Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS), Maryland’s ninth largest school system, announced today it has partnered with Discovery Education to offer digital 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 a 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 providing CCPS educators with the digital resources needed. 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 Techbook™, an interactive digital textbook with 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.
CCPS is also providing its educators customized professional development from Discovery Education advisors 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 college and career readiness.
Discovery Education Streaming Plus features model lessons, dynamic digital content and content creation tools. 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 help promote individualized learning, forming arguments and supporting their claims.
In addition, the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) will offer support CCPS 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.
“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, visit www.discoveryeducation.com.
