Milwaukee Public Schools Taps Digital Content -- THE Journal

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Milwaukee Public Schools Taps Digital Content

By Scott Aronowitz
12/14/09

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has signed with Discovery Education to implement the company's streaming Plus in more than 140 schools. The program makes available a vast library of streaming digital video designed to enhance learning in all subjects.

streaming Plus offers more than 9,000 full-length video programs and more than 71,000 video clips, all aligned to Wisconsin state standards. "The most critical goal of Milwaukee Public Schools' strategic plan is to create student success through academic achievement," said Jim Davis, technology director for MPS. He said he's convinced that this digital content can improve academic achievement, "making it the natural choice to support the district's long term goals."

In addition to the in-class value of enhancing learning and building student engagement using digital video, MPS has considered its value in learning continuity. "The digital content, assignment builders, quiz builders, and other available resources make Discovery Education streaming Plus a critical tool in our efforts to ensure students can continue their academic growth in the face of a prolonged disruption caused by H1N1 or any other source," said Thomas Hanley, principal of the Golda Meir Elementary School, an MPS school for gifted students. Given the city's geography and climate, prolonged closures owing to snow or other severe weather are far from unlikely.

Discovery Education is also providing professional development services to enable teachers to learn and master the technology's use in a classroom environment so that the tool's value will not be limited to playing a video to supplement a lecture. "For many MPS teachers, integrating digital content into classroom activities is a new experience," Hanley said. "The professional development services from Discovery Education have been instrumental in helping our teachers maximize this new digital content service, as well as the other educational technologies they use each day."

About the Author

Scott Aronowitz is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas. He has covered the technology, advertising, and entertainment sectors for seven years. He can be reached here.

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