WASHINGTON – Digital Learning Now! (DLN), in partnership with Getting Smart and the Foundation for Excellence in Education, today released the third DLN Smart Series interactive paper. “Getting Ready for Online Assessments” takes an in-depth look at the steps necessary for states and districts to prepare for online assessments related to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 2014-15, as well as the technology needed to support long-term instructional shifts to digital learning.
“The shift to online assessments for CCSS provides the perfect opportunity for broad and systemic technology infrastructure upgrades within our schools,” said John Bailey, executive director of Digital Learning Now! “The preparation necessary to be ready for the assessments will also provide opportunities for schools to create the environment needed to support next-generation models of instruction supported by digital learning.”
This third paper provides suggested steps states and districts can act on immediately in order to be prepared for the new assessments from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The paper provides 10 primary recommendations, including matching the teaching and testing environment, shifting to digital instructional materials, boosting access to technology and broadband, and building a plan for changes beyond CCSS.
The shift to online assessment creates the opportunity for better data to inform short-term instruction and long-term accountability efforts. But, more than that, the availability of affordable devices and the growing number of high-quality digital instructional tools create an unprecedented opportunity to fundamentally improve America’s education system by creating an environment that allows students and teachers to use next generation digital learning tools and services.
With the implementation of CCSS and online assessments in 2014-15, the time is now for education leaders to start preparing for this unprecedented shift.
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Digital Learning Now! is a national campaign under the Foundation for Excellence in Education with the goal of advancing state policies that will create a high-quality digital learning environment to better equip all students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in this 21st-century economy. The policy framework stems from the belief that access to high-quality, customized learning experiences should be available to all students, unbounded by geography or artificial policy constraints.
Getting Smart™ is an advocacy firm passionate about innovations in learning. We help education organizations construct cohesive and forward-thinking strategies for branding, awareness, advancement and communication, and public and media relations. We are advocates for better K-12 education as well as early, post-secondary and informal learning opportunities for all students. We attempt to accelerate and improve the shift to digital learning. On GettingSmart.com we cover important events, trends, products, books, and reports.
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