's YouTube Channel.
Using Films in the Classroom
If you are interested in how to use films in the library and classroom for more than just a reward, you can find help from scholarly research that has been done on the subject. A quick search in ProQuest (one of SDSL's FREE Databases) brought up many results. Here are just three, but do a little exploring (hint: look at the "Related Items" feature with each article) and you can find plenty more:
Whipple, Michele. "Let's Go to the Movies: Rethinking the Role of Film in the Elementary Classroom." Language Arts, vol. 76, no. 2, 1998, pp. 144-150. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/lets-go-movies-rethinking-role-film-elementary/docview/196848414/se-2?accountid=44669.
Metzger, Scott A. "Maximizing the Educational Power of History Movies in the Classroom: A Journal for Readers, Students and Teachers of History." The Social Studies, vol. 101, no. 3, 2010, pp. 127-136. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/maximizing-educational-power-history-movies/docview/744577417/se-2?accountid=44669.
Vetrie, Michael. "Using Film to Increase Literacy Skills." English Journal, vol. 93, no. 3, 2004, pp. 39-45. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/using-film-increase-literacy-skills/docview/237296260/se-2?accountid=44669.
1 Instructional Guide
2 Swank Help Options
- Swank K-12 Streaming Help Page includes topic specific help such as requesting movies, sharing movies, and playing movies.
- If you have issues logging into the Swank streaming platform, contact the K-12 Data Center by creating a support ticket or by emailing help@k12.sd.us.
3 Swank Instructional Videos
..from SDSL School Library Services
The Weekly Update is a correspondence from the South Dakota State Library focusing on current topics in school libraries, best practices, resources, professional development, and more.
Email: scottie.bruch@state.sd.us
Website: library.sd.gov/LIB/SLC
Location: 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD, USA
Phone: 605-295-3152
SDSL does not endorse any service or product listed or linked to in this newsletter.