Read through some of these case studies to see how CK-12 can be used in your school.
Results: case studies
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Bristol Tennessee City SchoolsCHALLENGE
Make the shift to digital textbooks by investing the current textbook budget in purchasing new laptops for grades 4 – 12. With that challenge comes the need to find the right OER that not only would fulfill the state standards but also would be resources that teachers could use to author their own content for each of their classes.
SOLUTION
Use CK-12 FlexBooks® as part of an effort to create an integrated math curriculum for Bristol Tennessee City Schools.
BENEFIT
Since a lot of the work had already been done by CK-12 the development time to construct these new resources was significantly reduced. Furthermore, it sparked teachers’ innovation which translated into the creation of content and use of other resources from CK-12 in their classes.
Chester Country
School type: Public and Non-Public
State: PA
City: DowningtownTullahoma City Schools
CHALLENGE
Create and acquire digital content, digital devices, and maintain the devices with a relatively static budget
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook system to develop standards based dynamic curricular material for the district that worked seamlessly on Google Chromebooks. Software license fees were diverted to a technology budget to acquire bandwidth and additional devices.
BENEFIT
TCS enhances student engagement, parent surveys of high level of satisfaction (95%) with CK-12 on Chromebooks experience, and teacher effectiveness. In less than two years with limited budget improvements and an overall reduction in per pupil expenditure, TCS changed their instructional acquisition and delivery model embracing FREE CK-12 high quality OER material and locally developed content.
Chester Country
School type: Public and Non-Public
State: PA
City: DowningtownCHALLENGE
High material costs, lack of differentiation for all learners, lack of content for mobile devices.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core Curriculum.
BENEFITS
Used FlexBook System as model platform for creating and sharing customized content and open textbooks with public and non-public schools throughout the district. More than 6,000 educators serving 86,000 students are supported in the pilot, which started during the ’12-’13 academic year.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: K-12
Subjects: Biology, Original content aligned to Common Core.
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Home Access, Mobile Devices.
How were resources distributed? Online and Printed.
Strategy: School-specific custom content demonstrated. Created original Common Core content and Biology Concept Review FlexBook. Options for gifted-program teachers emphasized.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
Suggested best practices: Great for chunking information for students. The ability to download to mobile devices is something students like.
Coronado Unified School District
CHALLENGE
Provide high-quality and current instructional material using no new textbook resources from State of California and limited funds.
SOLUTION
Customized the high-quality content available through CK-12, with biology teachers writing their own digital textbook based on CK-12’s free resources. At the same time, acquired a federal grant to purchase a number of netbook devices for students.
Chester Country
School type: Public and Non-Public
State: CA
City: CoronadoCHALLENGE
After attending an iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium about five years ago, Felix and his team were inspired to do more with blended learning, which included the use of OER.
“At that time,” Gallant explains, referring to a need that the CUSD had for new high-school level science texts, “our resources were limited, with no new textbook resources from the state of California, and limited funds for textbooks. Teachers needed a current, really good instructional material as a textbook tool.” The district answered that challenge by enlisting an in-house team to design one.
Making changes to the instructional materials was not easy, Felix says.
“There was some teacher pushback,” Gallant says. “Concerns about newness, and not having a traditional textbook in their hands.” But, Felix and his team say they have been able to overcome these barriers with a dedicated effort.
“Leaders here are not encouraged to be innovative,” Felix says. “Nothing encourages us to be creative, to be an entrepreneur. This is very discouraging as a leader. When you do try that, or come out with that, you know you’re going to get hit, get barbs… and you do it nevertheless because you think it’s a good idea.”
SOLUTION
The team at CUSD learned about about the free, high-quality OER available through CK-12, especially in math and science. Coronado High School biology teachers wrote a digital textbook using those resources as the foundation, and at the same time, acquired a number of netbook devices thanks to a federal grant. Since then, the CUSD middle school science team wrote a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned digital text for grades 6-8 that is still in use and in its third year of annual revisions. In short order, Felix dispatched teams to look more closely at the new California math adoption list.
