June 8th, 2015 by WCBC Radio
Maryland’s Allegany County Public Schools (ACPS) announced today an expansion of its partnership with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, creating authentic digital learning environments in classrooms district-wide.
ACPS is currently transitioning to the Next Generation Science Standards and implementing the Maryland College and Career Standards. To support this effort, last year the school system integrated the award-winning Discovery Education Science Techbook™ into middle school classrooms districtwide, and provided all ACPS K-12 classrooms access to the award-winning Discovery Education Streaming Plus, a comprehensive digital service supplementing instruction across all K-12 curricular areas.
To further aid this effort and fulfill the district’s mission to provide a rigorous and relevant education that prepares students to graduate ready for college and careers, ACPS will now provide students in grades K-8 access to the award-winning Discovery Education Science Techbook™.
Utilizing an inquiry-based format built on the 5E model, the Science Techbook, through hands-on labs, digital explorations, an interactive glossary, and data analysis activities, helps teach students to read, write, and think like scientists. A recent study conducted by independent research firm Merola Research, LLC found that usage of Science Techbook is associated with higher science achievement scores in elementary and middle school students.
Discovery Education Streaming Plus’ digital resources are aligned to state standards and searchable, and teacher resources include lesson plans, instructional strategies, and content collections organized around themes. Through Discovery Education Streaming Plus, students can access images, primary source documents, podcasts, oral interviews, audio books, articles, videos, and more. To help fully leverage these resources, ACPS is also providing district educators customized professional development from Discovery Education experts.
“Rich multimedia content has the ability to transform the way students learn and teachers teach,” said Eric VanSlyke, Supervisor of Science at Allegany County Public Schools. “Our continued partnership with Discovery Education will be critically important as ACPS strives to provide all learners with access to digital content that is engaging, powerful, and relevant so that students are prepared for college and careers.”
“Allegany County Public Schools is committed to creating modern digital learning environments that prepare students for college and career readiness,” said Dr. Kim Green, Chief Academic Officer at ACPS. “Our partnership with Discovery Education provides the unique combination of digital content and professional development that helps support this goal, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration.”
Discovery Education Techbook™ is a breakthrough digital textbook series that is aligned to rigorous standards, supports a comprehensive curriculum, and includes professional development. Techbooks are platform neutral and can be used in one-to-one or one-to-many configurations and in any instructional environment. The Techbook series:
· Saves teachers time with its comprehensive design that includes model lessons, student activities, and assessments at their fingertips;
· Supports differentiation through interactive features that change the reading level of text and enable text to be read aloud; and
· Updates regularly at no additional cost.
ACPS is also piloting Discovery Education’s Math and Social Studies Techbooks.
The Discovery Educator Network (DEN) will also support ACPS educators in their efforts to transform students’ learning experience with digital media. A global community of education professionals, the DEN connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
“Discovery Education is proud to partner with Allegany County Public Schools in our joint mission to support the success of each learner,” said Andrew Bradigan, Director of Educational Partnerships at Discovery Education. “The dedicated efforts of Superintendent Dr. David Cox and his team illustrate the district’s deep commitment to transforming teaching and learning in a way that engages today’s students and prepares them for life beyond the classroom.”
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