Illinois’ Shiloh CUSD #1 Adds New, Cutting-Edge Edtech Tool to Middle School and High School Curriculum to More Deeply Engage Students in Science

Charlotte, NC (Wednesday, February 8, 2023)—Illinois’ Shiloh CUSD #1 today announced an expansion of its partnership with Discovery Education that adds a new, cutting-edge resource to the district’s middle school and high school science curriculum. In this new phase of collaboration, Discovery Education’s Pivot Interactives is helping educators in the district’s high school Biology class to actively engage students in the exploration of scientific phenomena while developing their scientific practice. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. 

Located in east central Illinois, Shiloh CUSD #1 serves approximately 375 K-12 students in one school building. Focused on meeting the unique needs of each individual student and creating a safe environment where learning has no boundaries, district teachers and administrators partner with members of the community to provide all students with opportunities for lifelong learning in a changing world. 

To better engage district middle and high school students in scientific inquiry and interactive learning, Shiloh CUSD #1 educators sought high-quality, standards-aligned digital resources that would quickly get students excited about scientific topics and were adaptable enough to meet the needs of different learning styles and levels. Following a careful review of potential solutions, district administrators selected Discovery Education’s Pivot Interactives for use in both middle and high school classrooms. 

Pivot Interactives, which joined the Discovery Education family of services in 2022, makes teaching science with active learning and scientific phenomena engaging and easy. Launched in 2012 by two visionary educators—Peter Bohacek and Matt Vonk—the platform provides users with more than 10,000 authentic, interactive video-based science interactives crafted by Pivot’s expert curriculum team and teacher community. These resources, tied to state and national standards, are infused with research-based teaching practices and are simple to integrate throughout the instructional cycle.  

Pivot Interactives offers opportunities for students to explore and learn for themselves. The service’s built-in tools—including IRIS TM, a first-of-its-kind color and light gauge—make for quick and accurate measurements. A unique interface allows students to change what happens in the video and see how that change affects the outcome. Easy-to-follow instructions guide students through data collection, measurement, data analysis, and interpretation, while feedback provided by both open-ended and auto-graded questions reinforce correct ideas. 

“The educators at Shiloh CUSD #1 work incredibly hard to ensure the students we serve have access to a learning experience that not only grabs their imagination but also appeals to their preferred way of learning,” said Pamela Evans, a district teacher currently using the new resources in her classroom. “Pivot Interactives accomplishes both these goals as it helps students explore the natural world around them.” 

Shiloh CUSD #1 already uses Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform to create engaging classroom learning activities for all students. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides an enhanced learning platform that facilitates engaging, daily instruction in any environment. These resources, sourced from trusted partners, are aligned to state and national standards, and help educators bring the outside world into teaching and learning every day.     

In addition, Shiloh CUSD #1 uses Discovery Education’s Science Techbooks. The Discovery Education Science Techbook series is a comprehensive, research-backed digital science solution for grades K-12. Used in classrooms across the United States and Canada and delivered through Discovery Education’s K-12 platform, the Science Techbook’s virtual and hands-on investigations, STEM activities, and wide variety of instructional supports enhance the delivery of impactful, blended instruction in person or at a distance. 

All educators using Discovery Education resources are supported by the Discovery Educator Network as they transform students’ learning experiences with dynamic digital media. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Educator Network connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration. 

“Discovery Education is excited to deepen its collaboration with Shiloh CUSD #1,” said Kathryn Vickers, Discovery Education’s Senior Partnership Coordinator. “Adding Pivot Interactives to the district’s already robust suite of digital resources will deepen student engagement in the sciences and help prepare Shiloh’s students for success beyond graduation.”  

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.