Common Core and Open Educational Resources Working Together

By Kim Jones, Curriki CEO

Open Educational Resources are important enablers in support of Common Core standards. An article in Education Week entitled “Common Core Drives Interest in Open Education Resources” can be found here: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2012/10/17/01open.h06.html

The article notes that Common Core standards are driving increased interest in open digital resources. For example, the state of Utah in the U.S. is creating textbooks made entirely from OER materials, and in the state of South Dakota educators have built a repository of OER content in support of the Common Core. The pilot projects for open textbooks in Utah were highly successful, so the open textbook project was expanded to be statewide during this current school year.

I was interviewed by Katie Ash, who wrote in the article:

“Such projects are exactly what the common core can now make possible”, says Kim Jones, the chairman and chief executive officer of Curriki, a nonprofit K-12 repository for open education resources based in Cupertino, Calif.
“We’re seeing a lot of teachers starting to contribute OER materials that are aligned to common-core standards,” says Jones. “We’re very excited about that and think it’s going to make a huge difference in allowing people across the U.S. to leverage what teachers are doing in other places.”

The article also noted Curriki’s work with the Learning Resource Metadata Initiative, which is working to categorize and tag OERs to make them more accessible and easier to search. Also mentioned was Curriki’s launch during 2012 of a free Algebra 1 course aligned to Common Core standards.

“It’s an exciting time for education, between OER really crossing the chasm and common-core standards coming out, and just the work that’s going on around technology,” says Jones, from Curriki. “It’s all coming together at a great time, and it’s really going to have a positive impact on education going forward.”

For more information on how OER supports Common Core standards implementation, we encourage you to read the full article at: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2012/10/17/01open.h06.html

Our Favorite Open Educational Resources of 2012

By Janet Pinto, Chief Academic Officer, Curriki

 

 

Here are a few of our favorite resources from 2012. If you look these over, I’m sure you’ll find at least a couple of them to be interesting and useful! Click on each title to go to that resource at Curriki.

STEMware Zombie Plague 

Why We Like It: STEM and zombies were popular in 2012– this is a great combination of them both! Contributed By: Barbara UCD

Fiction 

Why We Like It: Karen has always contributed a ton of resources. Most recently several free Kindle versions of books. With the increase in e-readers, this is a good collection of free options. Contributed By: Karen Fasimpaur

Investigating Bikes 

Why We Like It: A cross curricula approach using bikes as a starting point for arts math, science. Way cool! Contributed By: Andy Hannaford

Average speed inquiry lab 

Why We Like It:Students will feel like they are playing while learning about concepts such as average speed, data collection, graphing, extrapolation and interpolation of data. Contributed By: Carol Hagen

Reading Lolita in Tehran  

Why We Like It: A full unit on an eye-opening novel that incorporates music, poetry, group activities, current issues AND is aligned to Common Core State Standards. Contributed By: Sue Costagliola 

Rice Elementary Science Curriculum  

Why We Like It:The RESCu.Rice.edu site contains numerous inquiry based lesson plans for K-5 teachers and super engaging activities for kids. Contributed By: Carolyn Nichol

WikiPremed 

Why We Like It: WikiPremed is a comprehensive, creative commons licensed MCAT course, notable in demonstrating a unified curriculum for teaching undergraduate science is a true treasure trove of learning materials and over 100 hours of course video. Contributed By: John Wetzel

Scatter It!  

Why We Like It: Scatterplotting has never been easier to learn! Contributed By: Mary Richardson

Music Lesson Plans  

Why We Like It: Music is an important subject, even if not part of the core curriculum. This collection is a good starting point for teaching music. Contributed By: Nate Merrill

TED (free app)  

Why We Like It: TED talks are known for being some of the most engaging, timely, and progressive presentations. This is amazing access to all of them–free! And there’s no fear of the content getting stale. There are new videos posted every week. Contributed By: Sandy Gade 

Othello 2012 and BEYOND!– 2012-2013  

Why We Like It: Modernize the teaching Othello through the use of news articles, non-fiction pieces, technology, and recent news events, aligned to the CCSSO. Contributed By: Sue Costagliola East Meadow School District

 

Home Schooling in Chile (Educacion en Casa)

By Janet Pinto, Chief Academic Officer, Curriki

Recently, we asked educators, students and parents to submit personal stories about how Curriki has made a difference in what they do.  We were excited to receive stories from all over the world, including Ethiopia, Kenya, India and Chile!

