WFYI seeks teachers using technology

INDIANAPOLIS - Washington Township Schools 5th grade teacher Steve Auslander loves using technology in his classroom. He says it keeps his students engaged and excited about learning. It also earned him a free trip to San Antonio, Texas, and other great perks after being selected as one of the Public Broadcasting System’s roughly 60 digital innovators from the thousands who applied in 2014.

“Being part of the (Digital Innovators) program has benefitted me in a lot of ways,” Auslander said. “I’ve enjoyed expanding my professional learning network, and I’ve especially enjoyed making a connection with the folks at WFYI. We’ve done a lot of fantastic projects together over the years.”

The PBS Digital Innovator program is now in its fifth year. It recognizes educators who excel at using technology and digital media to spark excitement and learning in the classroom. Now through Feb. 13, teachers can apply to this year’s program by submitting a one-to-three-minute video showing how they’re using resources from PBS LearningMedia, PBS’ free media-on-demand service for classrooms, and other digital technology to enhance their teaching and inspire students. Each person will also be asked to complete a brief profile and answer a short essay question when they apply online at wfyi.org/digitalinnovator. 

A panel of judges will seek to select one educator from each state, U.S. territory and the District of Columbia as PBS Digital Innovators. Those selected will receive a three-day, all-expenses paid trip to San Antonio, Texas, June 24-26 to participate in the 2017 PBS Digital Innovators Summit and the International Society for Technology in Education conference where they can interact with fellow educators and leading experts on best practices in digital education.

All PBS Digital Innovators will also receive other benefits, including:
• ongoing professional development opportunities;
• unique virtual trainings focused on digital best practices;
• access to exclusive resources from PBS LearningMedia;
• a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course; and
• a digital gift to use in the classroom.

All entrants to the Digital Innovators Program will automatically become a member of a robust professional learning community with ongoing professional development opportunities and access to free webinars from PBS LearningMedia. Winners will be announced on March 15. For more information on PBS LearningMedia, visit www.pbslearningmedia.org.  

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