Add as a preferred source on Google


Bush Library To Host Reading Discovery Program

The George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, will host its ninth annual Reading Discovery Program this week. It is the second year in a row that the university is partnering with Discovery Education for the event, which will be available for livestreaming to classrooms around the world.

The event will feature Former First Lady Barbara Bush, live via video feed, speaking about the program's theme — freedom's importance — and "a 'new breeze of freedom' that began during her husband’s presidency with the fall of the Berlin Wall, which symbolized the end of the Cold War," according to information released by the school.

The videoconference will also feature a question and answer session for students in the United States and Germany featuring Annett Kresser, a former resident of East Germany who escaped during the Cold War, and Discovery Education's Hall Davidson.

The event will also mark the formal launch of a new educational game from the library, Cold War Dare. The strategy game will be available for free from the Apple Store, Google Play and the Bush Presidential Library. Students can act as the United States president themselves and make decisions based on real events in history, specifically during the period before and when the Berlin Wall fell.

Augmented reality technology will allow students to overlay information, such as videos, audio and graphics, on an image that is viewed through almost any device.

Students from the College Station and Houston independent school districts have created content with images and text concerning the Cold War and the Berlin Wall using augmented reality that will be incorporated into the app.

"Dynamic digital content, professional development and resources give us the chance to reach every kind of reader and every kind of learner," Davidson said. "Educational technology has the power to bring excitement and discovery to the traditional printed word."

About the Author

Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.

Featured

  • cloud with binary code and technology imagery

    Hybrid and AI Expansion Outpacing Cloud Security

    A survey from the Cloud Security Alliance and Tenable finds that rapid adoption of hybrid, multi-cloud and AI systems is outpacing the security measures meant to protect them, leaving organizations exposed to preventable breaches and identity-related risks.

  • teacher typing on a computer in a classroom on the left and a smiling parent using a smartphone on the right

    4 Keys to Building Stronger School Home Connections

    K–12 leaders know that strong family engagement drives student success. It leads to better achievement, fewer behavior issues, stronger relationships between schools and families, and a more positive learning environment.

  • hand holding globe and environmental icons in front of a green background

    CoSN, SETDA, UDT Release Guidelines for Environmentally Responsible Technology Purchasing

    CoSN and SETDA, in partnership with IT and telecommunications solution provider UDT, recently released a set of Sustainability Procurement Guidelines designed to help K-12 school and district leaders, procurement officers, and technology directors make purchasing decisions that are both environmentally responsible and operationally effective.

  • students raising their hands and participating in a classroom discussion

    Report Explores Link Between Student Engagement and Learning

    Over 90% of teachers, principals, and superintendents agree that student engagement is a critical metric for understanding overall achievement, according to a new survey report from Discovery Education.