IDAHO RECOGNIZES TEACHERS FOR USING DIGITAL LEARNING TO RAISE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

To contact us Click HERE

Teachers, parents, and students across Idahoand the country celebrated Digital Learning Day. It was the second-annualDigital Learning Day in Idaho, as proclaimed by Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch”Otter.

On Digital Learning Day, the Idaho StateDepartment of Education awarded nine Idaho educators for using technology ininnovative ways to improve student learning.
“I am so proud of our talented teachers who work hard everyday to find new ways to engage students in their learning and raise academicachievement,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “DigitalLearning Day is a great way for us to celebrate their success in the classroomand share these best practices with other teachers and educators across thestate.”
The goal of Digital Learning Day, apartnership with the Alliance for Excellent Education, is to highlightinnovative teaching taking place in classrooms in Idaho and across the countryso teachers can collaborate and share best practices with each other.
Digital learning provides students and families with morechoices than ever in public education. The state has expanded digital learningopportunities in the classroom, such as access to digital content, interactivetechnologies, and the Idaho Education Network. Through digital learning,students not only learn from the great teachers in their school but also nowhave access to other highly effective teachers in schools across the state.
Four Idaho teachers earned awards throughIdaho State Department of Education’s new 21^st Century ClassroomRecognition Awards program:

• Best Video: Mrs. Jennifer Duckwall ofMountain Valley Elementary School in the Bonneville School District. Thewinning video, called The Geometry Rap, is available online at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/nextPractices/.It was completely produced, directed, written, and edited by her students. Mrs.Duckwall said this type of digital learning helps drive student achievementforward in her classroom. “In my 2nd grade classroom after implementing digitaltechnology such as this, my average math score was of a 5-6th grade competencyand 96% of the class being above the 75th percentile in the nation,” she saidin her application.

• Best Lesson Plan: Mrs. Kim Miller of StarElementary School in Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian). Her winning lessonplan, Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem, is now available to all Idahoteachers through Schoolnet, the statewide instructional management system. Itis aligned to state content standards and incorporates digital content.

• Best Unit Plan: Mrs. Kim Miller and Mrs.Marita Diffenbaugh of Star Elementary School in Joint School District No. 2(Meridian). A unit plan is four to five lesson plans. Their winning unit plan, MysterySubstances Unit for 5th grade, is now available to all Idaho teachersthrough Schoolnet, the statewide instructional management system. It is alignedto state content standards and incorporates digital content.

• Best Practices in Visual Arts: Ms. AmberMcVey of Pepper Ridge Elementary School in Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian).Her winning lesson plan, Picasso Art, combines geometry concepts and artconcepts to teach students about Picasso’s theory of cubism. It is nowavailable to all Idaho teachers through Schoolnet, the statewide instructionalmanagement system.

For winning the grand prize in eachcategory, these teachers will receive a financial award of between $300 and$1,000 to use in their classroom as well as a free virtual field trip for theirstudents on the Idaho Education Network. The State Department of Education alsoawarded several finalists in each category.

In addition to these awards, five otherIdaho educators were recognized with Idaho Education Network (IEN) Talk Awardsfor using the Idaho Education Network in their school or district to providegreater learning opportunities to students. 

• College Access Champion: Amanda Hansen, ateacher at West Side High School. She earned the award for using the IEN topromote college preparation through SAT and ACT preparation classes.

• Rookie of the Year: LuciAsumendi-Mereness, Principal of Homedale High School. She earned the award forchampioning the use of IEN classes to fill gaps in core curriculum, offerelectives and get those hard-to-find classes for students in Homedale.

• Most Valuable Player: Dale Garrard, ateacher at Centennial High School in Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian). Asthe Lead Teacher of World Languages at Centennial High, Mr. Garrard, teachesJapanese over the IEN to the entire Meridian School District!

• IEN Innovation: Idaho Distance EducationAcademy. This school earned the award for its innovative, distinctive use ofthe IEN to hold virtual sessions to supplement its curriculum.

• IEN Achievement Award: Dr. John Miller,Instructional Dean at the College of Southern Idaho. This award honors oneexceptional education professional for outstanding promotion or use of the IEN.He earned this award for CSI’s outstanding use of the IEN to offer dual creditcourses to high school students. Students have earned 2,200 dual credits fromCSI through the Idaho Education Network.

The Idaho State Department of Educationalso unveiled its new Next Practices website, a place where Idaho educators cansee innovative ideas and practices happening in other schools and districtsacross the state.
The Next Practices website captures somethese “next practices” and will continue to update with more in the comingmonths and years. We encourage you to visit this and see some of the greatthings that are happening across Idaho today: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/nextPractices/.
For more information on these opportunities and DigitalLearning Day in Idaho, visit http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/digitalLearningDay/.