THIRTEEN AND DISNEY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP RELAUNCH CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM, FREE
Thirteen/WNET New York and Disney Learning Partnership have relaunched
CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM with free, multi-media-enhanced seminars and resources
for educators. The updated site includes new interactive workshops and
tools to help participants apply for credit for their efforts. CONCEPT TO
CLASSROOM is available at wNetSchool, Thirteen’s online resource for
educators, at www.thirteen.org/teach (free registration required).
The first new workshop, “Interdisciplinary Learning in Your
Classroom,” comprises content developed by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Ed.D. and is
online now. It focuses on the re-design of curriculum from a
multi-disciplinary perspective and provides 30-35 hours of professional
development, although users are welcome to spend as much or as little time
as they wish picking and choosing content areas in which they are
interested.
A second new workshop, “After-School Programs – From Vision to
Reality,” will begin March 1, 2001. It will address different types of
after-school programs, their benefits, how to launch a program that meets
community needs, and much more.
Like the existing nine workshops in the CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM series,
the new offerings are divided into four stages: Explanation, which looks at
an educational theory practice and its significance; Demonstration, which
provides examples of successful applications via videos, Internet links and
expert-developed lesson plans and activities; Exploration, a “getting
started” section which includes potential pitfalls, technology integration
and answers to commonly-asked questions; and Implementation, a section of
tools and support materials that facilitate the bringing of the theory or
practice into the classroom.
Educators participating in any CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM workshop can now avail
themselves of several new features designed to help them petition their
school administrators for course credit. Each online course includes a
letter to the participant’s principal in which the course themes and goals
are explained; a syllabus to underscore the workshop’s mission; and a rubric
enabling the administrator to assess the teacher’s performance on course
assignments.
“We’re really looking forward to the new workshops and additional
credit materials,” says Brigitte Magar, executive producer of CONCEPT TO
CLASSROOM and director of online education. “It’s going to be a wonderful
opportunity for educators to learn about the creative ways they can use
interdisciplinary curriculum in the classroom, and now, it’s easier for them
to get credit for the work they do in the course.”
The CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM workshops are targeted at K-12 pre-service
and in-service educators including teachers, administrators, computer
coordinators, librarians, and media specialists. They are suitable for all
levels of Internet proficiency and all users of teaching strategies, from
novice to experienced.
“CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM is an important part of our efforts to support
creativity in teaching,” says Laurie Lang, senior vice president and general
manager, Disney Learning Partnership. “We feel that high-quality
professional development is critical to success in the classroom and we are
thrilled to be able to provide these workshops free of charge to teachers
across the country.”
CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM is a production of wNetSchool, Thirteen Online’s
award-winning Web service for teachers. Ann Mauzé, deputy director of
Thirteen’s Educational Resources Center, is the executive in charge of
CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM. Anthony Chapman is director of Interactive and
Broadband for Thirteen. Brigitte Magar is executive producer of CONCEPT TO
CLASSROOM. Deborah Keisch is content producer of CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM.
Funding for CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM is provided by Disney Learning Partnership,
a philanthropic initiative of The Walt Disney Company.
A complete press release is available at http://www.Newstream.com.
Press Contacts:
Edward Gregory, Thirteen
212.560.3021; fax 212.560.3012; mailto:Gregory@thirteen.org
Kathy Franklin, Disney Learning Partnership
818.526.1111; fax 818.526.1098; mailto:Kathy.Franklin@disney.com
