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"Discovery Communications To Launch New Multimedia, Multi-Year Science Initiative, "Be The Future," Supporting Obama Administration STEM Priorities -- DirecTV Boosts Support of Science Literacy with Move of Science Channel to Total Choice, Offering Millions of Additional Subscribers Access to Quality Science Programming -- November 23, 2009 (Silver Spring, Md.) Underscoring its commitment to leading in science-related programming and education, and answering President Obama's call to action to encourage science literacy, Discovery Communications today announced a new multimedia, multi-year nationwide initiative called "Be The Future." Over the next five years, Discovery will launch a programming block, education curriculum and tools to inspire student learning and careers in the sciences and support the White House's efforts behind science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. "Lifting American students from the middle to the top of the pack in STEM achievement over the next decade will not be attained by government alone," said President Obama. "I applaud the substantial commitments made today by the leaders of companies, universities, foundations, non-profits and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers and teachers from across the country." "The exploration of science, technology and the natural world is central to the mission and DNA of Discovery Communications and we are incredibly proud to put the full muscle of our content and resources behind this critical White House initiative," said John S. Hendricks, founder and chairman, Discovery Communications. "Through 'Be the Future' we will spark the innate curiosity in school-aged viewers and people of all ages, help drive interest and leadership in science-related careers and inspire a lifelong interest in how science shapes our everyday lives." A sweeping, multi-platform initiative, "Be the Future" will be built on two primary Discovery businesse

"About PracticePlanet You want an easy-to-use tool to prepare your students for high-stakes tests. Your students want learning that's fun. Everyone wants to see test scores soar. Give your students the PracticePlanet advantage! It's Online PracticePlanet's study strategy takes full advantage of the technology available via the Web. The program contains a comprehensive bank of test items. Management of data is precise yet simple. There are no messy print materials-and data is automatically aggregated electronically. It's Targeted PracticePlanet's pretests identify areas of strength and weakness; students practice the assigned concepts, posttests show his or her level of growth. PracticePlanet's reporting feature gives you real time student data to pinpoint areas needing additional work. It's Motivating and Fun A variety of media keeps PracticePlanet content engaging and interactive. Students are rewarded with motivating, fun games and receive immediate feedback and test results that help them stay focused. Students who use PracticePlanet at school or at home will explore a new world of success on standardized tests. Teachers who use PracticePlanet will appreciate its effectiveness and ease of use. Administrators will appreciate the improvement in test scores and Adequate Yearly Progress. Standards-based Assessment For the last number of years-and especially since the enactment of No Child Left Behind legislation-states have been held increasingly accountable for the academic achievement of the children who attend their public schools. Most states have undertaken the tasks of codifying their academic standards and correlating curriculum and instruction to those standards. Most states have also implemented criterion-referenced summative assessment programs that annually test their students' growth in skill and knowledge. Each state test is developed using selected critical standards from the state's published ac

"Welcome to the convenience and flexibility of an online education at Kaplan University. Earn a college degree on your terms. You control the schedule. There are no travel expenses, or hours spent searching a campus map. Simply attend our online classes anytime, anywhere, virtually 24/7. Our Mission: Kaplan University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to providing innovative undergraduate, graduate, and continuing professional education. Our programs foster student learning with opportunities to launch, enhance, or change careers in today's diverse global society. The University is committed to general education, a student-centered service and support approach, and applied scholarship in a practical environment. Who We Are: Kaplan University is a part of Kaplan Higher Education Corp., which is a part of Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company. Today, Kaplan comprises half of the Post Company's revenue and is its fastest-growing division. Purposes: To accomplish its mission, Kaplan University has established the following purposes: Provide academic programs that have been developed and assessed by faculty, staff, and members of educational, professional, and business communities; Provide intensive and comprehensive instruction using both onsite and online modes of delivery that strengthens student academic achievement; Instill in its students the value of lifelong learning by stimulating intellectual curiosity, creative and critical thinking, and awareness of culture and diversity; Plan and provide facilities and resources that respond to the needs of students, faculty, and staff; Assist students in developing professional attitudes, values, skills, and strategies that will foster success in their careers and in life; Prepare students to meet the ever-changing needs of their communities now and in the future."

