Charleston County School District (CCSD), the second largest school system in South Carolina, and Discovery Education announced today an expansion of their partnership that brings Discovery Education’s digital science textbook to elementary and middle school classrooms district-wide.
Through this expansion, CCSD students in grades 1-8 will now have access to Discovery Education’s Science Techbook™ series. The digital science textbook, which replaces traditional textbooks, features video, digital simulations and explorations, virtual and hands-on labs, and an interactive glossary with animations, audio and video. The series is currently available for K-8 and high school courses including Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, and Physics.
The expanded partnership continues Superintendent Nancy McGinley’s five-year plan, Vision 2016, which aims to advance student achievement in the district through literacy improvement and teacher effectiveness. Science Techbook supports this effort through comprehensive literacy resources, including a multimodal interactive glossary and text-to-voice capabilities. District educators will receive professional development from Discovery Education advisors to support them as they integrate the Science Techbook series into classroom instruction.
“We are looking forward to working with Discovery Education’s expert team to implement high-quality digital resources that actively engage students to think, analyze and communicate like scientists,” said Rodney Moore, science curriculum specialist at Charleston County School District.
Since 2004, CCSD educators and students across the district have had access to dynamic digital resources through Discovery Education Streaming, a digital library of over 100,000 learning objects aligned to state and national standards.
A cloud-based application that works on any platform and classroom configuration, the Science Techbook series is built upon the 5E model of instruction that promotes inquiry-based learning and literacy skills. A recent study conducted by independent research firm Merola Research, LLC found that usage of Science Techbook increased student achievement scores, including that of ELL learners on the FCAT, Florida’s standardized test.
The Discovery Educator Network (DEN) will continue to support CCSD educators in their efforts to teach 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 networking and idea sharing.
