Salisbury, Md. – Education is evolving at a faster pace than any other period in recent history. As COVID-19 forced many school systems into distance learning, students needed to develop new skills to solve tough problems, collaborate effectively, and express ideas in new ways online. One Wicomico County Public Schools educator saw the challenge as an opportunity to help students and learning to evolve to meet students needs in today's virtual, educational landscape.

Magic Mapp, a third grade teacher at Fruitland Intermediate School, did not hesitate to get started when his district articulated it would utilize Google Classroom. Immediately, he took the instructional know how from his brick-and-mortar teaching experiences and reimagined those instructional moments in a digital environment. He has never looked back as he became a mentor among his colleagues and his students are reaping the benefits of his willingness to step out of his comfort zone and embrace online learning. The Maryland Society for Educational Technology (MSET) is proud to announce Mapp as its November 2020 Digital Learning Showcase Recipient.

As Wicomico County Public Schools transitioned into distance learning last March, Mapp was wrapping up his coursework at Salisbury University where he received training around online learning tools in Dr. Gina Solano's technology courses. Utilizing Google Apps for Education -- such as Docs, Forms, and Slides --  in his coursework was a great benefit for Mapp as his district opted to use the same platform in distance learning. Mapp has become a source of knowledge for his peers sharing innovative ways to reach kids online and willing to share with anyone who needs assistance.

"When sharing in class, Magic frequently demonstrated creative ways he used technology in his classroom to improve student learning. I was always impressed with the variety of tools he used to support his students by incorporating STEM, video, and cloud computing into the lessons. He is truly is a dynamic educator that understands well the positive role technology has in education," Solano articulated about Mapps' ability to integrate technology in the classroom.

Outside of distance learning Mapp is no stranger to technology as he was active in his school's Lego Robotics program. Mapp cultivates the minds of elementary students and encourage their interest in engineering, mathematics, and robotic principles in his work. Mapps students show critical thinking and problem solving skills in their creation as well as coding skills. Mapp using the segue of robotics into inspiring children to work beyond what they ever imagine while building up their confidence.