Michael Schoonmaker

Michael Schoonmaker began his production career at MTV, then moved to NBC’s Olympic Unit to work on coverage of the 1988 Games.

He is author of "Camera in the Classroom: Educating the Post-TV Generation," a product of 15 years of making movies with K-12 teachers and students.

He is the recipient of two Chancellor's Leadership Grants from Syracuse University: One for "Smart Kids Visual Stories" (2009-2011), a joint venture between the Newhouse School and the School of Education; and one for the LA Semester program. He won a national Cable in the Classroom Award for a television series he developed with the Erie City School District in Erie, Pa., in 2000. The series also garnered him a Books for Kids award for promoting reading through creative television programming.

Research and Special Projects

Co-principal investigator in the "Smart Kids, Visual Stories" project, a co-venture between the Newhouse School and School of Education to spearhead educational reform in urban schools.