OER Rubrics

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Developed by the non-profit organization Achieve, these rubrics were created to evaluate open educational resources, but they can be applicable to any content.

Budget

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To promote effective and efficient uses of digital tools and resources, spending should align with the district vision for digital learning. Strategic short- and long-term budgeting is essential as states, districts, and schools continue to make investments in bandwidth, networking, devices, and digital instructional materials to support effective digital learning. The National Education Technology Plan (NETP 2017) recommends that once a district establishes a vision for the use of technology, district and school leaders should examine existing budgets to identify areas in which spending can be reduced or eliminated to pay for learning technologies. As districts are often challenged financially when it comes to implementing technology initiatives and programs, they should also consider creative funding for the implementation of digital learning. Cost savings can take place when technology based tools and resources are not viewed as additional costs but as an opportunity to shift funding to support learning in the digital age.

Transformative Budgeting

The following three essential strategies characterize transformative budgeting when applied to technology readiness for digital learning:
  • Alignment of technology expenditures with the goals in the district’s strategic plans.
  • A cross-functional budget leadership team that brings together finance, technology, curriculum and instruction.
  • Zero-based budgeting – a process through which education leaders begin each budget cycle at zero in each category, and then add costs to the budget only when there is evidence that such costs are required to meet goals.

Key Questions

  • What are the regulations and statutes on acquiring instructional materials?
  • What you can buy when – core vs supplemental, intervention?
  • What is the budget for selecting and adopting instructional materials?
  • Have you considered transformative budgeting (i.e., re-purposing funds)?
  • Does your budget differ for core materials versus supplemental materials?
  • What costs would you incur to modify the OER to fit your district/schools learning standards?
  • What is the cost comparison between using digital OER and printing OER materials?
  • Will you need to increase your internet capacity to utilize the materials?
  • Do you need to upgrade your content delivery platform?
  • Do all of your teachers and students have access to non-shared devices?
    • If not, how are you addressing this issue?
    • Have you considered a BYOD program?
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Total Cost of Ownership

Total cost of ownership includes ALL of the costs for the acquisition of digital tools and resources. For example, additional cost to consider for acquiring instructional materials:
  • cost of digital instructional materials
  • print costs of downloaded materials
  • licensing fees for programs or apps;
  • purchase of devices;
  • increasing internet bandwidth;
  • implementing wireless spots;
  • a new or updated content delivery platform;
  • technology maintenance and updates;
  • curation of the materials;
  • professional development and training.
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Value of Investment

The value of investment evaluates the anticipated costs and benefits of a project. CoSN developed a methodology for districts to estimate the total costs and expected strategic benefits of proposed technology initiatives. CoSN’s VOI tool includes a project cost estimator and project benefits tool. The VOI process can help districts evaluate proposed projects, compare projects and present costs and benefits to stakeholders.
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Sustainability

Education leaders need to understand the sustainability of funding sources. For example, if a grant enabled the district to purchase digital instructional materials that have annual licensing requirements,  the district needs to consider how they will pay for the licensing fees after the completion of the grant. Additionally, the district must analyze costs and plan for upgrades for digital instructional resources.
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Facilitator Guide

budgetThe Facilitator Guide – Budget provides education leaders with the information and resources they need to conduct a professional learning session. Participants will:
  • Learn more about budgeting for digital learning
  • Collaborate with colleagues on key questions related to digital learning budgets
  • Acquire resources to support budget planning and considerations
  • Develop and maintain relationships with other district and state leaders

Resources

Technical Requirements

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Test Configurations

The best way to confirm that digital content will work on any given computing device or operating system is to try as many combinations as possible. Put together a “test kit” that combines each type of computing device, its system software and a sample of the content and allow users to interact with the content to uncover the unexpected “gotchas.”

Resources

Technical Requirements

Technical requirements to consider when selecting and implementing digital instructional materials and resources include:
Content Format. The evaluation process for digital content should include making note of the formats the content is available in and the operating systems and internet browsers it is compatible with. It is important to monitor the minimum and recommended device specifications to make the best use of the digital content provided by the content publisher. If the content is not “device agnostic,” what are the tradeoffs you might be forced to make? (For example, if your school has a BYOD program, will all students be able to access and have the same experience with that content as somebody using a school-supplied device?)
Content Access. Decide what type of content access is preferred and then determine how the licensing and copyright considerations address those preferences. Can the digital content be saved to computing devices, made available online, or both? Is internet access required to see and interact with the content? Can the content follow the user and adapt to the device being used at the moment?
Interoperability. How will the digital resources connect with current and future resources. Does the vendor follow appropriate standards-based data definitions? Does the software allow for sharing of information across applications? Does the software enable the search, alignment and discovery of digital content? Learn more in the Interoperability section.
Broadband. Some digital content relies on the use of streaming video or high definition visuals. Are the plans for acquisition of digital content in sync with plans to expand the broadband access coming to the building as well throughout the building? Learn more about broadband and Wi-Fi in the Equity & Access section.
Accessibility. How are the needs of students with disabilities and English language learners addressed by the technology and the content? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the content for these students? At the most basic level, is the content accessible? Additionally, does it provide the supports and scaffolds to support independent learning by a diverse student population?

