Sasha Tiwari, a teacher from West Navarre Primary School, recently joined more than 100 educators from around the world for the 2017 Discovery Educator Network Summer Institute, an immersive, six-day professional development experience which took place July 16-22 at the University of California in San Diego.
Tiwari was joined by fellow Santa Rosa County School District educator April Ballard, who teaches at S.S. Dixon Intermediate School.
A global community of education professionals supported by Discovery Education, the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
The event featured a number of interactive seminars and hands-on workshops designed to support educators as they combine the latest technologies and digital content to create authentic digital learning environments that engage students and improve achievement. In addition, DENSI provided an opportunity for participants to connect, collaborate, and share resources, ideas and strategies for integrating the latest technologies and digital content into classroom instruction.
Participation in the DEN Summer Institute is open to educators recognized by Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, as STAR Discovery Educators. STAR Discovery Educators are active members of the DEN and proven leaders in transforming teaching and learning. The DEN is the largest and most active professional learning network of its kind.
“April and Sasha’s selection for DENSI demonstrates their outstanding leadership and commitment to using the latest technologies and innovative teaching strategies and techniques to improve student achievement,” said Lance Rougeux, vice president of learning communities and innovation for Discovery Education. “Their participation in DENSI 2017 will help increase student engagement across Santa Rosa County District Schools, and support their effort to prepare all learners with the critical skills they need to succeed beyond the classroom.”
In addition to hearing from education experts, Ballard and Tiwari participated in a series of interactive workshops led by the Discovery Education professional development team and other DEN members about creating digital content and integrating mobile and web-based tools into instruction. They also collaborated with fellow educators on a variety of educational technology projects, and shared ideas and best practices with her peers.
After participating in the DEN Summer Institute, Ballard and Tiwari have returned to Santa Rosa County District Schools equipped to help her peers transform teaching and learning with new strategies and techniques for integrating digital resources into curriculum and instruction.
