Basic Challenge
Question 2: I took a math assessment. I can see this information being useful, but I have a few concerns. If I were to use this resource with students, I would want an easier way for them to create accounts. Not all students have email addresses and I’m not comfortable having them use their email address if they do have one. Also, if I were to use this site with my fourth and fifth graders, I would want the assessments matched up to the Common Core Standards which is what most states are now going with.
Question 3:
I explored the resume writing section. Since I work with elementary kids, this component isn’t helpful for me in my job. However, I do have a son finishing college this spring and one just starting school, so these resources could prove valuable to them.
Question 4:
My son is interested in going in the Peace Corps when he graduates this May. I typed in Peace Corps and looked under tests, but all of the results had to do with becoming a police officer. I looked under e-books, and the results had to do with taking the military ASVAB test, so these results didn’t really give me what I was looking for. I did open up one of the e-books and they are very similar in format to other e-books I’ve used. I also tried retyping with Peace Corps in quotation marks and got the same results.
Common Core Connections
Under Elementary, there is only one e-book listed. It is titled Getting Ready for the Fourth Grade Assessments. It is a 214 page book and is written for parents. It is also very outdated and states that South Dakota students take the SAT 9. We have been giving the Dakota Step for at least 5 years and will be moving to a Common Core assessment in 2014. I would not use this resource with my students.
Thanks for checking into Learning Express. People do not have to use email addresses for their accounts, but it helps if you forget your password and they can email it to you. I think Learning Express doesn't consider the Peace Corps a career in itself, because people apply their skills to their assignments (I know someone who worked on HVAC systems and someone who worked on environmental issues, so tests on those topics would have been pertinent for them.) We appreciate your remarks about the 4th grade assessment e-book. I would guess that at least some of the content may be things that 4th graders need to know, even if it is outdated. Taking practice tests online will also help students be prepared for when all standardized testing is online. However, Learning Express is really aimed at older students and adults. How could you make a Common Core connection with Learning Express?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you've looked at the book, but it is for parents, not for students. This is the only resource available at the elementary level in Learning Express. Given the fact that I only see students for one hour per week, and the fact that our assessments will be changing in the next year, and we are currently trying to write our curriculum, I would not use this tool with my students. There are other online practice tests that would prove to be more valuable and correlate with the common core. I'm not trying to be rude, but I only see students for a total of 36 hours in a school year, so I'm very choosy about what resources I use with students. I have a master's degree in technology for education and training so I'm aware of better resources to share with my students. I took this course to broaden my library resource knowledge as I'm new to this position and want a stronger knowledge level on the library side. I don't feel every resource you share with us can or should be connected to the common core. If there were more grade appropriate resources available in the literacy area, as that is our district focus, this could be possible. Right now, I don't see a valid common core connection.
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