When it came to math textbooks, “we realized quickly that publishers took the non-Common Core version and changed the order [of the chapters],” Felix says, citing the lack of updated math textbooks that were truly aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Felix and his colleagues found many OER learning objects and repositories and added to what was there, noting both Georgia and North Carolina as states with a vast array of completely aligned resources. To house their learning materials, CUSD utilizes the learning management platform Haiku, which incorporates a single sign-on and compatibility with Web 2.0 software, as well as an internal dropbox for student assignments and Google Apps for Education.
Felix and his team describe their work with OER as homegrown; they watch and pay attention to other organizations, like the K-12 OER Collaborative, and attend symposiums and workshops to find out what other states are doing, as well as what’s happening in California. More recently, the district’s biggest project resulted in a K-5 curriculum map that uses a variety of OER from across the country, coordinated and aligned to standards and assessments.
North Lake Middle School
CHALLENGE
When the Next Generation Science Standards were released in 2013, the Science Department saw an instructional need that was not being addressed by available resources. “We had to fill the gaps, and look for free [resources],” 7th Grade Life Science Teacher John Coe said.
SOLUTION
Utilized CK-12 to replace instructional materials and incorporated a 1:1 Chromebook program for students. Teachers found soft adoption of OER to be the best approach because they can more informally test and work with OER without too much oversight in the form of regulations and mandates.
North Lake Middle School
School type: Public and Non-Public
State: WA
City: Lake StevensCHALLENGE
When the Next Generation Science Standards were released for adoption in 2013, Coe saw an instructional need that was not being addressed by available resources.
“We had to fill the gaps, and look for free [resources],” says Coe.
Those resources, says Coe, needed to do more than provide a “static curriculum.” He and his team were determined to make their instructional materials better using OER that could be edited and changed when necessary. Coe wanted to instill a growth mindset in his students to help them connect in a deeper way to their learning, something he says is not possible with traditional textbooks that are good references “but not good for learning.”
“We need, as important as reading is, to choose very carefully every piece of text that [our students] see,” explains Coe. “We can’t waste time. With OER, we can get to the point. We can decide if this [text] is OK, or do we need to adjust this thing? Days of reading a section or chapter from front to back is too wasteful. [Students] are not comprehending it. It’s an illusion that they are reading all of this information; they are not.”
SOLUTION
Knowing that they needed to make changes to their instructional materials, Coe’s team initially found resources through the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE) conference in Seattle. Since then, student performance levels on 8th grade state assessments are higher than their district cohorts by 10-15%, which is an increase from previous years. Coe has attended the OER Summits organized by the Washington State Office of Superintendent Public Instruction (OSPI) and its Open Educational Resources Program Manager Barbara Soots. He also makes it a point to connect to educators on social media to learn more about others who are using OER.
Coe and his colleagues utilize CK-12 and Brain Genie as their most common replacement for instructional materials and have recently added a 1:1 Chromebook program for their students. Coe says that soft adoption of OER resources is best; his department can more informally test and work with OER without too much oversight in the form of regulations and mandates.
“It’s equivalent to a grassroots movement,” Coe explains. “Our district is like many other districts; supplementary resources will be evaluated. Fortunately, the teachers in our department are ahead in educational theory – we are motivated and always changing. Nothing stays the same.”
Coe’s team does not utilize all of CK-12’s resources, which allows them to be flexible from year to year. He credits his colleagues for providing inspiration and the ability to keep producing new material.
“If I didn’t work with who I work with, three really motivated people, this wouldn’t happen,” says Coe. “We can edit down the sections of text [from OER resources] quickly. We can create leveled readings [which] help solve some of the differences in reading levels. We can drop paragraphs – change words, different graphics, replace pictures, and give relevance to the text.”
It is all about the ability to individualize and help students connect with instructional materials in a way that has taken off in leaps and bounds.
“It’s just happening,” says Coe, “you couldn’t stop it even if you wanted to. Thinking about CK-12 as an example (see screenshot below), we can allow students to investigate self-interests a little more. We aren’t tied to what is in our bound book; there are so many topics that they can search out and get feedback [on] automatically.”
Chester County
CHALLENGE
High material costs, lack of differentiation for all learners, lack of content for mobile devices.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core Curriculum.
BENEFIT
Used FlexBook System as model platform for creating and sharing customized content and open textbooks with public and non-public schools throughout the district. More than 6,000 educators serving 86,000 students are supported in the pilot, which started during the ’12-’13 academic year.
