Pearson Foundation Announces New Digital Arts Alliances

Published 06-26-07

Submitted by Pearson Foundation

ATLANTA, GA. - June 25, 2007 - The Pearson Foundation today announced a series of new partnerships, programs, and funding commitments with members of the Digital Arts Alliance, the consortium that promotes digital arts in K-12 education through fully funded and staffed programs delivered directly to schools and community centers nationwide. The Pearson Foundation is the founding partner in the Digital Arts Alliance, and part of Pearson, the international education and information company.

At the opening of the annual National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), the Pearson Foundation welcomed seven new members to the Digital Arts Alliance: Adobe Systems, Inc., the American Red Cross, Facing History and Ourselves, Peachpit, Phi Delta Kappa International, and Pearson Education/Hispanic Leadership Council.

The Pearson Foundation also announced a significant expansion of its existing partnership with Nokia, as well as a national initiative with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

Each year, the Digital Arts Alliance makes it possible for more than 15,000 students and teachers to experience firsthand how laptop computers, video production equipment, and the latest mobile-phone technologies are changing the ways young people can organize, present, and share information about issues that matter to them.

Pearson Foundation president Mark Nieker said the following organizations made announcements today regarding their support of the Digital Arts Alliance:

Adobe, the leading digital arts technology publisher, will host Digital Arts Alliance student movies and other digital stories on its Digital Kids Club Website at www.adobe.com/education/digkids. Additionally, the Digital Arts Alliance will use Adobe digital photography, video, and imaging software as its preferred solution for all Digital Arts Alliance student and educator programs.

The American Red Cross, the leading disaster preparedness and recovery organization, along with the Pearson Foundation, will provide digital-arts focused professional development for middle- and high-school teachers in regional workshops across the United States.

Facing History and Ourselves, the international educational and professional development organization, in collaboration with the Pearson Foundation, will introduce the Facing History curriculum in the form of digital arts projects. This new program for students and educators will serve Title 1 middle and high schools, offering digital arts support to high-need schools that might not otherwise receive this valuable curriculum.

Nokia and the Pearson Foundation have announced a significant expansion of their Mobile Learning Institute program. The new Mobile Learning Institute Leadership Network will offer free two- and three-day, hands-on sessions for teachers in regional workshops in at least 11 North American cities each year, in addition to continuing student and educator support in California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Texas school districts. The new Digital Arts Alliance Leadership Institute will provide comprehensive digital arts training to more than 100 additional technology educators from across the U.S., in conjunction with the International Association for Technology in Education (ISTE) and other partners.

Through 2009, this increased commitment is expected to triple the number of teachers served by the Mobile Learning Institute program nationwide

Phi Delta Kappa, the international association for professional educators, together with the Pearson Foundation, will sponsor the Inside Our Schools video competition to schools engaged in the Future Educator Association (FEA), the only nationally-recognized organization promoting education as a career. This video program encourages the high school students who take part in FEA Clubs to create films that identify best practices and examples of teaching excellence in their own schools. The Digital Arts Alliance will enhance this program, working with select teams to create and broadcast quality student films. The end result will be video created by student participants that showcases future educators and their role models - current teachers - who embody good teaching practices.

Peachpit, the leading digital arts publisher, will become the Digital Arts Alliance’s key publishing partner, working with the Pearson Foundation to develop books on the use of technology, the impact of digital arts on students and teachers, and best practices in use and design. Peachpit will also secure contributions to the Digital Arts Alliance Scholarship Fund, based on sales of key titles on market-leading Adobe applications in the best-selling Visual QuickStart Guide series.

Pearson Education, the leading educational publisher, and the Pearson Foundation will sponsor the Pearson Education Digital Literacy Fellowship Program, a Digital Arts Alliance program designed specifically to promote digital literacies among teachers who serve the nation’s Hispanic communities. This initiative delivers digital arts training and support to teachers and students in school districts across America in conjunction with the Pearson Education Hispanic Leadership Council, a nationwide body of select state and district administrators representing educators serving Hispanic students - the fastest-growing population in the U.S. public education system.

In addition, the Pearson Foundation today announced an innovative public-private partnership with The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - The Digital Arts Alliance Leadership Institute -which integrates key efforts of Digital Arts Alliance members in partnership with (ISTE), the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy, and leadership for innovation. Beginning later this summer and continuing through the coming academic year, The Digital Arts Alliance Leadership Institute will provide regional education leaders across the United States: intensive, hands-on professional development sessions from the Mobile Learning Institute (sponsored by Nokia and the Pearson Foundation); extended Internet-based coaching and mentoring from a network of ISTE’s national technology trainers; and additional resources and support from Adobe, Peachpit, and Pearson Education.

Nieker said "At Pearson, we are working with organizations which recognize that for today’s young people, success in school and in life requires educational experiences that meet the challenges of our new century. Digital arts projects provide that kind of experience. As the growth of the Digital Arts Alliance indicates, we are not alone in this commitment. We are seeing increasing interest from both the public and private sectors, all eager to join us in offering these exceptional digital arts programs, which we hope will foster the development of confident school leaders."

ABOUT THE PEARSON FOUNDATION

The Pearson Foundation extends Pearson’s commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe. The foundation aims to make a difference by sponsoring innovative educational programs and extending its educational expertise to help in classrooms and in local communities. More information on the Pearson Foundation can be found at www.pearsonfoundation.org

Pearson Foundation

Pearson (NYSE: PSO) is the global leader in educational publishing, assessment, information and services, helping people of all ages to learn at their own pace, in their own way. For students preK-12, Pearson provides effective and innovative curriculum products in all available media, educational assessment and measurement for students and teachers, student information systems, and teacher professional development and certification programs. Our respected brands include Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, SuccessMaker, Waterford, AGS, PowerSchool, Chancery SMS, SASI, Pearson Inform, Teachervision.com and many others. Our comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student. Pearson's other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group.

Pearson Foundation Announces New Digital Arts Alliances

Pearson Foundation Announces New Digital Arts Alliances

Pearson Foundation

Pearson Foundation

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