WLIW21 New York Public Television continues the award-winning Learning Curve education series with a new half-hour installment, LEARNING CURVE: Innovations in Teaching, on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30 pm. The station's ninth Learning Curve special focuses on Long Island school districts that offer students unique opportunities in learning. Series hosts Patrick Halpin and Lisa Jandovitz examine these programs and their impact.

The first segment of the 30-minute program features participants in the annual Long Island Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. Dozens of high schools on Long Island take part in this competition in which students work with professional mentors to design and build sophisticated robots. Learning Curve examines how this innovative program gets students interested and exposed to engineering, science and technology.

In the program's second segment, Learning Curve visits the Three Village School District in Stony Brook, Long Island where fifth and sixth grade students are given a unique opportunity in music education in the nationally recognized Student Composition Program.

LEARNING CURVE: Innovations in Teaching is the ninth program in WLIW21's series exploring important issues in education. The series, launched in 2003, also includes łtown hall meeting" broadcasts. These have covered a variety of topics including teacher quality, taxes and budgets, school leadership and the role of principals, parent involvement, high school reform, school discipline, advanced placement, high school standards, character education and school takeovers. Learning Curve was recognized in 2006 with a Bronze Telly Award and a Press Club of Long Island Media Award, and named "Best Public Affairs Program/Series" in the 2004 New York State Broadcasters Association's awards.