DEN Blog Network

We have a lot of programs that teachers and their students can participate in for free.  One of my personal favorites is the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. 

The Challenge is designed to help your students work together to solve an environmental problem in their…

• Classroom (K-2)
• School (3-5)
• Community (6-8)

Participating is easy.  You can take a month to work on the Challenge or you could complete it in a week.  The projects truly cut across the curriculum so you can teach Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies as part of the Challenge. All the resources you need (lesson plans, sample projects, virtual labs, eBooks, videos, parent resources, etc.) are on the website at: http://wecanchange.com.

Since the Challenge is open to K-8 (and next year it will be K-12), we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to truly engage the entire DEN since the majority of our community members can participate. 

So, here’s our two-part DEN Challenge as part of the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.

1. Any STAR Discovery Educator who enters the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge by January 31, 2010 will have his/her name put into a drawing to win a trip to the NSTA National Conference in Philadelphia, PA (March 18-21, 2010).  Airfare, hotel and conference registration will be covered by the DEN. You must be a STAR Discovery Educator and you must let us know that you and your students have entered the We Can Change the World Challenge by completing this form.
2. The state (where there is a DEN Leadership Council) with the highest number of entries to the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge will earn a Day of Discovery in conunction with the DEN’s Spring Virtual Conference.  The day will be planned, managed and executed by the DEN team giving the state LC a break.  Hall Davidson, Steve Dembo and other members of the DEN team will be there in person to present.

So, ready to learn more and get started?  We have a whole series of webinars to help you.  Just visit: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/wecanchange.

Good luck, have fun, and change the world with your students!

The voting was fierce, as the ranks shifted several times over the last few days.  But when the dust settled, three winners emerged!  Congrats to all the winners, a brand new HD Flip Cam is going to be in the mail to you.  And many thanks to everybody who participated, it truly put the ‘treat’ in Tech or Treat!

Best Discovery themed costume:

Christie Berrier, as the MythBusters!

Bekka Stasny as The Deadliest Catch!

Vasantha Rayman as the DEN STAR!

We are very excited to welcome our newest DEN Leadership Council from the great state of Connecticut! 

Chair - Joe Fromme

Blog Coordinator - Jane Cook
Events Coordinator - Pam Skelly

Blog and Events Team
Ann Barney
Barbara Haeffner
Lynn Reedy
Howard Gunther
Steve Sokoloski
Gary Webster

Stop by the CT LC blog and say hello!

Saturday, October 24, 2009
9 AM to 4 PM ET
Click here to register for the virtual sessions.

10.  College football is overrated.

9.  The digital treats you’ll take away won’t cause cavities.

8.   You can attend in your pajamas (virtually or in-person, we’re flexible).

7.  Two full hours of the soothing sounds of Justin Karkow
Can I Help You With That?  The Student as Collaborator, Creator and Director (9 AM and 3 PM ET)

6.  A chance to win a HD Flip Cam for dressing up as your favorite Discovery personality

5.  Brand new interstitials

4.  Any time Steve Dembo uses the word “bling” in a presentation, watch out!
Putting the Bling in Your Builders (12 PM ET)

3.  The archived sessions just don’t have the same pizazz.

2.  Amazing professional development for the very reasonable price of…FREE.

1. Networking, networking, networking!

For the schedule and more information, visit: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/virtcon09.

Investigation Discovery and National PTA announced today a year-long partnership that will kick off during October’s National Safe Schools Week, which empowers communities to keep their schools safe by encouraging everyone to stand up against school violence.  As the organizations’ first joint campaign, ID and PTA will launch STAND UP FOR KIDS: NATIONAL SAFE SCHOOLS WEEK, a comprehensive initiative aimed at raising awareness of effective ways to keep children safe in the classroom, on the playground and at the computer.

From Monday, October 19 through Saturday, October 24, STAND UP FOR KIDS: NATIONAL SAFE SCHOOLS WEEK will be showcased on Investigation Discovery with on-air child safety tips and public service announcements, culminating in the documentary special, BLACKBOARDS AND BULLIES: ARE YOUR KIDS SAFE? premiering Saturday from 10-11 PM ET. 

Child and school safety resources will be available online at InvestigationDiscovery.com/StandUpForKids and PTA.org/schoolsafety. 

We would greatly appreciate your vote to help make Discovery Channel and Chevron the winners of the U.S. Chamber Business Civic Leadership Center 2009 Partnership Award.

Click here to vote.

An alliance that began in 2002 in Angola to build educational capacity destroyed by a 27-year-long civil war is today motivating teachers and students and improving educational outcomes in five countries, across two continents.

Despite years of focus on education by the international community, many children still lack access to a quality education. Where resources are sparse the problems are most acute, and that is exactly where Chevron and DCGEP focus their efforts.

To date, Chevron and DCGEP have established 65 Learning Centers in underserved schools in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Venezuela, and Brazil. Over 2,400 teachers, 104,000 students and 312,000 community members have benefited, and the positive impact continues to grow.

Participating schools report an increase in student enrollment, a decrease in absenteeism, and improved student motivation and academic performance.