Read MoreChester Country
School type: Public and Non-Public
State: PA
City: DowningtownCHALLENGE
High material costs, lack of differentiation for all learners, lack of content for mobile devices.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core Curriculum.
BENEFITS
Used FlexBook System as model platform for creating and sharing customized content and open textbooks with public and non-public schools throughout the district. More than 6,000 educators serving 86,000 students are supported in the pilot, which started during the ’12-’13 academic year.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: K-12
Subjects: Biology, Original content aligned to Common Core.
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Home Access, Mobile Devices.
How were resources distributed? Online and Printed.
Strategy: School-specific custom content demonstrated. Created original Common Core content and Biology Concept Review FlexBook. Options for gifted-program teachers emphasized.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
Suggested best practices: Great for chunking information for students. The ability to download to mobile devices is something students like.
Polk Country
CHALLENGE
Needed content material for students re-takng Florida Algebra I End-of-Course Exam.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to create original textbook for Algebra I Florida End-of-Course Exam review course.
BENEFIT
We saved $200,000 on textbook costs by making custom Flexbooks.
Read MorePolk County Public Schools
School type: School Board
State: FL
City: BartowCHALLENGE
Needed content material for students re-takng Florida Algebra I End-of-Course Exam.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to create original textbook for Algebra I Florida End-of-Course Exam review course.
BENEFITS
We saved $200,000 on textbook costs by making custom Flexbooks.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: K-12
Subjects: Algebra 1.
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Printed, In class.
Strategy: Worked with CK-12 on a pilot program for 88,000 students preparing for Florida Algebra I End-of-Course Exam.
Utah state board of education
CHALLENGE
Testing efficacy and cost savings of open textbooks
SOLUTION
Starting in the ’10-’11 academic year, two BYU professors initiated a two year study to test the hypothesis that open educational resources can save K-12 public schools money. 20 middle and high school teachers adopted open textbooks in their classroom for the pilot period. Cumulatively 3,900 students were a part of the pilot study.
BENEFIT
Pilot study found that open textbook adoption reduces costs by over 50% compared to the cost of adopting traditional textbooks . The average annual cost of a traditional textbook was $11.43 whereas the average cost of an open CK-12 textbook was $5.14 when printed ($0.00 when viewed digitally). Furthermore, there was no decrease in student performance when using open textbooks.
Read MoreUtah Statewide Open
State: UT
CHALLENGE
Testing efficacy and cost savings of open textbooks.
SOLUTION
Starting in the ’10-’11 academic year, two BYU professors initiated a two year study to test the hypothesis that open educational resources can save K-12 public schools money. 20 middle and high school teachers adopted open textbooks in their classroom for the pilot period. Cumulatively 3,900 students were a part of the pilot study.
BENEFITS
Pilot study found that open textbook adoption reduces costs by over 50% compared to the cost of adopting traditional textbooks . The average annual cost of a traditional textbook was $11.43 whereas the average cost of an open CK-12 textbook was $5.14 when printed ($0.00 when viewed digitally). Furthermore, there was no decrease in student performance when using open textbooks. [See full details here: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1153/2256]
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 6-12
Subjects: Biology, Earth Systems, Chemistry.
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Core curriculum.
How were resources distributed? In print and Online.
Strategy: Worked with CK-12 as pilot program.
Suggested best practices: the easiest way to save money on open textbook adoptions compared to traditional textbooks is to simultaneously exercise the adaptation/revision rights provided by open textbooks, removing all unnecessary information; print these shorter books as black-and-white paperback books through a print-on-demand vendor such as Lulu.com; print each book as a single book rather than disaggregating it into smaller pieces; and print relatively large numbers of the books (ideally 1,000 copies or more).
Anoka-Hennepin Schools
CHALLENGE
Deep budget cuts for curriculum adoption.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to create their own Probability & Statistics FlexBook for their school district, the largest school district in Minnesota with around 40,000 students. 3 authors and 6 editors spent 300 hours working on their FlexBook.
