The majority of districts today are implementing some form of digital curriculum. This surge of digital resources has led to more opportunity to meet student needs, however, new tools don’t always lead to commensurate results.
It’s critical to evaluate your options to ensure the digital curriculum you are using provides rich learning experiences for your students. By thoughtfully considering your options, you can determine the best fit to meet the specific needs of your school or district. In a survey of educators conducted by MDR, the most important questions to consider when evaluating a digital curriculum provider include:
- Is the curriculum consistently high quality?
- Does it engage and motivate our students?
- Is it accessible to all students?
- Does the curriculum provide measurable results?
Selecting the right online curriculum partner can still be overwhelming because of the many factors that ultimately impact quality. To help navigate these questions, we’ve compiled a list of the most important elements to consider when selecting an online learning partner for secondary education.
1) High Quality, Rigorous Curriculum.
Not all digital curriculum partners will design rich learning experiences that meet the individual learning needs of each student. It’s important to consider whether an online curriculum provider deepens student understanding and builds curriculum to state and national standards.
2) Student Engagement and Motivation.
Even if a curriculum provider does prove to be rigorous, it still must offer content that keeps students engaged and motivated. Responding to the needs of struggling students with immediately available scaffolds and supports is one way curriculum can help struggling students learn a skill or concept to help them master grade-level coursework.
3) Professional Services and Support.
A high-quality digital curriculum provider will offer support teams that partner with you every step of the way throughout the implementation process. These support teams should work together with you to implement a plan that is directly tied to your district’s unique goals and objectives. Extensive professional development for teachers and administrators as well as ongoing technical support should also be available 24/7.
4) Efficacy, Outcomes and Results.
Digital curriculum providers should have proven results, including third-party efficacy studies that demonstrate student learning and increased achievement. Providing guidance to your district to successfully meet its goals for student achievement, such as increased graduation rates and test scores should also be a part of any implementation. Educators should also be able to easily access reports showing student usage, progress, and achievement against national and state standards.
Opportunity Changes Everything
Supporting success for each individual student strengthens our schools and creates stronger communities, brighter futures, and a more equitable world. Apex Learning is committed to creating opportunities for secondary students to succeed—from those who are struggling to those who are capable of accelerating their learning—with proven digital curriculum solutions.
Our high-quality digital curriculum and expert services help bring your vision for student success to life with a rigorous curriculum, technology that enables access for all students, an implementation plan that provides professional learning and support for educators, and ongoing evaluation against program goals. Your district can increase grade-level proficiency, improve on-time graduation, raise test scores, and expand educational options for students. Learn more about how we can provide your students with the opportunity to thrive today at www.apexlearning.com.