The Learning Center initiative is a proven, comprehensive approach to creating sustainable change in schools. Developed by DCGEP and successfully implemented in 12 countries around the world, the project equips schools with a television, a DVD player, and a library of high-quality, locally relevant educational videos, and provides three years of in-depth teacher training and mentoring.

Through the intensive training program, teachers learn to use the DCGEP videos to enhance math and science curriculums and to connect students to other lands, cultures, and ideas.

We would really appreciate your vote.  Thank you!

Saturday, October 24, 2009
9 AM to 4 PM ET
Cost: FREE

Register for the virtual sessions.

OR

Register for one of many in-person events hosted by the DEN Leadership Councils.

Join thousands of educators online and in-person as the DEN team goes house to house to explore the many digital treats available to educators today.  During this unique professional development event you have the flexibility to attend online or in-person at one of many regional events hosted by the DEN Leadership Councils.

The day will feature special presentations from Justin Karkow and Steve Dembo along with a host of other great sessions guaranteed to satisfy your digital sweet tooth.

As part of the day’s festivities we are offering up three HD flip cameras for the best costumes that day.  Whether you are attending in-person or online, get dressed up as your favorite Discovery personality and you could win a flip cam for your classroom.

Schedule
(All times ET)

9 AM
Can I Help You With That?  The Student as Collaborator, Creator and Director
with Justin Karkow

10 AM
Do You Have the Audacity to Podcast?

11 AM
Thinking Outside the Slide

12 PM
Putting the Bling in Your Builders
with Steve Dembo

1 PM
What on Earth is a Gloggle?

2 PM
Be Nice and Share: Publishing Your Media-Infused Projects for the World to See

3 PM
Can I Help You With That?  The Student as Collaborator, Creator and Director
encore presentation with Justin Karkow

That’s exactly what I wanted to know when I read Kris Fontes’ post.  Now that I know I am hooked.

Rotoball is a black ball that transforms into something different for each person who comes into contact with it. The process is simple; each animation must be exactly 15 seconds long. The animation can be as creative as you’d like, but MUST contain the following:

• you catching the ball from the left side of the screen.
• the ball transforming in some way.
• you interact with the transformed object.
• the ball returning to normal.
• the ball leaving the right hand side screen.

Check out the end result here.

Very creative.  Extremely collaborative.  Definitely worth getting your students in the game.

In the past four years the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) has grown in many different ways including the variety of ways educators may participate in the community.  You can be a Discovery Educator and participate in the online community.  You can apply to become a STAR Discovery Educator and engage in both online and in-person activities.  And STARs who want to shape the direction of the community can apply to become part of the DEN Leadership Councils.  So, what is next?

It goes without saying that within the DEN community we have an overabundance of talent.  Every STAR has his/her own special talents, skills and passion for utilizing digital content across the curriculum.  We want to continue to provide opportunities for STARs to share their knowledge with the community so we are pleased to announce another membership level – DEN Gurus.

DEN Gurus are STAR Discovery Educators who possess expertise of one or more pedagogical topics (e.g., Differentiated Instruction, Project Based Learning, etc.), have demonstrated their expertise through a variety of professional experiences, and advocate for the meaningful integration of Discovery Education digital content across their area(s) of expertise.

DEN Gurus will be promoted throughout the community as thought leaders in the educational field and have the opportunity to share their expertise in a variety of ways.

DEN Gurus will:

• be featured as regular contributors to the National DEN blog
• present their own featured DEN webinar
• represent the DEN at a major educational conference during the year (registration and travel expenses covered by the DEN)

How do I apply?

Through a competitive application process we will accept up to five DEN Gurus in the inaugural year.  Applicants must be STAR Discovery Educators and agree to fulfill all requirements associated with formal recognition as a DEN Guru.

All application materials must be submitted by November 15, 2009 (5 PM ET).

The application includes:

• Online form
  • Complete the form at: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/denguruform
• Resume and/or Curriculum Vitae
  • Submit at: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/denguruapp
  • Make sure to include your first and last name as part of the file name.
• At least two of the following artifacts that demonstrate your mastery of the topic for which you are applying to be a DEN Guru:
  • PowerPoint/Keynote/Slideshare presentation
  • Handout(s)
  • Website
  • Blog
  • Wiki
  • Webquest
  • Articles in which you have been featured
  • Submit at: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/denguruapp
  • Make sure to include your first and last name as part of the file names.

• At least one of the following that demonstrates your ability to communicate your mastery of the topic for which you are applying to be a DEN Guru:
  • Video of you presenting about your topic
  • Podcast of your presentation
  • Screencast of your presentation
  • Archive of live broadcast
  • Submit at: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/denguruapp
  • Make sure to include your first and last name as part of the file name

Timeline

Application window opens - September 30, 2009
Application deadline - November 15, 2009 (5 PM ET)
DEN Gurus Announced - December 1, 2009

Questions

If you have any questions about the DEN Gurus program please refer to the DEN Gurus FAQ document and/or contact Lance Rougeux at Lance_Rougeux@discovery.com.

Just a heads up that the Day of Discovery scheduled for this Saturday in Cincinnati, OH has been postponed.  Stay tuned for more details!