Archive
component:for-whom.reports
Online Writing Assessment Across South Dakota
With approximately 40% of high-schoolers learning in 1:1 environments and statewide use of an online writing assessment program, South Dakota is taking important steps toward the digital future of education. We connected with South Dakota Director of Assessment Gay Pickner to find out more.
Staff Picks: Coleman, Parent Website, Flex Schools, Writing Feedback, College Readiness
Tom says, "This weeks most exciting news was that Common Core co-author David Coleman will be taking the helm of the Common Core in the fall--a great thing for the organization and for America."
Create a Website to Connect With Parents
To connect with parents, your class needs to be transparent. The easiest way to kickstart this process is to have your own web site.
Q&A: Voice Comments Improve Writing Feedback
Turnitin, a plagiarism software provider, launched Voice Comments, a new way for instructors to provide feedback on students’ writing, this May. Today, Turnitin’s Senior Education Manager, Jason Chu shares the ways that Voice Comments will improve personalized learning for students.
Improving Urban Education Options: A Digital Portfolio Approach
There are three key strategies to improving urban schools: bring high expectations to life, create and portfolio of quality options, and phase in personal digital learning
ClassDojo: Going Beyond Good Test Scores to Build Good People
What’s the single biggest indicator of lifetime outcomes and success, as early as age three? (I’ll give you a few hints. It’s not IQ. It’s not socioeconomic status. Give up yet?) It’s self control - and a whole slew of other behavioral management skills.
Math Web Apps
At the Oklahoma Digital Learning Summit last week, an Oklahoma STEM specialist asked me what math products I liked and I mentioned the following: Elementary Math i-Ready.com from Curriculum Associates, is a great K-8 adaptive assessment with engaging content. Dreambox.com is a K-3 game-based adaptive math product.
Innosight Institute Classifies K-12 Blended Learning In New Report
Innosight Institute released "Classifying K-12 Blended Learning," a report written by Heather Stake and Michael B. Horn defining blended learning and providing context for the models and methods in which it's used in the classroom.
Setting the Story Straight on Essay Scoring
There was lots of press on the OpenEd-led Automated Student Assessment Prize (ASAP) this week. Unfortunately, most of it was written by reporter skeptical that an algorithm cluster can score their writing. The results are pretty clear--the scoring engines are pretty good, certainly good enough to play a role in supporting better state tests and more classroom writing.
Better Tests, More Writing, Deeper Learning
In a recent private vendor demonstration, nine testing companies showed that “Machine scoring engines did as well or better than the human graders,” as reported by Dr. Mark Shermis. In an open competition, top engines will share $100,000 prize purse to be awarded May 9 in Washington DC.