Early Learning Collaborative Hosts “Things That Go” Family Day Event at U.S. Department of Education
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) April 22, 2014 -- The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network’s (HITN) Early Learning Collaborative (ELC) is excited to announce that they will be hosting a “Things That Go” Family Day Event on April 25 at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. The event will preview a newly-developed, hands-on learning experience for young children that families can utilize when visiting museums, libraries and other informal learning settings.
The “Things That Go” Family Day Event builds upon the educational transmedia project designed by ELC to support early childhood development. The project is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Ready to Learn (RTL) grant from the Office of Innovation and Improvement. The new ELC’s “Things that Go” Pocoyo Playground program helps strengthen language learning through spoken and written words and increase engagement with relatable story themes and colorful characters.
For the April 25 event, professionals from museums, libraries and other informal learning settings have been invited to join in on the launch of the program. ELC will facilitate a discussion with the professionals to discuss their interests, insights and suggestions for potential partnerships to increase access to educational programs for families and children throughout the U.S.
“The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network is excited to share the latest installment in our efforts to create quality, early learning materials that are engaging for English language learners as well as their parents and teachers,” said Ed Greene, Senior Director, Educational Outreach and Partnerships of ELC/HITN. “With our ‘Things that Go’ Family Day Event we are collaborating with museums, libraries and other informal learning settings to further expand opportunities to improve school readiness for young children.”
The Family Day Event on April 25 will begin with a morning information and discussion session from 8:30 am – 10:00 am. Members from ELC will present a brief overview of the educational project and explore opportunities to bring ELC Family Events to interested organizations and communities.
Following the morning informational session, attendees will observe young children participating in the “Things That Go” activities from 10:00 am – 11:30 am. The hands-on portion of the Family Day event will provide digital and non-digital experiences for children that promote language learning, social interactions, movement and creativity. Preschool guests participating in the activities will be from the University of the District of Columbia Lab School and the Barbara Chambers Children’s Center of Washington, D.C.
The April 25 event will be hosted at the U.S. Department of Education located at 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20202. The event will last from 8:30 am – 11:30 am. For additional information, please contact Ed Greene at egreene(at)hitn(dot)org.
About Early Learning Collaborative:
The Early Learning Collaborative (ELC) is designed to leverage the power of technology and transmedia content to help ensure three-to-five-year-old children are fully prepared to begin kindergarten and succeed in school and beyond. The ELC initiative includes three components: digital media applications, educational outreach, and research.
The ELC is currently funded in part by a U.S. Department of Education Ready to Learn grant. The Michael Cohen Group is conducting ongoing formative and summative studies to determine the effectiveness of the materials in each of the 23 Pocoyo PlayGround transmedia sets. The ELC currently has several pilot programs in Alabama, California, Florida, Maine, Oregon, Wisconsin, New York, and Washington D. C. that are currently using the interactive and engaging Pocoyo PlayGround digital, print and manipulative materials.
About Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network:
Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN) is the grantee for the Early Learning Collaborative. Established in 1983, HITN is the first Latino non-commercial Spanish-language media company in the U.S. HITN currently reaches over 40 million households in the U.S., providing a wide range of quality programming—on TV, online, and in the community—to address its mission of advancing the educational, socioeconomic and cultural aspirations of Latinos.
Blanca Vasquez, HITN Early Learning Collaborative, http://earlylearningcollaborative.org/, +1 6467313809, [email protected]
Share this article