SmartBrief announces winners of 1st annual Educators’ Choice Content Awards

WASHINGTON - Jan. 22, 2015 - PRLog -- Two original content pieces about the Maker Movement struck a chord with SmartBrief readers last year. Readers voted and chose two winners (http://www.smartblogs.com/education/2014/12/17/smartbrief-announces-winners-of-the-1st-annual-educators-choice-content-awards/) for SmartBrief’s (http://www.smartbrief.com/industry/education#.VL4vjmTF-8E) first annual Educators’ Choice Content Awards (http://www.smartblogs.com/education/2014/12/17/smartbrief-announces-winners-of-the-1st-annual-educators-choice-content-awards/). "Makers in the Classroom: A How-To Guide" by Aaron Vanderwerff and "Project-Based Learning Through a Maker’s Lens" by Patrick Waters were chosen from among 20 original content pieces written by educators, for educators.

“The two authors chosen by our readers, as well as the other nominees, deserve to be recognized for their contribution to excellence in education,” SmartBrief Education Publisher Joe Riddle said.

Last year, SmartBrief Education editors introduced the Editor’s Choice Content Awards, a monthly program honoring two original content pieces that inspired readers to engage, innovate and discuss. In November, we asked readers to pick their favorite of the 20 stories; nearly 3,000 voted. In addition, members of ASCD’s Emerging Leaders program — a group of diverse, forward-thinking educators — weighed in on their top picks.

Both winners will be honored during a reception at the ASCD Annual Conference in March.

Aaron Vanderwerff is a K-12 makerspace and science coordinator at Lighthouse Community Charter School in Oakland, Calif.

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers who are helping us to elevate awareness of the importance of Making in education,” Vanderwerff said. “At the Lighthouse Creativity Lab, we are thrilled to watch our diverse group of kids innovate and stretch themselves creatively as they Make in their classes.”

Patrick Waters is a middle- and high-school educator at The Monarch School in Houston, Texas.

“Project-Based Learning is such a great way of engaging so many learners and teachers into the learning process," Waters said. "It truly lets students see that learning isn’t just a thing they do in school, but a principle for life.”

Read more (http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/10/31/editors-choice...) information about the awards program and access links (http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/10/31/editors-choice-content-award-october/) to each nominated story.

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