"An online learning program can help your school or district reach students in ways you may not be currently able. Whether you're in need of providing educational continuity programs, Credit Recovery programs for at-risk students, or just need a Mandarin class to augment your foreign language offerings, Aventa Learning can help. Since 2002, we have partnered with more than 1,000 districts around the country to help students in many unique ways. Aventa Learning has: Served more than 4,000 credit recovery students in partnership with Chicago Public Schools Provided curriculum and instruction for district-wide online schools in Denver and Houston Provided educational continuity programs for adjudicated youth in Santa Cruz County Whether you're a virtual school, charter school, school district or state education department, you can rely on Aventa to offer expanded educational opportunities to your students, help at-risk students succeed and accomodate students' unique scheduling needs without adding staff or classrooms. We offer one of the largest catalogs of online courses including core curriculum, electives and world language courses for middle school and high school, Advanced Placement (AP) and credit recovery courses."

"Higher education is rapidly changing: As demographics change, as the nature of the contemporary student changes and as technology makes a greater impact, colleges and universities are adapting to serve students. EducationDynamics plays a crucial role. We help each institution reach potential students, to let them know what the institution offers - and we provide information that helps the institution tailor its programs and services to meet the needs of these potential students. We currently help more than 1200 colleges and universities - not-for-profit, for-profit, traditional, online, private, public, large and small - find, enroll and retain students. In size and scope, we are the number one provider of marketing support services to post-secondary education. We believe that by serving students first, we serve our schools best. Hence we help students - part-time adults and full-time undergraduates - find the undergraduate, graduate or continuing education, in classroom or online, that is right for them."

"Students: While year one of Project Share is focused primarily on Texas teachers, Project Share will include an ePortfolio pilot for students. ePortfolios serve as a digital record of scholarly work and extracurricular accomplishments and can be used as academic and personal records that students can share as they transition from K-12 education and into college and career. During the pilot, selected students will build ePortfolios. The ePortfolios may include samples of traditional work such as research papers, essays, and publications, but may also include multimedia pieces such as video and audio of academic presentations, artistic performances, and athletic events. As students are invited into the Project Share platform, they will have access to a Texanized portal in which they can communicate with teachers and explore numerous content repositories such as the New York Times Knowledge Network, Texas PBS, NASA Education, and Smithsonian Education. Epsilen offers a range of privacy options that will protect the online identity and safety of every teacher and student."

"World Youth News is an global online news project for secondary school students from around the world. Adhering to the highest journalistic standards, students select the issues they want to report on, and write, edit and publish their articles on the web-based news service. School publications can reprint articles from World Youth News to add an international component to their news. Any secondary school student (between 14-19 years old) can join this project as a reporter after successfully completing an online training and certification course. World Youth News aims to take students beyond becoming media literate into becoming international correspondents for student publications. Its worldwide team of reporters and editors works collaboratively while researching, writing and editing articles. With an emphasis on unbiased reporting and respect for a diversity of views, World Youth News hopes to not only develop journalistic skills among students but also broaden cross-cultural understanding and provide an important global youth perspective."

"The Tritone Music Series is an applied, internet-based, keyboard and piano music training system that introduces the beginner to the fundamentals of music and performance through a series of interactive multimedia lessons and activities. It serves as an aid to the music specialist teacher and the classroom teacher in providing a consistent level of content and musical instruction to students. Tritone's integrated e-learning courseware includes: 1. Tritone Music Series - a comprehensive online music curriculum based on an internationally proven popular piano methodology developed by Great West Music. Beginner Music 1 is the first course of the series. It consists of three learning modules plus an exam and teaches the fundamentals of music and performance. Musical concepts are introduced through a rich multimedia (text, audio, graphics, video, and animation) environment. Lessons are reinforced with fun, interactive and motivating activities that provide instant feedback and address all types of learning. Structure - Each learning module is divided into a series of units and a quiz. Each unit consists of chapters and within each chapter are lesson and activity pages. At the end of each unit and at the beginning of most units are a summary, work sheets and review. Tritone Music Series content can be customized to meet grade learning outcomes. 2. Javatrax - an assessment sequencer specially designed to help the student develop good practicing habits so that they can learn their songs more effectively. Javatrax simulates the process of the student playing along with the teacher as they learn each stage (hands separately and hands together) of a song. Javatrax assesses the student's performance and gives a graphical display of pitch, timing and expression so that they can see where improvement is needed. Javatrax is also used for sight-reading and ear training drills. 3. Javakeys - a virtual keyboard feature incorporated into Tritone's Javatrax evaluatio

