Silver Spring, Md. (Dec. 15, 2009) – This January, Discovery Education is hosting a free, virtual professional development opportunity focusing on showing educators and administrators how to incorporate digital content and the latest educational technologies into science instruction. Scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, from 9 a.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST, Discovery Educator Network SCIcon 2010 will highlight best practices and new techniques attendees can apply to their science lessons to improve student achievement.
Supported by Discovery Education, the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) is a community of more than 125,000 active educators. Through the DEN, members have access to a wide range of technology training, as well as a resource library of teacher-generated projects and tools.
During the event, Discovery Education experts will present a series of information-packed sessions specifically designed to help educators learn how to integrate the latest educational technologies and science-related digital resources into classroom instruction. Sessions will address teaching global climate change issues, paperless instruction, hands-on activities, teaching with the MYTHBUSTERS, and fun, easy and effective science experiments.
Discovery Education staff also will share information related to the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge and the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, two annual competitions that encourage students to showcase their scientific understanding.
Discovery Educator Network SCIcon 2010 will be delivered online to attendees worldwide and through in-person trainings hosted by Discovery Educator Network Leadership Councils across the country. Those attending in-person gatherings will participate in online presentations, as well as breakout sessions presented by local STAR Discovery Educators. STAR Discovery Educators are Discovery Educator Network members recognized for their efforts in sharing their insight and expertise with peers through activities such as trainings, workshops or presentations.
Educators and administrators interested in learning more, or registering for Discovery Educator Network SCIcon 2010, can visit http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/scienceinaction/denscicon/. Discovery Educator Network SCIcon 2010 sessions are expected to fill to capacity, so participants are encouraged to register for this event today.
Discovery Education is deeply committed to improving science literacy nationwide. In addition to providing effective professional development opportunities and digital resources such as Discovery Education Science, Discovery Education is providing critical components of "Be the Future," a new multimedia, multi-year nationwide initiative from Discovery Communications. Answering President Obama’s recent call to action to boost science literacy, Discovery Education’s contributions to “Be the Future” include:
– STEM Connect: This new curriculum-based and career development science resource is a module designed to fuel teacher and classroom engagement by helping students link science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to the real world. Through a collection of rich media educational content, career exploration tools, interactives, and hands-on activities, STEM Connect makes science concepts come alive. STEM Connect is available today.
– The Siemens STEM Academy: Partnering with the Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education will create a national STEM education program for teachers. Designed to support educators in their efforts to foster student achievement in STEM, the program will include the first online, shared repository of STEM best teaching practices, a National Teacher Academy bringing together science educators from across the country, and an ongoing Webinar series featuring leading scientists and experts in their fields. The program will launch on Jan. 1, 2010.
"This training, provided at no cost to educators, is another example of Discovery Education’s commitment to improving science education in America," said Scott Kinney, Discovery Education vice president 