Digital Learning Day: A Nationwide Campaign to Promote the Use of Technology in the Classroom
December 13, 2012
Are you looking to reach out to your state Department of Education or local district, and begin conversations on how public broadcasting can help districts meet their educational objectives using digital media? The Grant Center has a special insight into the 2013 Digital Learning Day (DLD). Continuing the role as America’s largest classroom, public broadcasting stations can use DLD to highlight their work around educational technology. Gearing up to host its second annual national celebration on February 6, 2013, DLD will feature community events and activities across the country celebrating educators who embrace using technology in their teaching. The Association of the Public Television Stations (APTS) was asked to participate in the planning process as a core planning partner. The Grant Center’s own, Emily Markham, took on that role. By participating in monthly planning calls, APTS and the Grant Center learned more about this exciting project and the natural fit that it offers to stations.
What is Digital Learning Day?
Developed by the Alliance for Excellent Education (the Alliance), DLD is a national celebration, placing a spotlight on those who have been successful incorporating digital learning into their instructional practice, and highlights tools for others to do the same. These tools, provided by the Alliance on the official Digital Learning Day website, include lesson portals, toolkits, and monthly webinars providing direct access to resources. Also available are reports and publications showcasing the Alliance’s efforts to influence federal and national policies that support effective high school reform, and increase student achievement and attainment. All of these resources are updated frequently and are available free of charge to all, but especially geared toward teachers, school librarians, principals, district leaders and community partners.
On February 6, 2013, all of this work will be showcased at the Digital Learning Day national event. On this day, the Alliance will host a daylong celebration at the Newseum, in Washington D.C., featuring a national town hall meeting and awarding exemplary educators, caregivers, districts and other community members that make a difference in digital learning. Meanwhile, throughout the country, individual states and districts are invited to host their own community event, either big or small, surrounding digital learning – making this a true nationwide campaign. In its inaugural celebration in 2012, tens of thousands of educators representing nearly 2 million students were among the participants. This year it continues to grow in size representing hundreds of districts and nearly all 50 states across the U.S.
What’s the Fit for Public Broadcasting?
Public media stations nationwide are already actively involved in supporting digital learning in their communities as part of their American Graduate work, through Ready To Learn, PBS Learning Media or local efforts. Nationally, the Alliance will feature these public media resources and promote them to educators on the DLD website, with more to be added shortly.
Public media digital resources featured on the DLD website include:
- PBS KIDS Lab (listed as a lesson portal).
- PBS LearningMedia (listed as a lesson portal).
- Mission US (listed as a toolkit).
CPB has encouraged the Alliance to include the following resources:
- American Graduate Classroom Resources (as a lesson portal).
- StoryCorps Education (as a toolkit).
- PBS KIDS Lab Out of School (as a toolkit).
- “Get the Math” (as a toolkit).
- PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (as a toolkit).
APTS’ President and CEO, Patrick Butler, believes public broadcasting stations are in the position now, more than ever before, to be an engine of lifelong learning in America. Citing PBS Learning Media as just one example, Patrick states “This initiative, built on the excellent science, history, arts and children’s programming of public television – as well as outstanding content from the Library of Congress, the National Archives and other Federal Agencies – holds the promise of revolutionizing the teaching and learning experience in America and greatly improving educational outcomes for every American Student.” Both CPB and APTS are proud and excited to be working with the Alliance on DLD and hope all stations will take part in this exciting opportunity.
What Can Your Station Do?
All public media stations can easily promote their participation in DLD and the importance of digital learning for our nation’s youth in their own unique ways, including:
- Announce your participation in DLD, the resources available to teachers and the impact digital learning can have on students’ futures. American Graduate and Ready To Learn plan to provide stations with a customizable press release highlighting the national resources available. This document should be available in the next few weeks on www.americangraduateresources.org.
- Utilize your station’s social media feeds and member communications, such as newsletters or station magazines, to tap into social media conversations and interest around Digital Learning Day and highlight your local efforts. The Alliance will be using the twitter hashtag #DLDay in the days leading up to and including the February 6, 2013 DLD celebration.
- Reach out to your state governor’s office, Department of Education or local district and initiate conversations about how to cross promote the day, co-host a community event on DLD that celebrates local teachers’ use of digital tools in the classroom or how public broadcasting can further help districts meet their educational objectives using digital media. You can get ideas in the Events section of the DLD website to see what other communities are planning.
- Highlight your station’s commitment to digital learning support for the community and that your American Graduate or Ready To Learn resources are part of this national effort by posting the Digital Learning Day Button or sharing Governor Bob Wise's video announcing the second annual Digital Learning Day on your website.
Bob Wise, President of the Alliance states, “Public television stations across the country have been a key partner with schools as they navigate a transition to digital content. The potential for digital learning is real for all students. That is why it is so important to highlight and celebrate teachers and education leaders who are transforming our schools on Digital Learning Day, February 6, 2013.” For more ideas on how to participate locally, please visit the DLD – Core Partners website. The Alliance and its planning partners have drafted a valuable list of simple ways organizations, like public broadcasting stations, can use DLD as a way to promote their efforts in education to the community.
Digital Learning Day is only a few months away. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to highlight your station’s involvement in promoting digital learning
