Kentucky educators who excel at using technology and digital media to support student learning are encouraged to enter to be named a 2016 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. KET and PBS have announced the 4th annual program in which K-12 teachers and administrators are recognized for their creative use of digital media in the classroom.

PBS LearningMedia, provided in Kentucky as a part of KET EncycloMedia, offers digital tools on-demand for educators, including more than 3,000 resources produced by KET as a leading national producer. KET and PBS LearningMedia deliver research-based, classroom-ready digital learning experiences to engage students in exploring curriculum concepts. All resources are aligned with Kentucky’s State Standards. In Kentucky, more than 85,200 teachers, parents, students and educators have viewed more than 1.8 million resources since 2013.

“KET is an efficient and effective partner in K-12 education, providing engaging media resources for every Kentucky classroom,” said Shae Hopkins, KET executive director and CEO. “We’re especially proud to recognize and partner with innovative educators who are using digital media in order to improve student achievement.”

All educators who meet the entry requirements, follow the guidelines and submit their application to the Digital Innovators Program will be rewarded with year-long professional development opportunities. These include virtual trainings on digital best practices, access to exclusive resources from PBS LearningMedia, invitations to special events, a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course, networking opportunities and ongoing support from KET’s education consultants, who provide hands-on digital media
training to teachers statewide.

The call for entries closes February 8, 2016. Educators should submit a 60- to 120- second video to showcase their innovative use of digital technology in their classroom to inspire students. Entrants should also complete a profile and answer two essay questions. The PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators’ application is available at www.pbslearningmedia.org/digitalinnovators.

A panel of esteemed judges will select one educator from each state throughout the U.S, its territories and the District of Columbia as Lead Innovators. The Lead Innovators will receive a three-day, all-expense paid trip to Denver, Colorado, to participate in the 2016 PBS LearningMedia Digital Summit and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference. Attendance at these conferences will provide the Lead Innovators the opportunity to meet with and listen to renowned speakers, experts and educators like themselves, to discuss technology in the classroom and learn how to maximize the benefits of using new technologies in the classroom. All Lead Innovators will receive a Samsung Galaxy(R) tablet.

Earlier this year, four Kentucky educators were named 2015 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators.

• Susan Cintra, Madison Central High School, Richmond (Lead PBS Digital Innovator)
• James Allen, Oldham County High School, Goshen (Local PBS Digital Innovator)
• Jennifer Montgomery, Eminence Independent Schools, Eminence (Local PBS Digital Innovator)
• Kate Wintuska, Jody Richards Elementary School, Bowling Green (Local PBS Digital Innovator)

The 2016 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators will be announced in March. For more information on KET’s PBS LearningMedia service in Kentucky, visit www.ket.pbslearningmedia.org.

KET’s education coverage is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen, a public media initiative made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, serving more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization on Twitter @KET and facebook.com/KET and at KET.org.

Contact:

Todd Piccirilli
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
859-258-7242
tpiccirilli@ket.org