"In simple terms, an audience response system applies the technology used on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" to a learning environment. Students can instantly provide feedback and answer questions posed by their instructors. Each student uses a "clicker," a portable, handheld device that allows students to vote by "clicking" on the appropriate button for his/her choice. Each instructor uses a receiver that collects votes sent by students' clickers. Light and portable, the receiver is powered through any computer's USB port. Instructors present a question and enable polling. Each student responds by "clicking" the appropriate button for his or her choice. A wireless signal is sent immediately from each responding clicker to the receiver. The receiver, through i-clicker's easy-to-use software, logs and stores the data of each individual student. The instructor can then display voting results in a graph, to the audience. The results are also available for later analysis, grading, and exporting to any gradebook software or course management system"

"The Georgia Cyber Academy, a program of Odyssey School, combines the accountability of public schooling with the highest-quality distance-learning curriculum available today, providing an innovative, highly effective education for Georgia students. Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) is a state-approved public online school program. The curriculum is provided by K¹², and is accessed via an Online School (OLS) as well as through more traditional methods, with materials-including books, CDs, and even rocks and dirt-delivered right to the family's doorstep. Parents and students are assigned their own highly qualified, state-certified teacher to help guide and track their progress through the curriculum. Student/student interaction is actively encouraged, so GCA students are always well-educated and well-socialized."

"We serve students and districts all over the US and the World. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an established leader in developing and providing virtual K-12 education solutions to students all over Florida, the U.S. and the world. A nationally recognized e-Learning model and recipient of numerous awards, FLVS was founded in 1997 and was the country's first, state-wide Internet-based public high school. Today, FLVS serves students in grades K-12 and provides a variety of custom solutions for schools and districts to meet student needs."

"Discovery Education provides engaging digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of making educators more effective, increasing student achievement, and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning. Discovery Education is a division of Discovery Communications, LLC the leading global nonfiction media company. The leader in digital video-based learning, Discovery Education produces and distributes high-quality digital resources in easy-to-use formats in all core-curricular subject areas. Discovery Education is committed to creating scientifically proven, standards-based digital resources for teachers, students, and parents that make a positive impact on student learning. Through solutions like Discovery Education streaming, Discovery Education Science, Discovery Education Health and more, Discovery Education helps over one million educators and 35 million students harness the power of broadband and media to connect to a world of learning."

"Launched in the West Virginia school system in 2007, Globaloria is a unique pilot course in public middle schools and high schools where students are creating original Flash-based video games about educational topics and social issues using an online social network for learning. Four WV colleges are also offering Globaloria to their students. Hailed by local, state, and national education leaders as a model for educational transformation, Globaloria increases student mastery of state content standards and objectives and 21st-century knowledge and skills by immersing students in a learning-by-doing, STEM game design and programming curriculum that incorporates the latest social media technology tools. Support for Globaloria is provided by Governor and First Lady Manchin, the West Virginia Department of Education, the WV Department of Education and the Arts, Benedum Foundation, Verizon WV, Knight Foundation, Caperton Fund, West Virginia University, and Marshall University."

"We serve students and districts all over the US and the World. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an established leader in developing and providing virtual K-12 education solutions to students all over Florida, the U.S. and the world. A nationally recognized e-Learning model and recipient of numerous awards, FLVS was founded in 1997 and was the country's first, state-wide Internet-based public high school. Today, FLVS serves students in grades K-12 and provides a variety of custom solutions for schools and districts to meet student needs."

"The Georgia Cyber Academy uses the K¹² curriculum to offer Georgia students in grades K-8 an exceptional learning experience. With individualized learning approaches, the Georgia Cyber Academy and K¹² provide the tools kids need to succeed-in school and beyond. The Georgia Cyber Academy is one of the fastest-growing schools in Georgia, and here's why: Our experienced, highly qualified Georgia-certified teachers, who are available online and by phone. The exceptional, individualized K¹² curriculum, which covers both the core subject areas and electives. Based on decades of education research, this curriculum packages high-quality lessons with mastery-based assessments that ensure students achieve success at each and every level. The online planning and assessment tools, resources, and hands-on materials ranging from textbooks to microscopes, from rocks and dirt to beautifully illustrated classic children's stories, and much more. Our supportive school community, which organizes fun and informative monthly activities where GCA parents, students, and staff share their successes, helpful hints, and more. The high-quality, tuition-free public education that enables a learning experience that is individualized for each student."

