Efurbishment Ltd is proud to have helped Teachers TV win first prize in the web division of the 2007 Japan Prize. This “International Educational Programme Contest was established by NHK in 1965 with aims of contributing to the advancement of educational programs around the world and the promotion of international understanding and cooperation.”

From the Jury comments:

The winning website Teachers TV gives this generation of teachers an online & on-air world that helps them stay cutting edge in their classroom which in turn helps them understand the online world their students are immersed in.

The jury found this site for teachers contains a wealth of information delivered in a refreshingly simple interface. The site architecture, including the overall organization of the content, internal and external cross-linking allows the users to find needed information effectively with multiple entry points. Teachers TV allows teachers to share best practices of teaching and to utilize over 2,000 videos and ancillary materials. This site allows teachers to create an extensive online community through comments, feedback, and rating in order to share best practices. The Teachers TV Associates program allows 700 teachers to play an ongoing role in development of the site, having dialogue with the site producers. Beginner teachers can watch videos that role model classroom techniques and then post feedback on whether it actually works for them while older teachers can use this site to update their current teaching practices.

The challenges for teachers going into the digital age are enormous - not only do teachers need their own awareness raised with regards to the web but they all need to easily access the digital tools that help create an online community of their own. Teachers TV gives an educator easy access to videos, podcasts, RSS, and social network tools. These are the tools used everyday by their students and when a teacher logs on and uses Teachers TV they can access an online site whose depth and wealth is outstanding and yet simple and easy to use. For that reason we are pleased to present them the 2007 Japan Prize Web Award to Teachers TV.