To help educators prepare for the next school year with the latest and best practices in teaching, Discovery Education presents a curated collection of professional development resources covering an array of topic areas. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.
Discovery Education’s dynamic professional learning strengthens teachers’ use of digital resources to improve student engagement and address the needs of the whole child. Users of the award-winning Discovery Education K-12 learning platform have access to the Professional Learning NOW channel. The collection features short and convenient microlearnings connecting educators to professional development sessions spanning topics such as best practices in teaching and learning, English Language Learners, Health, and Wellness, STEM, and more. Each microlearning provides a 3-5 minute burst of personalized, guided learning that seamlessly fits into a busy schedule.
“Discovery Education has given me professional learning that challenges me and gives me confidence. Discovery Education has changed my life professionally and I am a better educator because of my network,” said Abigail Schiferl, a Middle School Technology Teacher in South Carolina.
In addition, Discovery Education offers educators nationwide free professional learning resources created in collaboration with social impact partners across various topics, including:
Literacy
Discover new ways to teach literacy essentials in this series of microlearnings from Discover Literacy – a program with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the National AfterSchool Association. Educators can create everyday connections to the five foundational keys of literacy with on-the-go microlearnings and flexible instructional support. These hands-on resources provide an explicit, systematic approach to instruction and opportunities to practice applying new skills.
STEM
Data is a critical element—used across all professions—to solve problems and innovate solutions, and Discover Data is a library of resources that connect educators across subjects with real-world data that can be used to support a variety of classroom concepts and subjects. In the program’s new two-part Master Class series, educators learn how they can leverage data in the classroom to drive meaningful student discussions and bridge diverse topic areas. Accompanying educator guides, editable presentations and an on-demand webinar take the learning further. This series is from Discover Data—a data literacy initiative powered by the Nielsen Foundation in collaboration with Discovery Education and the National AfterSchool Association.
Most U.S. high schools do not currently offer biotechnology classes, limiting students’ ability to gain the skills and experiences necessary for careers in science and medicine. To support educators looking to infuse biotechnology into their teaching practice, Futurelab+, developed in partnership with Genentech, offers a comprehensive, two-year curriculum that includes hands-on labs, interactive resources, and career exploration tools. One of those tools, the Master Class series, provides a multi-faceted look at how three unique educators have brought biotechnology into the classroom. Through the series, educators can discover how to apply biotechnology principles in diverse learning environments using a simple framework to develop instructional practices.
Health and Wellness
Deepen educator support around health and wellness in a variety of learning environments with professional learning resources. A network of partners committed to bringing important mental health resources into core instruction, this coalition supports educators and students nationwide.
Create teaching strategies that incorporate support for students’ mental health with on-demand e-learning modules. Designed in collaboration with Ready, Set, RISE! – an educational initiative with Kaiser Permanente and an Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) – these resources help create student-centered and trauma-informed learning environments.
Finally, with a Master Class series from Amazing Me – a program with the Dove Self-Esteem Project – educators can gain the skills they can use to encourage kindness and open communication in their classrooms that reduces weight-based bullying and instilling body confidence. The series is hosted by Marisol Perez, a clinical psychologist and researcher at Arizona State University and The Institute for Research and Education Advancing Children’s Health (REACH).
“As a former educator, and a lifelong learner, I know first-hand how important professional development is,” said Lance Rougeux, Discovery Education’s Senior Vice President of Curriculum Instruction and Student Engagement. “At Discovery Education, we work to ensure educators have exactly what they need to keep their teaching skills sharp as to best engage students for lifelong success.”
The Discovery Educator Network (DEN) Community offers educators one of the most thriving professional learning networks in the world. As a global network of education professionals, the Discovery Educator Network connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration.
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
