All programs available in Explore Media are carefully selected from trusted broadcast sources and indexed by Informit’s expert cataloguers. Content includes programs from leading international channels such as Al Jazeera, BBC Knowledge, The History Channel, and Discovery, alongside a comprehensive archive of Australian news and current affairs spanning more than 15 years.
You can access Explore Media’s content and features via the Explore platform, alongside Explore’s text content.
Explore Media includes:
- Feature films, television series, documentaries, current affairs and news clips
- Curated topic pages that group videos around key themes
- Interactive Screen Guides for selected films, with teaching and discussion support
- Spotlight collections focusing on key areas of film
Explore Media can be used:
- In classrooms and libraries
- For student research and assignments
- For lesson planning and professional learning
- As an alternative to open platforms where video access is restricted
How does Explore Media work?
Explore Media is an add-on to Informit’s Explore database, which already provides access to a rich collection of textual resources. By integrating video content into the platform, Explore Media extends your search experience and aligns media with Explore’s existing subject and topic categories.
It’s important to note that all schools must hold a valid Screenrights license to access Explore Media.
The platform is designed for both teachers and students. Teachers enjoy unrestricted access, while student access is automatically filtered to display age-appropriate content based on your school’s classification settings. During onboarding, schools set a baseline classification restriction for students. Admin users, including teachers, can access the full video catalogue when logged in as an individual and can share restricted content with students as needed.
Using media as a student
As a student, Explore Media helps you find reliable video content for learning and assessment.
You can use Explore Media to:
- Watch short clips or longer programs related to your subject
- Explore curated topic pages created by educators
- Use videos as sources for assignments and presentations
- Build background knowledge on unfamiliar topics
Using media as a teacher
Explore Media supports teachers by providing classroom-ready video content aligned with curriculum themes and learning outcomes.
Teachers use Explore Media to:
- Source prescribed films or television programs
- Source media content that can be clipped and used to introduce or reinforce key concepts
- Use media content to support discussion, inquiry, and critical thinking
- Provide accessible alternatives to text-based resources
- Replace or supplement content from open video platforms, such as YouTube
Key features for teachers:
- Curated topic pages to support lesson planning
- Screen Guides (for selected films) with discussion questions, activities and clips
- Share and embed options for use in LMS or online classrooms
- Reliable access for students without ads or external links
As a teacher, you have access to Informit’s full media catalogue. To view restricted content, however, you’ll need to be logged in with your own email address so Informit can recognise you as a teacher. This requires setting up an individual account and logging in using the Log in button at the top left-hand side of the screen (even if you’re already logged in via your school).
Logging in with an individual account also unlocks personalised features, including saving favourites, creating clips, and setting up search or publication alerts. For step-by-step instructions, please see this article on logging in with an individual account.
Navigating Explore Media
Explore Media is fully integrated into the Informit Explore platform, which means media appears alongside articles and other resources, with clear pathways for browsing, searching, and viewing.
At a high level, Explore Media can be accessed in four main ways.
The media landing page
The media landing page is the central hub for Explore Media. It is designed for first time or return discovery, making it ideal when you’re planning lessons, exploring a theme, or looking for engaging entry points into a topic. Featured and Spotlight content is regularly refreshed to reflect curriculum priorities, current events, and commonly taught themes.
From the media landing page, you can browse curated spotlight collections, featured programs, and interactive screen guides. Screen Guides include discussion questions, activities, curated clips and resources, and curriculum links, providing ready-made lesson tools, or helping you quickly assess whether a video is suitable for classroom use.
Topic pages
Many Explore topic pages include dedicated media sections, where videos have been specifically indexed to that subject area. This allows you to move seamlessly between text and video resources within the same learning context.
Search results
Media content is also surfaced through standard searches across Explore. When you search for a topic, media items appear alongside articles and other resources, and can be filtered to show only video content if needed.
Item pages
Each video program has its own item page, where you can view the video, read a detailed description, and see broadcast information, subject tags, and related content.
From the item page, teachers can share videos with students, copy stable links, clip videos, or integrate content into their LMS.
Still need help? Please reach out to support.informit@rmit.edu.au