Selection

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Selection

There’s a growing body of research finding that instructional materials can have as large an impact on student outcomes as teacher quality or reduced class size. Developing a process for the selection and implementation of quality instructional materials is more important than ever with the growing number of available resources for both core courses and supplemental materials. Options may include a full core course replacement for a specific content area or supplemental materials to support the core materials.

Key Considerations

  • Assemble a review team
  • Review existing course content
  • Select materials
  • Curate materials

Quality Content Guide

ReflectionLearn more about best practices for selecting quality instructional materials, aligned to standards for both core curriculum and supplemental materials in SETDA’s Quality Content Guide. Find rubrics and tools used by states, districts, and schools for the evaluation instructional materials.

Resources

Digital Transformation

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Technology is an essential component of learning today. With digital applications, tools and resources, students can create content, interact with experts, collaborate with peers and participate in simulation activities. Personalized learning experiences put students at the center of learning and empower students to take control of their own learning through flexibility and choice. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) acknowledges technology’s role in transforming learning and includes definitions for digital learning and blended learning, and references technology throughout the legislation. In the Non-Regulatory Guidance Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants publication provides an overview of activities LEAs may consider as they prepare for implementation of the effective use of technology (ESEA Section 4109).
Specific activities include: supporting high-quality professional development for educators, school leaders, and administrators to personalize learning and improve academic achievement; building technological capacity and infrastructure; carrying out innovative blended learning projects; providing students in rural, remote, and underserved areas with the resources to benefit from high-quality digital learning opportunities; and delivering specialized or rigorous academic courses and curricula using technology, including digital learning technologies.
Similarly, the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) calls for a “revolutionary transformation rather than evolutionary tinkering” in education and recognizes that we must leverage technology to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences for all students. Technology offers all students – urban, rural, low-income, ESL, special needs, high achieving – the opportunity to engage in dynamic learning activities. Education leaders at the federal, state, and local level have the opportunity to provide leadership to ensure that all students have personalized, engaging learning experiences.

Key Components

  • Policies: In every state that has made a big push for the use of digital content in schools, legislators updated how their states legally define “textbook” and “instructional materials”
  • Leadership: State and local leadership buy-in. The most critical part of a successful digital learning transformation state and local leadership buy-in. Leaders can communicate the vision to multiple stakeholders and ensure the appropriate resources are in place to carry it out.
  • Sustainable Funding: States and districts need to ensure sustainable funding for devices, infrastructure and digital instructional materials and resources.

Resources

Overview

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Overview

Facilitator Guide

instructional materials

The Faciliator Guide – Instructional Materials provides education leaders with the information and resources they need to conduct a professional learning session around the selection and implementation of instructional materials. Participants will:
  • Analyze definitions of quality instructional materials including the elements necessary for quality digital materials.
  • Collaborate with peers.
  • Determine best options for curating digital instructional materials.
  • Learn more about how policies and practices can support the implementation of quality instructional materials for all learners.
Districts/schools should evaluate, adapt and develop quality course content and instructional materials aligned to standards on a regular basis. Effective planning is essential when selecting quality instructional materials aligned to standards, whether your state, district or school is selecting full course (core) materials or supplemental materials The State Instructional Materials Review Association identifies three criteria for the selection of instructional materials, regardless of format (print vs digital).
  • Content – Aligned to core standards and objectives that lead to college and career readiness and is structured to ensure that all students meet grade-specific expectations as they develop literacy skills.
  • Accessibility– Materials are free from bias in their portrayal of ethnic groups, gender, age, disabilities, cultures, religion, etc., and contain accommodations for multiple learning styles, students with exceptionalities, English Language Learners, and cultural differences. They are durable and of high quality in physical structure, and are designed to promote optimal learning experiences for all students.
  • Pedagogical Design– Materials provide tools for a balanced approach to assessment including both formative and summative assessments in multiple formats not only to guide instruction but also to identify student mastery of content. Information is organized logically and presented clearly using multiple methods and modes for delivering instruction that motivate and increase literacy as students engage in high interest, authentic activities. Instructional design utilizes research-based instructional strategies, offers suggestions for appropriate scaffolding, emphasizes the importance of vocabulary acquisition, provides opportunities to engage in high interest, age-appropriate activities that mirror real-life situations, and make cross-curricular, global connections.