 

Paula Chamorro from Chile was a winner in the Parents category. Congratulations Paula! Here is her story.

Chamorro family

Name: Paula Chamorro

Residence: Chile

Occupation: Parent and Home-Schooler

Institute: Home School

Her Story:

Hi,

My name is Paula, I am the mother of 4 children aged 5, 10, 13 and 14. This year we decided to start with education at home, which has been a challenging, but at the same time rewarding, experience.

Here in Chile there is not educational material for preparing lessons at home, so to find material for each child is difficult, if you do not have professional guidance. I have been able to obtain educational plans and started to download information from the Internet to help my children. And I found you.

The materials have been of great help for my classes with my children, because there is an order (for curriculum) and class material for them.

I thank you for your help and more friends of mine who also educate their children at home will visit your site.

HOLA: MI NOMBRE ES PAULA, SOY MADRE DE 4 HIJOS DE 5, 10,13 Y 14 AÑOS. ESTE AÑO DECIDIMOS COMENZAR CON EDUCACION EN CASA, HA SIDO UNA EXPERIENCIA DESAFIANTE PERO A LA VEZ GRATIFICANTE. AQUI EN CHILE NO ESTA EL MATERIAL EDUCATIVO PARA PREPARAR EN CASA, POR LO TANTO, UNO TIENE QUE VER COMO SACAR MATERIAL PARA CADA HIJO. ES COMPLICADO, SI UNO NO TIENE UNA ORIENTACION PROFESIONAL. YO ME CONSEGUI LOS PLANES EDUCATIVOS Y COMENCE A BAJAR DE INTERNET INFORMACION PARA AYUDAR A MIS HIJOS. Y LOS ENCONTRE A USTEDES. HAN SIDO DE GRAN AYUDA PARA MIS CLASES CON MIS HIJOS PORQUE HAY UN ORDEN Y EL MATERIAL PARA HACERLES CLASES. LES AGRADEZCO SU AYUDA Y MAS AMIGOS MIOS LES VISITARAN QUE TAMBIEN EDUCAN A SUS HIJOS EN CASA.

Thank you very much from Chile!! The truth is I am very grateful for this award you have given me, I did not think it was true. Thank you very much with all my heart, Curriki speak to my friends. I am grateful if you could develop more materials in Spanish.

We welcome more contributions of curricular materials in the Spanish language. Please share Curriki with your friends and colleagues and ask them to join Curriki.

Digital Learning and Achievement

By Kim Jones, Curriki CEO

Tom Vander Ark wrote a blog earlier this month entitled “How Digital Learning is Boosting Achievement”. He pointed out that digital learning is proven technology, with extensive usage in business and in the military in addition to a rapidly increasing set of applications in K-12 education.

There are many success stories. The author makes four key points, and provides many examples to support these points; we just repeat a few of those examples here:

• Blended schools can and do achieve high performance
  • Example: Proficiency in reading, math, science up from 68% to 88% in Mooresville, NC with laptops for all.
• Hundreds of studies of online and blended learning are showing good results
  • Example: The National Survey of Student Engagement reported that online learning led to greater use of “higher-order thinking and integrative learning”.
• Technology-enabled math products are demonstrating positive results
  • Example: Reasoning Mind claims struggling 2^nd and 3^rd graders could catch up to grade level in math in one year.
• Digital learning is cost-effective in the face of a ‘decade of deficits’
  • Example: US Department of Education study shows 9 ways that online learning boosts productivity.

Mr. Vander Ark states “The digital learning revolution offers the first opportunity in history to extend quality secondary [education] to every young person on the planet.” And it also increases the college-readiness and career-readiness of high school graduates.

 Credit: http://www.universityaffairs.ca

Curriki’s open educational resource repository is focused around digital learning content, including many videos, presentations and interactive resources. These digital learning resources are available to anyone on the planet with Internet access for free.

Broadband, tablets and the Cloud are all enabling technologies that support access to the best methods and the best teachers for anyone, anywhere, at any time. Personalized learning is spreading across the globe, and Curriki is proud to provide a free, open education repository as a Cloud-based service.

