Inspiring a Life Full of Learning for All Our Audiences
Post categories: BBC Learning
|12:00 UK time, Monday, 27 September 2010
I’m sitting here writing this blog because - as a child of seven - I was inspired by Tomorrow’s World.Presenters like Raymond Baxter told stories and did experiments that made me want to study science at school and take a degree in metallurgy.I broke off my PhD to join the BBC Science Department and in 1997 I came full circle when I took over as editor of Tomorrow’s World.
So the BBC set me on a journey of discovery that has shaped my whole life.And there are tens of thousands of people all over this country who have similar stories - of how particular programmes sparked their curiosity, inspired a lifelong passion, gave them basic skills or kindled an ambition.And today, when we launch the new strategy for learning at the BBC, it’s those stories that have inspired our vision.
We want everyone in the UK to have a story about how the BBC enriched their lives.Which is why our new educational vision for the BBC is simple:we want to inspire a life full of learning for all our audiences.
That’s because learning transforms lives, opens windows onto unfamiliar people, places and cultures, increases knowledge, expands the imagination, and nourishes communities. It changes people and makes the world a better place.
The BBC has been committed to learning ever since the first schools broadcast in 1924.And the desire to inspire and help and increase understanding drives much of our output.We already do a huge amount, but I believe we can do much more.
At the heart of our new strategy is the desire to unlock the learning potential that exists across the vast range of BBC output and activities – whether it’s on television, radio or online; whether it’s national, regional or local; using all of our specialist expertise, from News to Music, from Natural History to Sport, from Drama to Arts.
That’s why today we’ve announced a range of projects that make the most of the BBC.Wallace and Gromit inspiring people to create amazing inventions.EastEnders heading into the classroom with E20 to get teenagers talking about bullying.Michael Wood getting the UK to uncover its own history.And the Bang Goes The Theory gang presenting their own special ‘do try this at home’ science demonstrations – that’s what I would truly have loved as a seven year old.
Saul Nassé is Controller of Learning at the BBC
Read more about the new strategy for learning at the BBC on the Press Office website
Comment number 1.
At 05:04 28th Sep 2010, kathrynsias wrote:There is so much intelligence to this post. A new strategy for learning could very well be transforming lives.
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Comment number 2.
At 16:25 3rd Oct 2010, David Jones wrote:Such a shame that the BBC dropped Tomorrow's World. I think now, more than ever, it would find a strong audience.
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Comment number 3.
At 11:37 4th Oct 2010, John Leach wrote:I think this is a brilliant move. Learning transforms lives, how true! I hope that we see more learning around enterprise and entrepreneurship - this will be an important career option for many unemployed and highly talented graduates. Some of the existing programmes on this matter whilst entertaining do not help or support the individual with an idea - this is a learning "thing"
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Comment number 4.
At 15:05 5th Oct 2010, Saul Nasse wrote:Tomorrow's World may be long gone, but it's there in spirit with BBC One's Bang Goes the Theory which has tonnes of TW's 'put it to the test' brio. I went along to a Bang roadshow in Great Yarmouth the other day and was delighted to see presenter Yan Wong inspiring youngsters with hands-on science in a way that would make Raymond Baxter proud.
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Comment number 5.
At 11:37 6th Oct 2010, Stephen Schwab wrote:As a teacher & Consultant for The Geographical Association, I fully support your credo.
I would rather see the focus on the programme than a named presenter, if the content is eye/mind challenging you dont need Wallace or Phil Mitchell onboard. Maybe put the money on an expert to give passion to the programme.
Secondly lets call Geography programmes just that rather than Natural History or Science or Edutainment. Just a tiny thing but the G word is underpaid in lip service.
I still have clips from Tomorrows World that I use in a Post Modern look back in joy way.
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