PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is a web-based PreK–12 resource library and classroom toolset for educators and students. It is best for teachers who want standards-aligned materials and sharing tools without a subscription. Its breadth and classroom integrations are useful, though every feature requires a free account and printed pages carry restrictions.

Overview

More than 30,000 classroom-ready materials from PBS member stations and partners span videos, images, interactives, lesson plans, articles and primary sources. State and national curriculum alignment gives teachers a useful starting point for matching resources to course goals; the range of formats also suits lessons that need more than video. Students can watch videos and complete assignments, while users can search and share content on the platform.

Key features

Search filters cover grade, subject, resource type, video length, accessibility supports and language. That makes a large library more manageable, particularly when a lesson has specific grade, format or accessibility needs. With a free account, teachers can browse by standards, save favorites, build lessons and create shareable folders.

PBS LearningMedia integrates with Google Classroom, Clever and Remind. Its Google Workspace Marketplace listing supports saving, downloading and creating content, teacher lesson tools, and sharing to Google Classroom. These options fit classrooms already using those services; video downloads are not included as a platform feature, so it is not a substitute for a video-download library.

PBS says classroom use does not require permission, including distribution through Lesson Builder, Clever, Google Classroom or Remind. Printed pages must include the website URL and cannot be distributed to students for a charge. Those terms leave room for ordinary classroom sharing but make paid print distribution unsuitable. For training or a refresher, PBS directs users to [email protected]. PBS also says it will not sell student data or use it for targeted advertising, and that it uses commercially reasonable technical, administrative and physical safeguards.

Pricing

PBS LearningMedia costs nothing. The free plan serves PreK–12 educators and students, and a free account is required for all features; there is no paid tier to choose for additional access. That keeps it accessible to individual teachers and students, while requiring account setup even for the full feature set. Classroom tools and admin analytics are included, and the plan indicates mobile access, although the platform is web-based.

Platforms

PBS LearningMedia is available on the web. The plan includes mobile access, but there is no separate mobile platform in its platform list.

Who it's for

It is a strong fit for PreK–12 teachers who plan around curriculum standards, need a broad mix of classroom materials, or share content through Google Classroom, Clever or Remind. Students can use the service for videos and assignments. Teachers who need paid printing, video downloads, or access without creating an account should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pros: More than 30,000 standards-aligned resources across multiple formats give teachers breadth for lesson planning.
• Pros: Standards browsing, lesson building, folders and classroom integrations support sharing and classroom workflows.
• Pros: The free plan includes classroom tools and admin analytics, with no subscription charge.
• Cons: All features require a free account, so access is not entirely account-free.
• Cons: Printed pages must retain the website URL and cannot be sold to students, limiting some handout uses.
• Cons: Video downloads are not included, which may rule it out for workflows that depend on downloaded video.

Alternatives

For browsing other collections, compare Educational Video Libraries and Teacher Resource Libraries.

• ClickView is worth considering for teachers seeking a free account with a free school allocation of 10 video streams per month, expandable to 35 by inviting others; it also offers Android, iOS and web access.
• Gil Hedley Integral Anatomy is a focused alternative for learners seeking its anatomy video series and related content, including a free plan.
• Into Film+ suits English state schools funded by the Department for Education with a valid PVS Licence, offering a free 600+ title catalogue.
• NFSA Digital Resource Finder offers free-for-education video clips and resources.
• TED-Ed is an option for free lesson creation and lesson consumption tools.
• VideoLectures.NET offers open access to educational video lectures, including on iOS and the web.
• Australian Screen Online (ASO) Education is another freely available web resource.
• Open Yale Courses offers free public access without registration, but does not provide Yale course credit, a degree or a certificate.

Verdict

Choose PBS LearningMedia if you teach PreK–12 and want a large, standards-aligned resource library with lesson-building and classroom-sharing tools at no subscription cost. Its mix of formats and integrations makes it particularly useful for curriculum-focused classrooms. Look elsewhere if you need downloadable video or want to distribute printed pages to students for a charge.