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Increasingly, policy groups and thought leaders are pointing to the need for a resource, such as Learning List , that provides objective reviews of instructional materials.  They assert that the need for independent, objective reviews has increased (1) as new instructional materials are introduced to support Common Core implementation, and (2) as more states deregulate their instructional materials markets and allow districts and schools more choice in the online and print materials they use. In a report released in November, the Business Roundtable highlighted the need for an independent organization to review new instructional materials to assess their alignment to the CCSS. And last week, Thomas Arnett of the Clayton Christensen Institute commented in a blog : e need a system for providing both expert and user reviews of course choice options, similar to those available from Consumer Reports or on sites like CNet, Angie’s List, or RateMyProfessors.com. Standardized measures are nice because they are quantitative and objective, but they cannot capture all the aspects of quality that parents and students may want to know.  Arnett’s post highlights Learning List as a service that is “stepping up” to provide educators and parents with the reviews and  information they need to choose the best instructional materials for their students.  We couldn’t agree more.

Learning List doubles/triples/quadruples the capacity of your district's curriculum staff. Tools on LearningList.com make it easy for curriculum directors  to identify products (state-adopted, non-adopted, open-source) that address 100% of the TEKS .  Learning List helps superintendents and board presidents  comply with the 100% Rule. Campus Leadership Teams can use Learning List's alignment reports to design TEKS-aligned curriculum maps and lesson plans for each instructional material reviewed. Need help selecting instructional materials? Learning List is a subscription-based, instructional materials review for schools and districts. Subscribers can access completed reviews or request reviews of additional products, including open-source. LearningList.com features three different reviews for each product: an alignment to the TEKS , an editorial review highlighting the product’s unique features and functionality, and subscriber ratings and reviews . We’ll be at the TASA Mid-Winter Conference, so please stop by: Our booth #211 to see reviews and tools on LearningList.com. Our presentation, “ Improving Your Process for Selecting IM ,” Tuesday, January 28, 11:30am-12:30pm, Room 11AB

With the beginning of spring semester comes many decisions regarding ways to help struggling students grasp the required standards before state assessments. Teachers often turn to online instructional materials to help reinforce the concepts and skills for these students. Many online materials offer formative assessments, individualized learning paths, reteach lessons, and various reports on student learning. If used correctly, these online instructional materials can be valuable tools in differentiating instruction. In order for online instructional materials to be effective with struggling students, some important points should be considered regarding pre-assessments. (1)  Review the pre-test to check that enough questions are provided to assess mastery for that particular standard.  Too few questions can lead to inaccurate diagnostic determinations. (2)  Carefully read each pre-test question to make sure it will help you determine the students’ needs.  You may want to add or delete questions within the tests to provide the best diagnostic information as possible. (3) Analyze the questions on the pre-assessment test to check that they are aligned to the 3C’s of the standards- content, context, and cognitive rigor. (See previous post on 3C’s)  Many online program test questions are aligned only to the content of the standard. One major reason that students fail the state assessments is because the formative assessments and instruction provided are not aligned to the depth and complexity of the standards. Future blog posts will discuss additional points to consider when using online instructional materials effectively with struggling students.

Siemens STEM Academy is accepting applications for its Siemens STEM Institute and Siemens Teachers as Researchers (STARS) programs through February 4, 2014.  Both programs are opportunities for middle school and high school STEM teachers to participate in all-expense-paid professional development activities in summer 2014. The Siemens STEM Institute accepts fifty educators, or STEM Fellows, to attend a week-long institute hosted by Discovery Education , located outside of Washington, D.C.  According to Siemens, “The week will be filled with guest speakers, field trips to leading institutions where Fellows will observe real-world applications of STEM subject matter, and networking opportunities with like-minded peers from across the nation.”  For more information about Institute eligibility and application requirements, click here . The STARS program selects two groups of 20 educators to participate in a two-week professional development program held at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.  Selected educators work in teams with scientists and researchers on short-term projects at the laboratory and participate in seminars, workshops, tours, and field trips.  Participating educators receive a $500 stipend and a $300 mini-grant for the purchase of classroom equipment and supplies. For information about STARS eligibility and application requirements, click here .

Over the past few months, Learning List staff have attended quite a few vendor conferences for products under consideration for state adoption in Texas.  These conferences have been hosted by Texas’ regional Educational Service Centers and have given vendors an opportunity to present their products and educators an opportunity to preview the new science, math, and technology applications materials that will be available for the 2014-15 school year.  We learned a lot at these conferences, and in the next few weeks, we’ll summarize some of the trends we noted in new products.  Today’s post focuses on  features designed to help special student populations, such as English language learners (ELLs) and students with disabilities (recall that most materials submitted in response to Proclamation 2014 were digital products):  Spanish-Language Translations .  Some products include full student editions in Spanish, while others limit translations to key sections, such as summaries or glossaries.  A few products include translations in languages other than Spanish. English Language Learner Resources for Teachers. Teacher editions highlight strategies to support ELLs and include ELPS correlations, Spanish vocabulary, and modifications to support mastery of concepts while developing English skills. Spanish-Language Resources for Parents .  Curriculum and homework guides for Spanish-speaking parents. Differentiation Strategies for Teachers.  Teacher editions include strategies and professional development to support differentiated instruction. Audio Readers.   Support for visually impaired students and struggling readers; some products include read aloud components in multiple languages. Adjustable Font Sizes .  Support for visually impaired students and struggling readers. Lexile-Based Reading Levels.  Text adapts for students at, above, and below grade level. Transcripts of Video-Based Lessons.  Support for hearing impaired and struggling learners; some products include transcripts in multiple languages.

