Welcome to our exciting new, “Discovery Cube Connect,” an online extension of the Discovery Cube’s family of science centers in California.
During this time, the Discovery Cube team of leaders determined that it was important to find ways to better serve students who are now faced with being the first generation of “distance learners.”
For those of us who serve the Cube, it became increasingly important that we find a way to provide “optimism in education” rather than sit on the sidelines and wait to re-open. We needed to find a means to deliver programming to where education was actually now being experienced, whether in the kitchen, dining room, spare bedroom, or at a grandparent’s home, the impact of the COVID-19 global health crisis caused us to reconsider our bigger leadership role in science education.
With those considerations, we developed Discovery Cube Connect. Our new platform that will now deliver science/STEM learning directly into the home or classroom through fun, engaging, and creatively developed programs and exhibits for online or “distance learning” 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This platform provides quality distance learning and science education with the values that distinguish the Discovery Cube Brand: 1) making science learning fun, 2) being a trusted program partner, 3) providing engaging hands-on learning experiences, and 4) delivering inclusive, positive grade-specific learning opportunities.
The first phase of the Discovery Cube Connect has been initiated and provides our youngest learners in grades K-3 (and their parents, and teachers) with the highest quality of online, distance learning, STEM based resources for their grade level.
I am eager to share with you that what really makes Discovery Cube Connect an excellent partner in education is that we have incorporated a “Content Review Component“ (think “yelp“ or “Rotten Tomatoes”) that allows parents, teachers, and even caretakers or grandparents, to “rate and review” every program that is featured on our Discovery Cube Connect platform. This valuable input will allow us to add more of what teachers and parents think works best and drop what is not working. This is a true partnership effort that allows us to deliver the best in science education, giving each learner more of what is meaningful. A promising number of over 650 educators, parents and members of the Discovery Cube have initially accepted our invitation to review our Discovery Cube Connect programs for our initial rollout.
The next phase of our Discovery Cube Connect involves curating online science exhibits around a seasonal theme that combines inspiring “science” based films, documentaries and/or movies, fun learning videos, insightful lectures from “student friendly” experts, engaging “hands on” activities for families, and science based “challenges” for our community as a whole. Additionally these on-line exhibitions will serve to support a teacher’s seasonal curriculum schedule and objectives. I can’t wait to hear what you think about this next phase as well.
On behalf of the Discovery Cube Board of Directors, I hope you find Discovery Cube Connect, now in its inaugural debut, to become a valued partner and friend in your efforts to teach, educate and inspire your own. Whether in the home or in the classroom, we believe learners can continue to excel in mastering science learning in a meaningful way through this platform.
So in closing, I invite you to explore Discovery Cube Connect, try out a few of the science activities, and let us know how it went. Finally, check back frequently for programming to include even more grade levels and additional subjects in the coming weeks and months ahead along with our seasonal on-line science exhibitions. This is a time when we need to give together, and teach together. Discovery Cube Connect, may be seen as our fourth site, and with it hopefully every child can have a chance to now “get to a Cube.”
For sure, I look forward to seeing you when we are open, but in the meantime feel free to share your comments with me at: Joeadams@discoverycube.org.
It’s an honor and a privilege to have your trust in the Discovery Cube brand, and I assure you Discovery Cube Connect will deliver.
Joe Adams, Discovery Cube CEO