Colorado Digital Learning Solutions Selects Marine Science 101

DENVER — Aug. 17, 2016 —Ocean First Education today announced that Colorado Digital Learning Solutions (CDLS) will offer Marine Science 101 through its supplemental online course network, serving over 50 school districts around the state.
 
The course will be offered to students beginning in January, following training of an online instructor this fall.
 
“One of our missions at CDLS is to identify the best online content and bring it to our program and partner districts—and the Ocean First Education’s Marine Science 101 course meets our standards for high quality and relevance,” said Dan Morris, director of marketing and outreach for CDLS. “We had no offerings in marine science and knew this was a gap which needed filling and this course will provide a great option for students statewide.”
 
Ocean First Education’s Marine Science 101 course offers students access to proprietary interviews with world-renowned scientists and the latest marine science research. The course requires students to actively participate in the learning process through scientific inquiry using critical thinking skills, data analysis and explanation construction based on their observations. The course includes six units, each with a user guide, student guide, online assessment, and offline activities and labs.
 
The non-profit CLDS works with school districts to fill gaps in the local curriculum offerings, particularly for rural communities that have small teaching staffs and therefore lack the ability to offer instruction in a wide array of content.
 
CLDS courses are taught by licensed teachers who are “thoroughly embedded” in the curriculum, said Morris. Teachers also work closely with district staff through school district supplied online coordinators to ensure that students stay engaged in the coursework and are held accountable for their learning. CLDS delivered courses for 450 student registrations during the 2015-2016 school year and expects more than 700 registrations this year.
 
“We are very proud to provide Marine Science 101 to Colorado Digital Learning Solutions and reach their growing community of students,” said Graham Casden, founder of Ocean First Education. “Marine Science 101 is a colorful and engaging core course and we know this collaboration with CDLS will continue to demonstrate that it’s possible for students anywhere to thoroughly immerse themselves in marine science and ocean health issues, regardless of their proximity to the ocean itself.”
 
About Colorado Digital Learning Solutions
Colorado Digital Learning Solutions (CDLS), a 501(c)3 non-profit, replaced Colorado Online Learning as the state-supported provider of supplemental coursework for Colorado students. CDLS provides expanded online courses for middle and high school to support credit retrieval, credit advancement, and curriculum enhancement options for Colorado students. CDLS also provides coursework to Colorado teachers related to the implementation of online and blended-learning courses as well as teaching in a standards-based environment. All courses are tied to the Colorado Teacher Quality Standards and follow iNACOL’s Blended Teaching Competencies. Graduate credit is offered for completed coursework. CDLS also partners with Colorado Digital BOCES and eLearn Collaborative to support the professional development needs of Colorado teachers in the areas of online and blended learning.
 
About Ocean First Education
Founded in 2008 and based in Boulder, Colorado, Ocean First Education provides innovative and dynamic digital marine science curricula for K-12. Our team of educators, scientists and researchers are committed to increasing awareness of marine environments and engaging students through interactive experiences. Ocean First Education is grounded in its mission to inspire our students, teachers and community to become stewards of the sea. For more information, visit www.OceanFirstEducation.com.
 

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Kimberly Kennedy

PR

Moxie+Mettle

kim@moxiemettle.com