August 31, 2007
Where do teachers find good material for geography, science, and social studies lessons? National Geographic is often a first choice. The venerable magazine has a trove of materials available online—from lesson plans to printer-friendly maps to interactive games and activities. When it was time for National Geographic to update its educational Web sites, the media company turned to EDC’s Center for Children and Technology.
“The online content is great,” says EDC’s John Parris, “but the nature of the Web and how educators use it has changed and expanded. Our job was to help National Geographic align its resources with the evolving needs of today’s teachers.”
EDC staff conducted focus groups with teachers in Florida, Texas, and California to learn more about how teachers are using online materials. They surveyed the educational media market, audited National Geographic’s Web assets, and made recommendations for a redesign of the sites.
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