BENEFIT
Saved $175,000 on textbook adoption
Read MoreAnoka-Hennepin Schools
School type: Public School District
State: MinnesotaCHALLENGE
Deep budget cuts for curriculum adoption.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to create their own Probability & Statistics FlexBook for their school district, the largest school district in Minnesota with around 40,000 students. 3 authors and 6 editors spent 300 hours working on their FlexBook.
BENEFITS
Saved $175,000 on textbook adoption.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9 – 12
Subjects: Probability and Statistics.
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Suggested best practices: Costs savings is important and, with the money saved, the district could purchase up to 350 new IPADs but… Costs savings can’t be the only benefit:it’s important to have teachers on board who see the curricular benefits of a digital curriculum. Start early and have small deadlines: once teachers at Anoka-Hennepin began customizing their books, they had a lot of ideas they wanted to incorporate in their text and it was a rush to get everything done in time for the school year. Teacher teamwork is essential – “It’s important to have a good team of 3-4 teachers, and divide up the chapters and help each others, says Michael Engelhaupt, one of the authors in the project. Involve multiple stakeholders: Anoka-Hennepin ensured that someone from every school was involved, either as a writer or on the team of editors. This assured broad buy-in throughout the district. Someone has to own the project: in the case of Anoka-Hennepin, technology facilitator Bruce DeWitt served as the project owner, coordinating efforts between district and teachers at various locations.
Sierra Middle School
CHALLENGE
Low Algebra 1 proficiency scores on STAR test
SOLUTION
Pilot ran in 2011. FlexMath was used as the full curriculum including lesson plans, assessments, assignments, and practice. 4 teachers taught 400 8th and 7th grade students using FlexMath.
BENEFIT
7th and 8th grade passing rates on Algebra STAR tests increased from 88% to 97% and 31% to 68%, respectively
California State University, East Bay
CHALLENGE
High cost of materials.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to find and customize primary textbook from CK-12 Biology FlexBooks (especially Honors Biology) for the course TED 5380 Health and Safety in the Secondary School, a required course for credential candidates seeking to become teachers in secondary schools.
BENEFIT
Created replacement primary textbook for course
Read MoreCalifornia State University, East Bay
School type: Public University
State: CA
City: HaywardCHALLENGE
High cost of materials.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to find and customize primary textbook from CK-12 Biology FlexBooks (especially Honors Biology) for the course TED 5380 Health and Safety in the Secondary School, a required course for credential candidates seeking to become teachers in secondary schools.
BENEFITS
Created replacement primary textbook for course
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 13-doctoral
Subjects: Health in the Secondary School
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Core curriculum
Strategy: Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes
Coshocton High School
CHALLENGE
Access to technology.
SOLUTION
Core curriculum, Intervention, Enrichment / gifted students, After-school, Supplementary, Special Education, Improve state test scores, At-risk students, College and other career readiness
BENEFIT
Initially, I used the content as supplemental teaching materials. Then, I realized that the materials were so much better than the text I was given to use in the classroom. I use CK-12 for all levels of learning, to implement differentiated instruction and to help me align my formative and summative assessments to the Common Core. However, I have not used it to monitor student progress and achievement. ( I didn’t know it had that function!)
Read MoreCoshocton High School
School type: Public
State: OH
City: CoshoctonCHALLENGE
Access to technology.
SOLUTION
Core curriculum, Intervention, Enrichment / gifted students, After-school, Supplementary, Special Education, Improve state test scores, At-risk students, College and other career readiness
BENEFITS
Initially, I used the content as supplemental teaching materials. Then, I realized that the materials were so much better than the text I was given to use in the classroom. I use CK-12 for all levels of learning, to implement differentiated instruction and to help me align my formative and summative assessments to the Common Core. However, I have not used it to monitor student progress and achievement. ( I didn’t know it had hat function!)
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Arithmetic, Measurement, Algebra, Geometry, Probability, Trigonometry
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, Kindle, studyNow! iPad App.
Strategy: I completely ditched the textbook this year and have fully implemented CK-12 into my existing curriculum along with STAR Math.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? No.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I have not used CK-12 to track student progress.
Challenges faced during implementation: Incredible amount of material, but easily navigated.
Suggested best practices: Make sure to be specific in your searches for materials.
Cranberry Area Jr./Sr. High School
CHALLENGE
Textbooks are very expensive and quickly become outdated.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Special Education, College and other career readiness.
