Silver Spring, Md. (June 2, 2008) – Discovery Education announced today the beginning of a major initiative to expand the robust media library of its flagship product, Discovery Education streaming. By the end of 2008, Discovery Education will grow Discovery Education streaming’s digital library, already the largest digital media library available to educators anywhere, to more than 5,000 videos, an increase of 25 percent.

The only digital video-based learning resource scientifically proven to increase academic achievement, Discovery Education streaming enhances curriculum with high-quality digital media tied to state standards. Today, 1 million educators in more than half of U.S. schools learn with Discovery Education streaming.

The new content chosen for this upgrade has been carefully selected by Discovery Education’s Curriculum and Content Development teams from a network of more than 300 content providers and the Discovery Communications family of networks, which includes the Discovery Channel, the Science Channel, Animal Planet, and Discovery Health. At the conclusion of this initiative, more than half of the Discovery Education streaming’s video library will have a copyright of 2000 or newer.

According to Janet English, Senior Director of Education and New Media at the Orange County, California-based PBS station KOCE, “Discovery Education streaming’s diverse, high-quality content is a critical tool in local educators’ toolboxes. Each year, more is demanded from teachers, and the many rich resources we provide local educators through our partnership with Discovery Education helps them address multiple learning modalities and pursue a variety of educational avenues.”

Discovery Education’s Curriculum Development team reviews all videos to ensure appropriateness for K-12 classrooms and to create teaching materials to accompany the videos. To assist in the process and to ensure impartial review of materials, the Curriculum Development team also works in partnership with external content experts across curriculum areas, including teachers, curriculum supervisors and district-level administrators.

“At the completion of this project, educators using Discovery Education streaming will have access to more than 50,000 video clips covering all K-12 subject areas,” said Dale Fulton, Chief Curriculum Advisor for Discovery Education. “With content correlated to standards and testing frameworks at the clip level, it makes it quicker than ever before to locate relevant, engaging media that precisely meets learning objectives.”

Among the videos to be added to Discovery Education streaming before the end of the year are several high profile titles from Discovery Communications Networks. When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions lets educators share with students the dramatic story of the dawn of the Space Age, while simultaneously helping to teach important space science lessons. Stuff Happens with Bill Nye helps teach important earth science lessons as “Science Guy” Bill Nye examines the everyday stuff of our lives and the far reaching impact our actions have on the planet. Discovery Atlas, part geography and part history, presents the world to students in an engaging new way. Additional Discovery Network titles to be added to Discovery Education streaming include Operation Junkyard, Tutenstein and Extreme Engineering.

“We are uniquely situated with access to thousands of hours of new, high quality programming each year, and we are committed to identifying the most educationally relevant content from Discovery Communications and other producers to bring the best-of-the-best media to teachers and students,” said Kelli Campbell, Discovery Education Senior Vice President of Content and Product Development. “Today’s educators are continuously challenged to find new ways to engage students, both aurally and visually. We are pleased to offer classroom teachers a deep library of digital resources to captivate students, convey core concepts, and improve student achievement.”

Discovery Education also offers Discovery Education streaming Plus, which enhances Discovery Education streaming with 3,700 more unique videos, including the award winning Planet Earth. For schools who choose both the base streaming pack and streaming Plus, the total number of video titles available to educators will reach 8,700 by the end of 2008.

More Information

For more information about Discovery Education streaming, Discovery Education streaming Plus or any other Discovery Education Service, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, or call 800- 323-9084.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Communications revolutionized television with the Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the #1 non-fiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement. Already, more than half of U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services.

Contacts

Discovery Education
Stephen Wakefield
240-662-2893
stephen_wakefield at discovery dot com
www.discoveryeducation.com

C. Blohm & Associates, Inc.
Charlene Blohm
608-839-9800
charlene at cblohm dot com
www.cblohm.com

Printer Friendly

Download Release (112 KB)

Images

Click to view at full size, then right-click to download.