common core myths, challenges, solutions
DESCRIPTION
discusses myths about Common Core State Standards, some of the admitted challenges and some solutions to these problemsTRANSCRIPT
The Common Core State Standards
Myths, Challenges and Technology Solutions
[email protected]: @openedio
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
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
“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
“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.”
Rigorous Standards Matter!
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
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
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
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”
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
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
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
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”
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?