Second Annual National Digital Learning Day Attracts Record Number of Participants

Fifty States, Nearly 25,000 Teachers, and Millions of Students to Explore How Digital Learning Is Changing Education on Wednesday, February 6
Washington, DC – Signifying the growing importance and demand for digital learning strategies in the classroom, nearly 25,000 teachers, millions of students, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, and U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA), are joining the Alliance for Excellent Education tomorrow, February 6, for the second annual Digital Learning Day. Digital Learning Day is a national campaign that promotes digital learning and spotlights successful instructional technology practice in K–12 public school classrooms across the country.
“Digital Learning Day isn’t about slapping a netbook on top of a textbook,” said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. “It’s about pairing educational innovation with thoughtful planning and great teaching to provide all children with the twenty-first-century skills they need in today’s economy.”
Educators from across the country will participate in Digital Learning Day by giving interactive digital lessons, collaborating with colleagues over the internet, or simply trying something new with technology in their classrooms. Throughout the day, participating teachers, education leaders, and others can interact with digital teaching experts and each other through a series of live online chats being held at http://www.digitallearningday.org/chat. Additionally, Rep. Miller will be “taking over” the Digital Learning Day Facebook page from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ET) at http://www.facebook.com/NationalDigitalLearningDay.
“Without the effective use of technology,” Wise said, “the education system can never meet the challenges of higher standards, supporting teachers, limited budgets, and the compelling need for all students to receive a quality education. Digital Learning Day celebrates educators who are making a difference for students with digital learning while showing many others what they can be accomplishing.”
At the Newseum in Washington, DC, Digital Learning Day, for the first time, will incorporate hands-on instructional demonstrations on digital learning content areas, such as math, science, civics/social studies, and English language arts, which will be led by digital teaching experts who specialize in those subjects. Tomorrow morning, Secretary Duncan and more than one hundred teachers from the Washington, DC metro area are participating in the teacher demonstrations and interactive lessons, which will be featured via video in the Digital Town Hall.
The morning demonstrations will be followed by the Digital Town Hall, which is being simulcast live from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. (ET) for educators, parents, and the public to view at http://wpc.1806.edgecastcdn.net/001806/aee/dld.html. Participants in the Digital Town Hall include U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park and Rep. Miller, senior Democratic member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The Digital Town Hall will also highlight effective digital learning strategies from Dysart Unified School District (AZ), Quakertown Community School District (PA), Cajon Valley Union School District (CA), and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FL).
“All school districts, regardless of their size or makeup, stand to benefit from this revolution in teaching and learning,” said Wise. “That’s why the Alliance is bringing together students, teachers, school leaders, and many others on Digital Learning Day to show the best practices in the use of classroom technology and move forward with a national digital learning agenda.”
All fifty states, the District of Columbia, and nearly 25,000 teachers, representing millions of students have signed up to participate in digital learning activities throughout the day and beyond. Digital Learning Day 2013 builds on last year’s inaugural event that included participation by thirty-nine states, 15,000 teachers, and 1.7 million students.
Digital Learning Day also enjoys support from nearly fifty national core partners made up of education leadership organizations as well as generous support from more than twenty-five corporate partners.
The Alliance invites everyone with a stake in improving the nation’s education outcomes—teachers, librarians, school leaders, afterschool program coordinators, community group members, students, and parents—to participate in the February 6 Digital Learning Day activities.
Visit http://www.DigitalLearningDay.org for ideas about how students, parents, administrators, and others can participate. Follow the action on the Digital Learning Day Twitter page, with the #DLDay hashtag, and on the Digital Learning Day Facebook page.

Getting Smart Staff

The Getting Smart Staff believes in learning out loud and always being an advocate for things that we are excited about. As a result, we write a lot. Do you have a story we should cover? Email [email protected]

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