Discovery Education Honored with Three 2010 BESSIE Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Stephen Wakefield, for Discovery Education
240-662-2893
[email protected]

Sandy Fash, C. Blohm & Associates
608-839-9800
[email protected]

— Online science service, proven video streaming solution and disaster preparedness resource center recognized —

Silver Spring, Md. (Apr. 19, 2010) – Discovery Education has been honored with three 2010 BESSIE Awards from the ComputED Learning Center for Discovery Education Digital Science Solutions, Discovery Education streaming Plus and Ready Classroom.

Discovery Education Science won a BESSIE for Best Science Web site. The first digital core instructional material to be approved for statewide adoption in Oregon, Discovery Education Science is designed for elementary and middle school science classrooms. Correlated to the state science curriculum standards and organized around an inquiry-based framework, these digital solutions cover the physical, earth and space, and life sciences, and encourage student exploration, stimulate critical thinking and deepen students’ understanding of science. Discovery Education Science also includes a formative assessment tool that provides information on which skills and concepts have been mastered, while directing individual students to remedial activities that address areas in need of improvement.

In addition, Discovery Education streaming Plus, the digital media-based learning service scientifically shown to increase academic achievement, won a BESSIE for Best Digital Library Web site. Discovery Education streaming Plus has more than 150,000 digital learning objects, including videos, interactives, images, articles, and more, that integrate seamlessly into any curriculum. Aligned to state standards and assessments, and searchable by keyword, content area and grade level, the rich video content and other digital assets from Discovery Education engage today’s media-savvy students in learning.

Ready Classroom, an online resource center designed in partnership by Discovery Education, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Campaign and the Ad Council, also won a 2010 BESSIE for Best Disaster Preparedness Web site. The Web site provides elementary and middle school educators with natural disaster preparedness resources and tips on how to integrate this critical information into their curriculum.

“We are honored to join Discovery Education and the Ad Council in accepting the 2010 BESSIE Award for the Ready Classroom,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “By providing teachers with resources and information to share with their classes on preparedness, we hope Ready Classroom will encourage students and their parents to take steps to ensure their family is prepared for natural disasters and other emergencies.”

“We are very appreciative of this recognition by the ComputED Learning Center,” said Kelli Campbell, Senior Vice President of Content and Product Development for Discovery Education. “We strive to develop outstanding instructional resources such as Discovery Education streaming Plus and Discovery Education Science, while also offering resources and guidelines that help educators, administrators and parents address the needs of the whole child, such as the Ready Classroom Web site.”

This is the 16th year of the Annual Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES). The ComputED Gazette and Computer Learning Lab, San Diego’s leading computer education resource, sponsor the award program. Targeting innovative and content-rich programs and Web sites that provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence, the program selects winners from titles submitted by digital resource publishers from around the world.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) revolutionized television with Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the number one nonfiction 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 all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

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