BENEFIT
I have had very good results regarding measurable student learning outcomes, performance and engagement. I plan on continuing to use Flexbooks and I will also continue to develop interactive assignments, tests and quizzes based on flexbook content. I would like to be one of your “Champions” because I am truly grateful for your site.
Read MoreCranberry Area Jr./Sr. High School
School type: Public
State: PA
City: SenecaCHALLENGE
Textbooks are very expensive and quickly become outdated.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Special Education, College and other career readiness.
BENEFITS
I have had very good results regarding measurable student learning outcomes, performance and engagement. I plan on continuing to use Flexbooks and I will also continue to develop interactive assignments, tests and quizzes based on flexbook content. I would like to be one of your “Champions” because I am truly grateful for your site.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 8, 9
Subjects: Physical Science, Earth Sciences
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program
How were resources distributed? Online in the browser
Strategy: The Flexbooks have replaced my regular textbook. The content is fully incorporated into my curriculum.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Part
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I use Blackboard Engage to develop my assignments and the features of the program allow me quickly check things like response status of student and I can grade and provide feedback to the students concerning the Flexbook content based lessons I’ve developed.
Challenges faced during implementation: It was very time consuming completely replacing my old content with Flexbook-based content. Developing the interactive lessons was truly challenging because I taught myself how to do it with little help from outside sources. I’m quite good at it now but still have room for improvement. I plan on continuing to develop more lessons and explore the other possibilities the Flexbook site has to offer.
Suggested best practices: Stay focused and if you do not have the time or want the stress of completely replacing your old curriculum in the first year, perhaps do it in stages.
Duval High School
CHALLENGE
Low engagement with content.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary, Special Education
BENEFIT
Good job! CK-12 has been fantastic; the rate at which students turn in homework assignments has improved and there is more engagement with content by students during class.
Read MoreDuval High School
School type: Public
State: MD
City: LanhamCHALLENGE
Low engagement with content.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary, Special Education
BENEFITS
Good job! CK-12 has been fantastic; the rate at which students turn in homework assignments has improved and there is more engagement with content by students during class.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Geometry, Biology, Earth Sciences
Scenario: Computer in classroom, Online school
How were resources distributed? Projected onto board in class, Online in the browser
Strategy: We used CK-12 as a supplementary and enrichment resource.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Part of their homework responsibilities.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? How do you track student progress with CK-12? We use a school grading software (SchoolMax).
Challenges faced during implementation: None
Suggested best practices: Be consistent and implement it in a step-wise manner.
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Junior High and High School
CHALLENGE
Not enough money to keep buying textbooks that meet standards.
SOLUTION
Core curriculum, Special Education, At-risk students
BENEFIT
Right now, I am in a situation where a free book is better than no book. Students are achieving better scores on NWEA tests and MEAP tests since I moved away from our old textbooks. I love this idea and look forward to learning and implementing more. For the past three years, I have had no textbook…I am really hoping that this is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Read MoreElkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Junior High and High School
School type: Public
State: MI
City: PigeonCHALLENGE
Not enough money to keep buying textbooks that meet standards.
SOLUTION
Core curriculum, Special Education, At-risk students.
BENEFITS
Right now, I am in a situation where a free book is better than no book. Students are achieving better scores on NWEA tests and MEAP tests since I moved away from our old textbooks. I love this idea and look forward to learning and implementing more. For the past three years, I have had no textbook…I am really hoping that this is the light at the end of the tunnel.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Algebra, Geometry, Probability, Statistics, Trigonometry, Analysis
Created own FlexBook? Yes.
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program
How were resources distributed? Printed, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, Apple iBooks.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? No.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I use the texts and do not use the tracking abilities yet.
Challenges faced during implementation: I find the writing is sometimes stiff and the heart of the lesson needing more clarification (but that’s my job!). Another challenge is that my students are not used to online texts. Time will lead to adaptation.
Suggested best practices: Next year I will model how to read the text and use the helps.
Herrin High School
CHALLENGE
Offering sufficient texts so all students could have one. Using out of date materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Improve state test scores.
