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A PBL Approach to Animation Storytelling to Foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Monday, August 12, 2024 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Presented by Zachary E. A. Shirley, Ed.D., CDP, CDE, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Cambium Learning Group; Terry Thoren, CEO, Wonder Media; and Joyce Whitby, CEO and Co-Founder, Innovations4Education
Sponsored by Wonder Media – makers of StoryMaker
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We know that many modern workplaces operate with team-based projects, making Project-Based Learning (PBL) a natural way to prepare students for their future careers. PBL is also an effective way to help build a sense of community and belonging by working collaboratively in small groups, which is crucial for middle and high school students who are navigating social and cultural dynamics. Tapping into the magic of animation transforms these student teams into production crews that feel professional and include roles for producers, writers, animators, actors, critics, and more!
In this edWebinar, we address the challenges of creating a rich, inclusive, and effective learning environment that resonates with multicultural middle and high school students. We show examples from master educators who have tapped into the power of technology to utilize the art of animated storytelling to build higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Viewers are afforded the opportunity to apply for a microgrant to replicate this model in one classroom this fall. This recorded edWebinar is of interest to school leaders, district leaders, and education technology leaders of the middle and high school levels.
About the Presenters
Dr. Zachary E. A. Shirley serves Cambium Learning Group as the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In his role, Dr. Shirley serves as an advocate and thought partner for all business units and teams within the organization. Dr. Shirley is responsible for all aspects of Cambium’s DEIB program, inclusive of, but not limited to, partnership with various teams within Cambium, including the DEIB Collective, the Cambium Executive Team, and the People Experience Team. Dr. Shirley’s additional areas of oversight include strategy development, collaborating with senior leadership and various teams within the business, internal/external partnerships and constituent engagement, program development and implementation, resource development, training and education, metrics and reporting, and awareness and capacity building to uplift this extremely important work.
Wonder Media’s founder, Terry Thoren, set out on a mission 15 years ago to use animation to help prevent childhood trauma. He is the former CEO of Klasky Csupo, Inc., the company that incubated The Simpsons and produced Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, and more. Wonder Media has produced animated resources for the Child Rescue Service in Ukraine, the Global Institute for Habits of Mind, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center Foundation, the Cook Center for Human Connection, the Betty Ford Children’s Center, the Hero in You Foundation, the NALC Food Drive, The Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, and the Wyland Water Foundation.
Joyce Whitby is a professional EdTechKnowledgist and lifelong educational technology leader. She has extensive experience in marketing, market development, business development, sales management, and sales leadership including management of direct field sales force, inside sales, and distribution channels. Her strengths include new business development in urban markets, strategic planning and budgeting, recruiting, training, project management, and motivating high-performance sales teams. She is linked with a vast educational professional learning network, including extensive personal connections to key decision makers in U.S. school systems as well as leading executives in the educational technology industry.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
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In May 2024, Wonder Media’s Story Maker® won the SIIA Award for “Best Education Solution for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.” It won because it helps school leaders who need high-quality, engaging, project-based learning resources for both in-school and after-school learning programs that build community and a sense of belonging. Wonder Media’s Story Maker® is an animation storytelling program. What separates the animation process from all other digital storytelling processes is the availability of Wonder Media’s library of 250,000 premade animation assets that students use to tell their stories. Story Maker® was created 10 years ago by Wonder Media CEO Terry Thoren. He is the former CEO of the company that incubated The Simpsons and created the Rugrats. Wonder Media has produced a library of mental health resources for educators worldwide. They have made the animated assets from these resources available to students to tell their own stories.
