Professional Development | News

Adobe Foundation, Discovery Partner for Digital Media Curriculum Resources

• By David Nagel
• 06/23/12

At an ISTE 2012 kick-off event in San Diego Saturday, Discovery Education and the Adobe Foundation formally launched a partnership aimed at integrating digital media content creation into teaching and learning.

Through the partnership, the two organizations will "provide curriculum and resources to help educators weave digital media making into their teaching practice and actively engage students in gaining critical technology skills" using an updated Adobe Youth Voices curriculum called "Adobe Youth Voices Essentials."

The curriculum will be made available to educators through the Discovery Educator Network (DEN), the company's educator portal and professional development resource. Included in the updated curriculum are:

• Access to online professional development resources, including webinars and video tutorials;
• Community forums with peers who have participated in the Adobe Youth Voices program; and
• Classroom materials, activities, and online resources.

The curriculum resources and professional development offerings cover print and Web design, photography, motion graphics and animation, and video editing.

Adobe Youth Voices is a program designed to promote technology-based creative skills and give disadvantaged students an opportunity to learn and use multimedia tools to express their social views through various digital forms of media: music, Web design, video, and other forms of expression. Launched in 2006, the program has resulted so far in the creation of hundreds of individual programs serving students in 52 countries. In the United States, there are roughly 150 centers, many of them located on school campuses, spread out over several states. Schools and organizations designated as Youth Voices sites receive software, teacher and student training, and financial assistance for the production and exhibition of the works of participants.

Adobe Youth Voices will also be presenting daily workshops at the ISTE conference:

• Adobe Youth Voices Essentials in Action;
• Graphic Design for Positive Change;
• Documentary Storytelling in the Classroom; and
• Social Media and Exhibiting Student Work.

Those will be held three times daily during the show.

Adobe Youth Voices will also participate in a panel Monday focused on digital literacy skills and will be spotlighted in a corporate session Tuesday at ISTE.

"Discovery Education is pleased to partner with the Adobe Foundation to share this unique and innovative program with our network of educators nationwide," said Mary Rollins, vice president at Discovery Education, in a prepared statement. "We believe that through this powerful curriculum, allowing students to impact and affect change in society through transforming media, we can give educators the confidence to help students explore their curiosity and learn important skills that transcend traditional learning experiences."

"Discovery Education is a leader in family and educational media and we share their commitment to empower educators to use digital media and technology to inspire their students through breakthrough learning experiences," said Michelle Yates, director of corporate social responsibility at Adobe and executive director of the Adobe Foundation, also in a prepared statement. "Launching the new version of Adobe Youth Voices Essentials at ISTE among an audience of educational professionals and having Discovery Education leaders be the first to preview it is an honor."

Additional details can be found at youthvoices.adobe.com.