Quality
Definitions for digital instructional materials may vary somewhat from one professional organization to the next, yet, all agree that quality materials should be robust materials aligned to learning standards, accessible by all students, whether they are full course materials or supplemental materials, open or all rights reserved copyright.
Quality instructional materials are content-rich materials aligned to standards that are fully accessible and free from bias. They support sound pedagogy and balanced assessment to help teachers understand and interpret student performance. Quality Instructional Materials must be:
- Aligned to state, district, and building learning standards as measured by widely-accepted evaluation tools.
- Current, relevant, and accurate content that is user friendly, fully accessible for all learners, and free from bias.
Full-course, core instructional material should:
- Emphasize the key areas of focus within each course, addressing the progression of learning skills, and vertically articulating content with other courses to ensure coherence.
- Support differentiated learning behaviors and include resources for students who struggle and opportunities for students to be challenged.
- Include a balanced assessment strategy to help teachers understand and interpret student performance.
- Incorporate technology, where appropriate, that supports quality teaching and learning.
Additional Sample Definitions of Quality Instructional Materials:
http://qualitycontent.setda.org/planning/#quality-materials
Visit SETDA’s Quality Content Guide to learn more about how to launch and maintain vetting processes for the selection of quality instructional materials aligned to standards. Key considerations, questions and helpful hints are included throughout the guide