Q&A with Kim Jones, Curriki’s New Executive Director

Kim Jones, chairman of the board and executive director, Curriki

Curriki welcomes new Executive Director Kim Jones, who is already a familiar face around Curriki!  Some of you may know that Kim was the original co-founder (with Scott McNealy) of Curriki and has served as its chairman of the board since 2004. We are thrilled that Kim recently accepted the additional role of executive director, where she will oversee Curriki’s next phase of growth.  You can find the official announcement here.

We had a chance to chat with Kim for a few minutes.

When did you first become interested in education?

I have been interested in education for as long as I can remember.  What really struck me, however, was when I was in college and doing a lot of volunteer work. I worked with a Big Sister program and spent time with many less fortunate children.  It was during this time that I realized how important education was and the critical role education played in helping to pull these children out of the cycle of poverty. I knew that education could change lives and allow these children to make a meaningful contribution to the world.

What is the biggest educational issue you believe we can address over the next five years?

The use of technology to bring different kinds of teaching styles to everyone – rich or poor, challenged or not challenged.  I believe learning can be fun and our use of technology as a tool to access powerful digital learning resources will give children and adults a much greater opportunity to learn and contribute to society all around the world.

What do you like most about heading up Curriki?

Having the opportunity to give back and making a difference to many people through education.

What are your goals for Curriki this year?

I want to grow our membership to more than one million registered users, and I want to see teachers and students using Curriki in the classroom or at home to improve both teacher effectiveness and student outcomes.

Why should a teacher become a member of Curriki?

Curriki gives teachers tools that can help them bring learning content “alive,” improve their effectiveness in the classroom to enhance student outcomes, and give them the opportunity to network with other teachers across the country or around the world to find out what is working, what is not working, and to share best practices and successes.

How does Curriki benefit society?

Clearly, a more educated population will benefit societies around the world. Curriki gives teachers and students new tools and new ways of teaching/learning that allow students to move at their own pace and improve their educational outcomes.  Ultimately, this will lead to a more productive population that can help us fill jobs and solve the problems we are facing in the 21st century.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Hire the best people you can – it takes a team!

You’ve lived and traveled around the world – where would you visit again?

There are not many places I would not visit again.  I particularly enjoyed my recent trip to Bhutan  and look forward to visiting more areas in the Himalayas.  I also love Africa and will return there any time!

What is your pet peeve?

The phrase “cannot do.”

What is your favorite type of food and/or restaurant?

Like travel, I love food and restaurants.  I don’t really have a favorite, but I do appreciate fusion cuisine,with its various foods from around the world, and its clean, modern California-style of cooking using very fresh ingredients.  I particularly love Asian cuisine, and Japanese in particular – either authentic Japanese or fusion-style with modern California touches.  I recently went to Benu in San Francisco which does this really well. The tasting menu was outstanding with 15 courses!  (Now this is for a special occasion.)  For casual, every day food, I love the recently opened Cotogna, which serves pasta and pizzas made with wonderfully fresh ingredients, and I love our Russian Hill neighborhood’s sushi groove!

Scott McNealy in the Mercury News: Inspiring the Future of Education

Under the vision of Founder Scott McNealy and Chairman and Executive Director Kim Jones, Curriki is energizing schooling and inspiring a new movement in education, offering free textbooks, free courseware, a global community of educators, and a hot-spot for educational technology innovation. This summer, media outlets have been taking notice and rallying to the cause: the New York Times, Creative Commons, Network World, and now, the San Jose Mercury News.

Mercury news columnist Mike Cassidy spoke with Scott McNealy about his vision for the future of education, Curriki and the open source, free textbook mission.

McNealy admits that the mission of Curriki is bold and faces many challenges, especially from the education hegemony, but he affirms, “If I never have another job … this is a wall that I am going to keep bashing my head into… I just want this problem solved”.

Cassidy agrees with McNealy’s mission, and his words of support are inspiring for all educators, parents and students fighting the open source education battle. “We all want that. And the truth is, the more big, bold ideas out there, the more dynamite fuses we light, the better our chances of finding something that might just save our schools and our future”.

Read the full article, “Cassidy: Former Sun chief Scott McNealy s better idea for school text books” from the San Jose Mercury here.

@Curriki