"Applied Scholastics International is a non-profit, public benefit organization formed in 1972 by educators from colleges, universities, and both public and private schools. The mission of Applied Scholastics International is to provide effective education services, training and materials to educators, parents and students to enable individuals to learn how to learn and become self-motivated lifelong learners. In countries throughout the world, from urban centers in Europe and America to the townships of South Africa, Applied Scholastics is helping both children and adults learn how to learn, utilizing methods that have proven to be effective at all levels of educational development. These methods, known as Study Technology, were developed by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Applied Scholastics™ educational programs utilize and teach Study Technology, producing routinely excellent results. It has been established repeatedly that these results can be replicated by students, parents, teachers and business trainers from a wide range of educational and cultural backgrounds. Study Technology enables students to understand and apply what they have studied and to retain this ability throughout their lives. Applied Scholastics delivers effective teacher training programs that teach teachers about Study Technology and how they can use it in teaching their students. Teachers can come to the Applied Scholastics campus in St. Louis, Missouri or Applied Scholastics can come to you!"

"Overview: An estimated 30 million students in North America can't read or perform math functions at grade level. AutoSkill creates award-winning intervention software solutions to help close the proficiency gap in K-12 schools. For over 18 years, our research-based programs have helped at-risk students succeed by building fluency in the foundation skills of reading and math. Our mission is simple - to help every student progress in their education and work with teachers, principals and administrators to meet AYP targets and surpass their student achievement goals."

"In April 2009, Time Warner Cable announced its largest-ever charitable commitment of $100 million cash and in-kind over five years to inspire students to pursue science and technology education and careers. According to national experts, the next generation of youth in the United States is not prepared to take on the challenges of the 21st century. Eighty percent of jobs created in the next decade will require math and science skills. However, today's students show declining interest in these subjects, with eighty-four percent of middle school students saying they would rather clean their room, eat their vegetables, go to the dentist or take out the garbage than learn math or science. There's clearly an immediate need for youth to develop skills in science, technology, engineering and math. A failure to do so puts our country, our communities and our children at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. America is at risk of losing its leadership in technology and innovation as baby boomer retirements deplete the science and technology workforce by fifty percent over the next decade. Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds introduces youth to opportunities and resources that inspire them to develop the important science, technology, engineering and math skills they need to solve the economic, environmental and community challenges of the future. Technology and innovation are central to our company's ability to connect millions of people to the entertainment they want, the information they depend on and the people they care about most. As a result, Time Warner Cable's new philanthropic initiative creates a powerful link between the full strength of our company and the talents of our employees with the needs of students and, ultimately, our country."

"Support, Technology, and Professional Development for Online Learning: The SUNY Learning Network is a partnership with SUNY Campuses to provide support in the areas of pedagogy, technology, student and faculty support and marketing services. With award-winning support from the SUNY Learning Network, SUNY campuses have been empowered to offer thousands of online courses in scores of degree programs to tens of thousands of students. SLN-supported courses redefine online learning. They integrate today's students into learning environments that provide intensive interaction, individual attention, high standards, and enhanced learning outcomes. The SUNY Learning Network (SLN) was established to increase access to SUNY's academic programs and maintain consistently high-quality online pedagogy. SLN supports the full range of online learning, from courses that use the Web to enhance in-class teaching, through courses and full degree programs available completely online. You can read more about how SLN evolved on the SLN History page."

"In2Books was created in 1997 to enhance the intellectually stimulating work available to students in low-income neighborhoods. A basic tenet of In2Books is that all children are capable of deep learning. Children cannot fully develop their learning potential without challenging learning experiences. In2Books promotes ambitious literacy learning in grades 2-5 by having students engage in authentic reading and writing experiences with adult pen pals. The pen pal experience is complemented by the classroom study of genre and genre-related literacy. From its inception, In2Books has focused especially on under-resourced neighborhood where many students come from low-income, culturally diverse backgrounds. The thought-provoking In2Books curriculum includes carefully-chosen, high quality diverse books and research-proven teaching strategies. The strategies are aligned to grade-level literacy standards and science, social studies, and language arts instruction."