CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARTNERS WITH DISCOVERY EDUCATION TO CREATE DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
-- Digital content and professional development support district’s five-year organizational plan --
September 30, 2013
SILVER SPRING, Md. (September 30, 2013) - Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS), Maryland's ninth largest school system, announced today it has partnered with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content for K-12 classrooms, to create rich, 21st century learning environments in classrooms district wide.
Previously, CCPS students and teachers had limited access to digital content in the classroom. However, through a competitive grant from the Maryland Digital Learning Innovation Program, initiated by the Maryland State Department of Education and Gov. Martin O'Malley, CCPS will now provide the district's students 24/7 access to an award-winning science digital textbook and dynamic curriculum-based content from Discovery Education.
This content supports Superintendent Stephen Guthrie' five-year organizational plan, CCPS Vision 2018, by empowering CCPS educators with the digital resources and learning objects to ensure instruction that meet's each student's needs. The district has committed both fiscal and technical resources to support the implementation of this content beyond the life of the grant so that the vision upon which these efforts are based can be sustained.
"Resources that are relevant to the 21st Century learner are critical to preparing students to be competitive in the global economy and meeting students' instructional needs," said Margaret Pfaff, director of curriculum and instructional resources, Carroll County Public Schools. "Access to the Discovery Education Science Techbook and Streaming Plus service will allow teachers to add value to each student's learning experience from kindergarten through graduation, and we look forward to implementing these resources."
Students in CCPS grades 3-8 will now use Discovery Education Science TechbookTM, a fully interactive digital textbook with state-of-the-art lesson plans that can be used on any computer, laptop or tablet. In addition, all K-12 classrooms will have access to more than 155,000 dynamic digital learning objects that support all subject areas and learning styles through Discovery Education's Streaming Plus service.
To ensure these resources are implemented with fidelity, CCPS is also providing its educators robust, customized professional development from Discovery Education experts who will guide them through the process of integrating these resources into classroom instruction.
Discovery Education Science Techbook is built upon the 5E model of instruction, a non-linear curriculum pathway that promotes inquiry-based learning and enhances literacy and thinking skills and improves student achievement through interactive digital lessons that bring science to life. It supports college, career and citizenship readiness, and can work with any device, anywhere, anytime.
Discovery Education Streaming Plus features model lessons, dynamic digital content and content creation tools to support educators, engage students and prepare them for college, career and global citizenship. It also includes customized assessments as well as hundreds of lesson plans and model lessons that help facilitate the transition to a digital learning environment.
Interactive student features like My DE and Board Builder transform classrooms by creating an environment that encourages engagement, inquiry and creativity. My DE provides students individualized learning and exploration resources via different pathways through content. Board Builder enables students to create content by gathering evidence, forming arguments and supporting their claims.
In addition, the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) will support CCPS 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 excited to partner with Carroll County Public Schools in our joint mission to support the success of each learner and prepare students for their future," said Matt Monjan, vice president, Discovery Education. "This partnership illustrates the district's commitment to transforming teaching and learning in a way that engages today's students and prepares them for life beyond the classroom."
For more information about Discovery Education's suite of digital services and resources, visitwww.discoveryeducation.com.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Available in over half of all U.S. schools, community colleges and in 50 countries around the world, Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that accelerate academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.