Technical Support

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Technical Support

Rapid changes in the ways technology is used for learning require an approach to technology support that reduces downtime and provides a fast, consistent, reliable experience for administrators, educators and students. The most effective tech support models are constructed directly from a high quality technology planning process that integrates technology with other school-wide support goals.
Successful districts have found it valuable to think broadly about the best overall approach to meet support needs comprehensively before establishing specific details that define what support will be provided to whom and by whom. While no two districts provide exactly the same combination of tech support products and services to their users, all have defined core elements comprising “tech support” that contribute to successfully meeting their local needs. The following questions have helped districts define, plan for, and implement the core components of tech support.

Approaches

Once the central components of tech support have been identified, districts can begin to define where tech support will be based, the ways that help tickets will flow through the service pathway, and how tech support will be staffed. Tech support typically begins with a help desk or service desk, but also can include service-level agreements with various providers, and both live and media-delivered face-to-face training and online support, school-based/school employees, student tech support teams, and tech support cooperatives. If there is a lot of demand, the “front line” may spend much of its time dispatching tickets to other people instead of trying to solve specific problems. If there is less demand and a highly skilled and knowledgeable person taking the first request, many of the requests may be able to be handled immediately. Regular monitoring of tech support implementation and impact can provide valuable insight about how teachers and students use technology, as well as barriers to use.

Help Desk

No matter which model or combination of models for tech support districts select, the work starts with the Service Desk or Help Desk. This acts as the central point of daily contact between service providers and users, serving as a focal point for reporting incidents and for service requests. It also can provide an interface for other service management activities, such as change, problem, configuration, release and continuity management. Help desks can be coordinated by the district, intermediate unit or via a Service Level Agreement contract with a private company. If the district is entering a contract agreement with a private company, it is important to include minimum expectations and checks and balances for meeting expectations in the contract.
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In House Support

A common school tech support model involves campus-based school employees who provide support ranging from managing incidents and service requests to communicating with users to supporting instructional applications. One advantage of this approach is that the tech support personnel typically have a better understanding of the instructional needs, students, climate and school context where technology will be used for learning than an external provider. A downside is that cost of hiring support staff may be viewed as prohibitive, particularly as demand waxes and wanes. Some districts host full time Service Desks and others employ particularly knowledgeable teachers as part time tech support for school buildings, in some cases with those people providing professional learning and mentoring to teachers above and beyond tech support.
Staffing tech support with students is another approach that districts have found to be successful. This model provides initial tech support training (and potentially course credit) for the students and for a school staff lead that will coordinate the student tech support plan.
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Service Level agreements

Many schools and districts currently include some level of service plan with providers when completing their equipment purchasing contracts. Considerations related to level of support, costs and long-term sustainability should be reviewed when considering incorporating the service level agreements to equipment purchasing contracts.

Tech Support  Cooperatives

Another staffing option, cooperatives, combines the capacities of multiple groups such as schools, districts, or regional units to offer a variety of services, including tech support. Cooperatives offer the opportunity to reduce costs and share expertise. Many cooperatives, such as the Kentucky and Illinois resources cited here, offer cloud-based software and disaster recovery as well as the tech support associated with those services. MyTechDesk is a web-based ticket management system developed and operated by the Imperial County Office of Education for all California school districts tech support teams. My Tech Desk is supported by the K-12 High Speed Network (K12HSN) grant, funded by the California Department of Education. All support resources are available to California schools at no charge. Schools or districts outside of California may access the system for a fee.
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Key Questions

  • What are the goals of the tech support team? Are those goals, including priorities, defined and publicized for all users?
  • How will requests be initiated and what is the process for prioritization?
  • What are the business hours of tech support, and the policies for nights/weekends/summer?
  • How often will routine maintenance occur? How will you communicate this downtime to users?
  • How will you deploy tech support staff to different campuses?
  • What metrics and indicators for tech support success will the district use to help determine cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction with current and future setups?

From the Field

Kuna Middle School’s tier one support is provided by students. An initial cadre of students were trained and then they train other students to help provide technology support. Based on experiences at the local high school, educators have found this student support system to be effective in quickly addressing tech support issues and providing students the experience to support their peers.. Learn more.

Resources

About This Project

Written by Steve Elliott on . Posted in

Founded in 2001, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal non-profit membership association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology leaders. Our mission is to build and increase the capacity of state and national leaders to improve education through technology policy and practice. For more information, please visit: setda.org.

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