Michigan’s Dundee Community Schools (DCS) and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, today announced the commencement of a new partnership that will accelerate the district’s transition to digital teaching and learning.
Through this new collaboration, all DCS K-12 classrooms will receive access to Discovery Education’s award-winning Streaming Plus digital content service. In addition, to support the integration of these new digital resources into classroom instruction, educators from four Dundee Community Schools will also participate in the district’s Educational Technology Teacher Leader Corps (ETTLC) initiative, which is powered by Discovery Education’s Digital Leader Corps professional development model. A comprehensive professional development system, Digital Leader Corps supports the growth of teacher-leaders as they become change agents powering the district's transition to dynamic digital learning environments.
The Dundee Community Schools are dedicated to nurturing each student’s academic skills and character. To meet this goal and support district efforts to develop knowledgeable, responsible, and caring citizens, DCS is transitioning to 1:1 digital learning environments districtwide. The integration of Discovery Education Streaming Plus into these learning environments and the use of the Digital Leader Corps professional development model within the ETTLC provides the high quality digital content and pedagogical support DCS educators need to make their evolving 1:1 classrooms come alive and support the success of all learners.
Discovery Education Streaming Plus is a comprehensive digital service supplementing instruction across all K-12 curricular areas that help build students’ mastery in interpreting, understanding, and evaluating information. Students can access a variety of digital assets including images, primary source documents, podcasts, oral interviews, books on tape, articles, videos, and more, and are empowered to become content creators with a suite of content creation tools that help teachers and students safely and easily collaborate in real-time on virtual projects. Teacher resources include lesson plans, instructional strategies, and content collections organized around themes, as well as a collection of new STEM resources designed to fuel a cultural shift in teaching and learning.
Digital Leader Corps, which is helping drive the Educational Technology Teacher Leader Corps initiative, develops teacher-leaders prepared to propel the district's transition to modern digital learning environments. Twelve teachers from DCS’s elementary, middle, and high schools will participate in this professional learning system, becoming agents for change prepared to drive the district’s ongoing transition to digital teaching and learning.
“Creating digital learning environments that mirror our students’ use of technology outside the classroom is a key component of Dundee Community Schools’ effort to improve academic achievement,” said Edward Manuszak, Dundee Community Schools Superintendent. “We believe our new partnership with Discovery Education will provide the staff the sustained professional development they need to achieve this goal.”
The Discovery Education Community will also support the DCS’s educators’ efforts to transform students’ learning experiences with dynamic digital media. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community 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.
“The Discovery Education team is excited to support the Dundee Community Schools’ ongoing digital transition,” said Kelly Hoce, Director of Education Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We look forward to collaborating with teachers and administrators across the school system on our joint mission to prepare every student for success beyond the classroom.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources, professional development initiatives, and other services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
