Trends » LearningList

What We’ve Observed: Trends in AP Materials

August 12, 2022July 25, 2017

The College Board is engaged in several related initiatives to help teachers prepare a broader, more diverse group of students to succeed in AP courses. AP courses in several disciplines are being redesigned and new courses are being introduced to create AP courses that strike a balance between depth of understanding and breadth of content coverage.

A critical next step in supporting AP teachers is ensuring that the instructional materials for AP courses address the knowledge and skills articulated in the new course frameworks. To that end, the College Board partnered with Learning List™ to provide educators with independent, professional reviews of AP materials[1]. [Read more…]

Build Your Own …

June 28, 2022November 28, 2016

This post is the second in the series, “Three Critical Trends in Instructional Materials.” An increasing number of districts are forgoing comprehensive textbooks in favor of building their own resources. In fact, a California superintendent told us that he had put aside $7 million to pay his teachers to develop their own materials. Administrators in favor of building their own …

New Review: DreamBox

August 18, 2022June 3, 2016

DreamBox supplemental online resources support mathematics instruction for students in grades K-8. The adaptive program provides individualized instruction using learning games that incorporate engaging animated characters. Resources support instruction in blended learning environments. Learning List recently reviewed materials for grade K. …[read more].

Trends in Mathematics Materials

August 30, 2022April 12, 2016

Learning List has reviewed over 1500 of the most widely used instructional materials, including hundreds of mathematics materials aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Over the last few years, we have observed general and grade-span specific trends that may be of interest to mathematics teachers. This blog post addresses the attributes that apply to mathematics materials across grade levels. …[read more]

Introducing Learning List Spec Sheets and Explorer Tool

October 1, 2015

Learning List’s New Spec Sheets and Explorer Tool Help Districts Transition Successfully to a Blended Learning Environment

Are Digital Resources or Textbooks More Effective? OECD Weighs In

September 29, 2015

Are digital resources more effective than textbooks? They are certainly more trendy these days. Although Learning List has reviewed hundreds of instructional materials in both formats, it’s difficult for us to say that one format is better than another.

Teacher Shortages Force Districts to Rely on Online Courses

July 22, 2022August 10, 2015

As the new school year approaches, schools across the country are in a hiring frenzy. How are districts filling the gap? As one rural Texas principal told me recently, “We’re having to rely on online courses more heavily than ever before. High school math teachers are hard to come by in small Texas towns. So, smaller districts like ours are using self-paced online courses when we can’t find a teacher for the course. What’s scary is that we don’t really know how good the courses are.” Learning List gives districts peace of mind that the materials they are using are teaching their students what they need to know to be successful.

Infographic: What are Districts Buying?

May 29, 2015

As Texas districts prepare for the 2015-2016 school year, we analyzed the IMA purchasing data* to identify trends that could offer valuable insights for districts and publishers alike.

Take a look a this infographic (click to download) …

Have You Pledged to Be ‘Future Ready’ ?

November 25, 2014

Last week, President Obama and the U.S. Department of Education recognized just over 100 exemplary superintendents for their leadership in transitioning their districts to digital learning. Interestingly, 18 of the superintendents haled from California, nine from Texas, eight from Indiana and from Pennsylvania , seven from New Jersey, six from Virginia, and four from New York. The remaining attendees came from a many other states.

Look Into a Crystal Ball: How to Project Your District’s Instructional Materials Allotment Allocation

November 21, 2014

Today, the Texas State Board of Education adopted 89 social studies, 55 high school math and 172 fine arts materials. Learning List has reviewed all of the state-adopted social studies and high school math products that were adopted, as well as several materials in those subjects that were not submitted for state adoption.

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