BENEFIT
We have experienced nearly 100% engagement among our highly mobile (over 30% transient) population. We are still gathering underclass post-test data this week. Not surprisingly, 12th grade students showed 60% improvement in content and concept knowledge, application and the ability to analyze data. Our test was teacher developed to follow the preliminary National Science Standards from a test bank developed by Prentice Hall for their Conceptual Physics course that we previously purchased.
Read MoreHerrin High School
School type: Public
State: IL
City: HerrinCHALLENGE
Offering sufficient texts so all students could have one. Using out of date materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Improve state test scores.
BENEFITS
We have experienced nearly 100% engagement among our highly mobile (over 30% transient) population. We are still gathering underclass post-test data this week. Not surprisingly, 12th grade students showed 60% improvement in content and concept knowledge, application and the ability to analyze data. Our test was teacher developed to follow the preliminary National Science Standards from a test bank developed by Prentice Hall for their Conceptual Physics course that we previously purchased.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics
Created own FlexBook? No
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Home access
How were resources distributed? Online in the browser
Strategy: I created a Physical Science class using selected chapters from People’s Physics and Chemistry.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? My homework is largely based upon questions from CK-12 material and the readings are from CK-12.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I useWe have a Pre-Test/Post-Test for the course and give three major periodic assessments in addition to answers to nearly daily homework questions and lab reports.
Challenges faced during implementation: Learning to organize the course material with labs in a user-friendly manner on my website.
Suggested best practices: I am currently trying to transfer my website to Blackboard. That platform makes homework assessment easier as it grades certain types of questions. I already used Exam Generator to make major assessments and the Pre-Test/Post Test (which is 100 questions) self grading. U of Colorado-Boulder has a set of online lab simulations that fit very well with CK-12 science materials.
Additionally, I use Google docs to generate lab report forms and homework response pages and am eager to learn better ways to help students take ownership of their learning.
Junction City High School
CHALLENGE
Enough textbooks and resources for all students to have access when they needed it, high cost of materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, Special Education, Improve state test scores, College and other career readiness.
BENEFIT
We have been VERY pleased with our student engagement, and (anecdotally) our students have been able to go much deeper into inquiry and student-driven research topics. We are still waiting for results from our KS science assessment to compare with our previous scores.
Read MoreJunction City High School
School type: Public
State: KS
City: Junction CityCHALLENGE
Enough textbooks and resources for all students to have access when they needed it, high cost of materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, Special Education, Improve state test scores, College and other career readiness.
BENEFITS
We have been VERY pleased with our student engagement, and (anecdotally) our students have been able to go much deeper into inquiry and student-driven research topics. We are still waiting for results from our KS science assessment to compare with our previous scores.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 11, 12, 13+
Subjects: Statistics, Life Sciences, Biology
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Home access, Computer in classroom
How were resources distributed? Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, Android Tablet
Strategy: We edited a version of the CK-12 Biology FlexBook to fit with our curriculum and to match with the framework of the NGSS.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Occasionally
Challenges faced during implementation: Getting all department members to accept that the content was just as good as in the $100 textbooks.
Suggested best practices: Take risks, aim high, but don’t forget to take the time to walk students (and staff) through how to access all of the content associated with the Flexbook. It is too powerful a tool to not use correctly.
Northeast Vernon County Jr. High/High School
CHALLENGE
Textbook costs.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum.
BENEFIT
The metrics in this first year have been similar to those used previously for same topics to provide a comparison of student comprehension of the same information in the two methods. Student engagement and dedication to completing assignments was seemingly unchanged, although a new and more liberal school policy toward the use of handheld devices may, hopefully, change this.
I really enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, this flexibility and ready resource. It allows easy and quick adaptation of courses, elimination of costly overproduced texts, and gives some of the academic freedom back to teachers that standardization may have eroded.
Read More:Northeast Vernon County Jr. High/High School
School type: Public
State: MO
City: WalkerCHALLENGE
Textbook costs.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum.
BENEFITS
The metrics in this first year have been similar to those used previously for same topics to provide a comparison of student comprehension of the same information in the two methods. Student engagement and dedication to completing assignments was seemingly unchanged, although a new and more liberal school policy toward the use of handheld devices may, hopefully, change this.