As discussed in our previous post on student engagement, educators hold different views of what it means for students to be engaged in learning. Not surprisingly, research has identified several dimensions of student engagement. These include behavioral engagement, emotional or psychological engagement, and cognitive engagement.  When students are behaviorally engaged , they participate in the academic as well as the social and extracurricular components of schooling.  When students are emotionally engaged , they feel good about their school and learning experiences, as well as their relationships with teachers and peers.  When students are cognitively engaged , they are invested in academic tasks and motivated to learn.  While behavioral and emotional engagement help to set the stage for learning, cognitive engagement has the strongest connection to improved academic outcomes. There is some overlap between behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in the six teacher conceptions of engagement identified by Harris  (2008) (i.e., behaving, enjoying, being motivated, thinking, seeing purpose, and owning); however, and are most closely aligned with cognitive engagement.  In our next post in this series, we will explore how educators can design lessons and select instructional materials that facilitate students’ ability to (1) see purpose in their learning and (2) own what they learn.

Lowe’s is accepting online applications for its 2013-14 Toolbox for Education Grants through February 15, 2014.  However, once 1,500 applications have been received, no further applications will be accepted.  Toolbox grants provide between $2,000 and $5,000 to public K-12 schools to undertake projects that lead to permanent enhancement of school facilities and may be completed within one year. Examples of awarded grants include school gardens and playgrounds, as well as small building projects, such as renovations that create tutoring and parent involvement centers in schools.  Preference is given to projects that involve parents and foster community engagement.  Approximately 1,000 grants are awarded each year ($5 million total). Click here for more information about how to apply.

Yesterday afternoon, KERA broadcast Trey Kay’s radio documentary about the culture wars surrounding Texas’ public school curriculum.  The Long Game: Texas’ Ongoing Battle for the Direction of the Classroom provides a rigorous and balanced exploration of the controversies surrounding what is taught in Texas public schools.  As Kay reports: For more than a half a century, citizens of the Lone Star State have had intense, emotional battles over what children should and should not be taught in public school classrooms. While there have been fights over just about every academic subject, debates over history, evolution, God and country generate the most heat. “The Long Game” explores the debate over CSCOPE, Texas’ resistance to the Common Core State Standards, and the ongoing battle over biology standards.  Kay’s analysis looks behind the headlines to probe how Texas’ political and religious history has shaped what is taught in the state’s classrooms. If you missed it, you can access the recording here .

On November 22, 2013, the SBOE released a list of 405 state-adopted math, science and technical applications products, 303 of which align to 100% of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).  More than two-thirds of the products on the state-adopted list are online products.  According to John Lopez, Managing Director of TEA’s Instructional Materials and Educational Technology division, the breakdown of print and digital products on the state-adopted list by subject is as follows: Subject Material Format Products 100% Aligned to the TEKS (#) Products Aligned to Between 50-99% of the TEKS (#) Total products  Science Print 71 18   89 (33%) Electronic 142 33 175 (66%) Subtotal 213 51 264 Math Print 36 14  50 (41%) Electronic 44 29  73 (59%) Subtotal 80 43 123 Technology Apps Print 0 0 0 Electronic 10 8 18 (100%) Subtotal 10 8 18   In light of the facts that: (1) the state-adopted list includes so many instructional materials, (2) districts have a limited amount of state funds with which to purchase instructional materials and technology, and (3) superintendents and board presidents have a legal obligation to certify that they are providing instructional materials that align with 100% of the TEKS, educators must carefully evaluate instructional materials to determine which products best meet their students’ unique needs. Learning List can help! Learning List is a subscription-based, K-12 instructional materials review service designed to help districts and schools determine which products are best for their students. Texas districts and charter schools may use IMA funds to pay for the subscription to Learning List. Schedule a webinar to see the reviews and tools on LearningList.com, contact Info@LearningList.com .

Most policy makers and educators agree that student engagement is a critical to improving learning outcomes. However, as we have learned, student engagement is a multifaceted construct that lacks a clear definition. In developing Learning List’s editorial reviews, we interview educators who have used featured products with students, and we ask interview respondents to explain how products engage students in learning.  Some educators explain student engagement in terms of students’ on-task behavior and participation in class activities, others recognize engagement when students enjoy learning, and still others say students are engaged when they want to learn and value what they are learning.  Our experience is not unusual.  A 2008 study by Lois Ruth Harris that explored teachers’ understandings of student engagement concluded that “teachers do not hold similar understandings of what student engagement means.”  Through a set of semi-structured interviews with teachers, Harris identified six qualitatively different categories of student engagement among teachers’ views. These included: Behaving : Students are well behaved and participate in class activities, Enjoying : Students enjoy school and have fun while learning, Being motivated : Students are motivated and confident in their ability to learn, Thinking : Students think about  what they are learning, Seeing purpose : Students see the purpose in what they are learning, and Owning : Students own and value their learning. Over the next few weeks, this blog will consider the concept of student engagement with a focus on how school administrators and teachers can recognize meaningful engagement and select instructional materials that support and enhance efforts to improve engagement. .

Dan Meyer explains why it’s an amazing time to be a math teacher in this TEDtalk , “Math Class Needs a Makeover.”   His talk addresses how to develop math reasoning through “patient problem solving.” His approach is to first present students with visual models and then, through conversation, allow students to identify and describe the problem and the math reasoning needed to solve it.

Early applications and nominations for The New Teacher Project’s (TNTP) Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice are due tomorrow (12/3/2014).  However, applications will be accepted through January 21, 2014.  The prize awards $25,000 to up to five full-time teachers in public schools that serve at least 40% low-income students.  Eligible teachers must demonstrate: An extraordinary ability to lead students from all backgrounds to academic excellence; A keen understanding of effective instructional practice and an ability to articulate it clearly; and A passion for teaching and a deep commitment to advancing the teaching profession. Click here for more information about the prize and how to nominate a teacher.