common core myths, challenges, solutions

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The Common Core State Standards Myths, Challenges and Technology Solutions [email protected] Twitter: @openedio

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discusses myths about Common Core State Standards, some of the admitted challenges and some solutions to these problems

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Page 1: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

The Common Core State Standards

Myths, Challenges and Technology Solutions

[email protected]: @openedio

Page 2: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Myths About the Common Core

It’s a federal government plot and a “national curriculum”

The standards are too easy

The standards are too hard

It creates “cookie-cutter courses”

It forces teachers to teach outside their expertise

Page 3: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

It’s a Federal Government Plot

The Common Core State standards were developed by the National Governor’s Association

But its tied to No Child Left Behind act right? But CCSS predates NCLB

Oh well its Race to the Top then? Race to the Top provides incentives for adopting internationally

recognized standards of which CCSS is one

But the federal government will take them over There are no such plans

This is our federal tax dollars being misused. Initial work was funded by both the states and the Gates

Foundation and others. With no federal funding

Page 4: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

“CC is Too Easy”

State standards enhance what Common Core offers as a base

California 3.1 Solve one-variable equations and inequalities involving absolute

value, graphing the solutions and interpreting them in context. CA Create equations and inequalities in one variable including ones with

absolute value and use them to solve problems. Include equations arising from linear and quadratic functions, and simple rational and exponential functions. CA«

8.1 Derive and use the trigonometric ratios for special right triangles (30°,60°,90°and 45°,45°,90°). CA

Know that the effect of a scale factor k greater than zero on length, area, and volume is to multiply each by k, k², and k³, respectively; determine length, area and volume measures using scale factors. CA«

Verify experimentally that in a triangle, angles opposite longer sides are larger, sides opposite larger angles are longer, and the sum of any two side lengths is greater than the remaining side length; apply these relationships to solve real-world and mathematical problems. CA

Graph all 6 basic trigonometric functions . CA

Page 5: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

“It’s Too Hard Core”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2013/08/16/is-common-core-too-hard-core/

“31% of New York students in grades three though eight met or exceeded math and English competency standards on tests given over six days this past April. In 2012, under the older, far easier, standards, 65% of New York students were proficient in Math and 55% proficient in English.”

Page 6: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions
Page 7: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Rigorous Standards Matter!

Page 8: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Is It Really Too Hard?

Yes there is a deeper conceptual base Word problems demonstrating full understanding

are important

The CC standards build on each other Fractions -> Algebra Algebra -> Statistics

And there are far fewer individual items than previous efforts e.g. California State Standards

Page 9: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

It Creates Cookie Cutter Courses

CC is about goals not about methods

Because of the lack of specific lessons its actually a big spur to come up with different ways to reach those goals

Its also more conceptually focused

Which creates many new options which were probably underexploited before Problem-based Project-based Games

Page 10: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

CC Forces Teachers to Teach Outside Their Expertise

No doubt due to the “Common Core Literacy Standards”

I have seen “English teachers will be forced to teach Science and Social Studies” No true

Science and Social Studies teachers will be called upon to teach reading and writing skills Presumably they were already but it is no longer

enough to be a “subject matter expert” there

Page 11: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Challenges of the Common Core

Most teachers self-assess as not knowing all the mandated material for their subjects

All students are expected to be exposed to their grade level standards

Especially in math, emphasizes conceptual understanding which can be more challenging to teach

It is by definition more interdisciplinary

It can be difficult to engage students in the nonfiction language content

Contrary to some perceptions, CC is LESS prescriptive, putting the burden on the teacher of “what to teach”

Page 12: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Technology Solutions

Flipping your classroom with video lectures and games can resolve an expertise problem

Videos can make nonfiction language content more engaging

We still need more video content: needs tools to enable easy content creation

Automated quizzing and games can get all students to basic standard mastery

Page 13: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

The Ed Content Ecosystem

Edmodo

MoodleInstructure

Create

Compile

CatalogSearch

Consume

Analyze

OpenEd

Curriki

WatchKnowLearn

OERCommons

KhanAcademy

EdCanvas

Knewton

Agilix

adaptive learning

tools

LMS studentinterfaces

searchengines

BrightStorm

HippoCampus

LearnZillion

creationassistance

tools

HoodaMathMathChimp

catalogs LMSes

XPMath

Schmoop

BrainGenie

LRMI

MasteryConnect

Gooru

Knowmia

content sites

google youtube

Page 14: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

OpenEd – www.opened.io

Over 200,000 educational resources (videos, games, exercises)

Largest catalog of aligned resources on the Internet second most is wkl.org with <5,000 aligned resources

Flipped classroom LMS but OpenEd usable from any LMS

All accessible via open APIs And all exception recommendation engine is open source

99% “recommendation engine”, 1% professional curation assisted by software

Page 15: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Some of the Interesting Remaining Problems

Content from the ground up focused on standard

Best ways to flip (projects, problems, teams, questions)

How to find the best content for your topic and standard

Mapping between standards, to leverage content internationally

How to assess effectiveness of content in addressing standard

How to deal with SBAC/PARCC without “teaching to the test”

Page 16: Common Core Myths, Challenges, Solutions

Questions for Teachers

What is the content needed for your students?

How do you find it?

How will you organize it?

How will your students get to it?

How will you assess its effectiveness?