California DEN

Jennifer Dorman from the Pennsylvania DEN is conducting a survey to see how teachers use DE’s resources for teaching the Civil War. Do you use one of the over 360 resources on DE for teaching the Civil War in your classroom? Or do you know another teacher who uses them? You can use the form embedded below or go directly to the Pennsylvania blog post: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/pennsylvania/2009/01/31/teaching-the-civil-war-with-de-streaming/

As the DEN grows, we want to encourage our members to grow with us. Therefore, we are enhancing the Discovery Educator Network so that we can offer special recognition and opportunities to members that actively participate.

The most significant change to the structure of the DEN is the addition of a new level of membership. Beginning September 1, 2006, every unitedstreaming user who registers on the Discovery Educator Network website will be considered a Discovery Educator. A new membership level—STAR Discovery Educator—has been added to recognize the outstanding efforts that many members have shown in the past year as they have shared their expertise and insights with others. You will be receiving an email on September 1, 2006 detailing your specific level.

BECOMING A STAR DISCOVERY EDUCATOR OR MAINTAINING STAR STATUS YOU MUST

Facilitate and report at least two events. Any time you share the power of Discovery Education with 3 or more educators, you are hosting an event.

• Examples include: – Facilitate trainings, workshops or presentations that incorporate Discovery Education products such as unitedstreaming, Discovery Education Health Connection, Cosmeo, and Learning Adds Up. – Share an integration idea over lunch with a group of educators. – Demonstrate a skill involving unitedstreaming to co-workers before, during, or after school. – Present unitedstreaming integration ideas during local, regional, state, or national conference sessions.

AND

Complete any combination of two of the following:

• – Attend a STAR Discovery Educator event such as a face-to-face workshop, webinar, Digital Connections session, or a regional or national DEN event.
• – Recruit others to become Discovery Educators.
• – Disseminate information related to Discovery Education products and services with the use of a tool such as a newsletter, podcast, blog post, or journal article.
• – Upload a resource to the Discovery Educator Network website.
• – Contribute to Discovery Educator Network website blogs and/or discussion boards.

ANNUAL RECOGNITION: Each year on July 31, we will review the participation of STAR Discovery Educators around the world. Educators who continue to share, connect and inspire others, as measured by the activities described above, will maintain their STAR Discovery Educator status and continue to enjoy exclusive STAR benefits. Some of these benefits include the opportunity to attend regional and national institutes, participate in exclusive contests and promotions, download resources and publish personal blogs on the DEN website, and maintain access to a Discovery Educator Network Field Manager.

Educators unable to actively participate over the next year will not retain their STAR status, but will still be welcomed to participate on the Discovery Educator Network website. Over the next year, we want to provide opportunities for you to grow along with us.

If you have any questions, please contact your DEN Field Manager.

Welcome to the Need to Know Section!  Here you will find frequent updates on different things that will assist you in becoming an Active DEN member.  Rather than creating multiple posts on this topic, as new things arrive, I will edit this box. So here we go…

Welcome to the DEN: Download this link to find out some of the great things you have access to as a DEN Member. Download congratulations_accept_letter.doc

Training Kits: Do you host trainings at your school?  This could be with smaller grade level groups or with the entire staff.  If you do then you definitely want to order a "Training Kit"  Your kit will include a few items to pass out as prizes as well as 10 unitedstreaming userguides.  When you are ready to order your kit, please fill out the attached form and email it to Jannita_Demian@discovery.com   You may order up to 4 kits per year. Make sure you allow at least 10 days. Here’s the form to download  Download training_kit_order_form.doc

Get "Activity Points"  If you host a training, make sure you get DEN "Activity Credit"  Throughout the year, we will hold a variety of different contests for teachers who have held trainings.  Make sure you get your name in the loop by completing the attached form and emailing it to Jannita_Demian@discovery.com any time you complete a training.  Download events_report.xls

How to be Active: There are several ways to be active in our DEN.  Here are some examples. 

• Attend a DEN Event.  You will find many of these under the calendar feature of the DEN website.
• Post a comment or subscribe to the Blog
• Upload resources to the DEN Website. There are several great resources already published… add yours!  These projects do not have to contain embedded video or hyperlinks.  We are looking for terrific examples of technology. Download this form for step by step instructions on how to upload resources. Download uploading_resources_compact.doc
• Add comments to or create new strands on the Discussion Boards of the DEN website.
• Conduct trainings.  Help your grade level team or your entire staff learn to integrate technology and unitedstreaming into their current curriculum.  You can discuss unitedstreaming, Learning Tools, PPT, Inspiration, Time Liner, Digital Storytelling… the list is endless.
• Complete the On line Interactive Training and/or  DEN Training Certification found under "Professional Development" in unitedstreaming.
• Attend a DEN Chit Chat Webinar. Webinars are meetings were DEN members join together virtually.  Check my weekly updates for dates, then log in to the site I provide, and watch as I take over your computer screen and walk you through a variety of different types of trainings.

That sums in up for now!  Remember to check this post every so often for more updates.  If you would like to see something added, please feel free to post a comment here.