Mimio and DigiCore Announce Partnership to Deliver Integrated Platform of Digital Lessons and Assessments for Interactive Whiteboards and Student Response Systems

Math and Language Arts Supplemental Content for grades K-8 Aligned to Common Core, California, and Texas State Standards

CAMBRIDGE, MA — March 11, 2013 — Mimio today announced plans to partner with DigiCore Corporation, a strategy-based technology and curriculum integration company, in a collaborative approach to closing student achievement gaps. The alliance will help educators leverage their classrooms’ interactive technologies to make the most of instructional planning, delivery and assessment of standards-aligned supplemental digital content for grades K-8.

“Integrating technology into core and supplemental curriculum offerings is a priority – if not a mandate – in most schools today. Yet many school administrators and teachers are often left wondering how they can bridge the gap between effective teaching strategies and classroom technology,” said Manny Perez, Mimio’s general manager. “We believe our partnership with DigiCore comes at a pivotal moment for schools searching for a way to break down the barriers that keep true technology and content integration from taking place in classrooms across the country.”

Using the award-winning MimioStudio™ classroom software for interactive teaching and learning, educators can merge their existing instructional plans with DigiCore supplemental pre-made digital lessons and activities for math and language arts. They can then deliver the lessons via the MimioClassroom family of products, including the MimioTeach™ interactive whiteboard system, which converts any dry erase board into a fully-interactive whiteboard; MimioVote™ assessment handsets; MimioView™ document camera; MimioPad™ wireless pen tablet; and MimioCapture™ ink recorder.

The DigiCore content covers language arts and math, including algebra, and is developed for Common Core Assessment. In addition to the Common Core State Standards, the content is aligned to California State Standards as well as Texas Essential Knowledge Skills. The materials provide comprehensive lessons, practice activities, reviews and assessments that support the re-teaching of essential skills to students who are struggling to meet grade level benchmarks and prepare them for the higher-level thinking required in the new Common Core Assessments.

“We don’t stop at multiple choice questions and matching activities,” said Beth Paulsen, DigiCore development. “We have a robust offering of constructed response or short answer questions and provide more opportunities for students to explain their answers and show their work, as they will have to do in the new Common Core State Standards Assessments.”

In addition, the DigiCore solution also includes a unique professional teacher development component that offers 16 strategies with built-in management directives that will guide all teachers toward successful collaborative instruction. By implementing the collaborative learning strategies, teachers develop important listening and speaking skills needed to ensure students take ownership of increasing retention and mastery.

By combining Mimio’s technology with the DigiCore digital content and collaborative learning strategies, educators have the ability to adhere to one of the most commonly-stated principles of effective technology integration – it must happen across the curriculum in ways that deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world examples.

“We believe effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals,” said Perez. “That is DigiCore’s strength – helping teachers be better prepared to use technology in order to directly affect learning outcomes – and that’s why we wanted to pursue this partnership.”

“We believe that how a teacher incorporates technology into their classroom management is integral to using it,” said Kevin Mulligan, CEO of DigiCore. “We are passionate about equipping educators with simple, practical and meaningful collaborative teaching strategies to increase student academic performance. We know that offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple technologies ultimately enhances the relationship between teacher and student. When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas like math and language arts, teachers are transformed into advisers, content experts, and coaches. DigiCore can help make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun.”

About Mimio

Mimio is a global leader in interactive teaching technologies that offer a better way to learn and an empowering way to teach. As part of Newell Rubbermaid's global portfolio of leading brands, Mimio designs innovative, affordable educational technologies and solutions to increase effectiveness and engagement in K-12 classrooms. For more information, visit mimio.com.

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