I really enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, this flexibility and ready resource. It allows easy and quick adaptation of courses, elimination of costly overproduced texts, and gives some of the academic freedom back to teachers that standardization may have eroded.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 7-12
Subjects: Life Sciences, Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Computer lab, Home access, Computer in classroom, Online school, print
Strategy: Several adapted texts are used as the basis for the science courses, grades 7 thru 12.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? The reading and optional exploration of online resources is generally a homework assignment.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? It is fully integrated within our regular program.
Challenges faced during implementation: Students do not universally have access to the internet at home.
Suggested best practices: An emphasis on the use of the texts in the online environment, allowing exploration of links as further explanation of content, is important.
Olde Towne Middle School
CHALLENGE
Not enough textbooks to issue for use at home.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Improve state test scores, ESL students.
BENEFIT
So pleased to see grades improve and more students engaged. Having a FREE textbook online was an answer to our prayers. I had needed more textbooks, and parents had wanted textbooks at home. I thought it was too good to have no hidden agenda, but Ck-12 has truly had no undesirable strings attached!
Read MoreOlde Towne Middle School
School type: Public
State: MS
City: RidgelandCHALLENGE
Not enough textbooks to issue for use at home.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Improve state test scores, ESL students
BENEFITS
So pleased to see grades improve and more students engaged. Having a FREE textbook online was an answer to our prayers. I had needed more textbooks, and parents had wanted textbooks at home. I thought it was too good to have no hidden agenda, but Ck-12 has truly had no undesirable strings attached!
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Physical Science, Earth Sciences
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Home access, Computer in classroom, Online school
How were resources distributed? Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, Apple iBooks, Kindle, Nook, Android Tablet
Strategy: SevCK-12 is used as a primary lesson source. Students read, answer review questions, and define vocabulary. After we review answers, students take a daily quiz.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? The reading and optional exploration of online resources is generally a homework assignment.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I use a daily quiz after each lesson.
Challenges faced during implementation: Most students were excited to use technology in class, but some used this as an excuse so have printed lessons too.
Suggested best practices: Daily quizzes motivated students to be prepared.
Spanish Fork High School
CHALLENGE
Textbooks were too big, did not cover the state core curriculum well enough, and had too much material that wasn’t being taught. The order of the material in the textbook was not how I like to teach it, and textbooks cost too much to allow students to effectively use them (i.e. writing in them).
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, At-risk students, ESL students.
BENEFIT
Students perform very well on state tests; I feel students are learning content at a deeper level because I can make the texts very focused on what they need to know without skimming past a lot of information they don’t need to know. Students like the ease of using the book, its focused content, etc.
Read MoreSpanish Fork High School
School type: Public
State: UT
City: Spanish ForkCHALLENGE
Not enough textbooks to issue for use at home.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, At-risk students, ESL students.
BENEFITS
Students perform very well on state tests; I feel students are learning content at a deeper level because I can make the texts very focused on what they need to know without skimming past a lot of information they don’t need to know. Students like the ease of using the book, its focused content, etc.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Chemistry
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Mostly printed materials
How were resources distributed? Printed, On the computer – PDF format
Strategy: I made and printed a book using CK-12 materials that I have used and updated each year for the past 3 years. It is the only text I hand out to students. Because I can print black and white copies for each student for a small fraction of the publishers’ textbooks, I can give each student a book to keep and write in to teach literacy, etc.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes – some days for reading assignments and other days for working out problems.
Challenges faced during implementation: I wanted printed books for my students to write in as I don’t have 1:1 in my classroom. With printed, I wanted the ability to format my text and images easily, so I copy and paste the materials I want into Microsoft Word to allow for more flexibility. That’s not the only way to do this, but it’s worked well for me.
Suggested best practices: This is your chance to teach literacy strategies – use it! Take workshops on teaching reading skills if you need to learn how to teach them yourself, but the students deserve this instruction – they don’t know how to effectively read by themselves. We just assume they do.
Valley View Junior High
CHALLENGE
Lack of up to date materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary, Improve state test scores.
BENEFIT
I believe that student content level readiness has increased and am waiting for end of course test scores to verify. Student engagement has increased and the content seems to be more engaging than a hard copy textbook in front of them. I really appreciate the ease of use and convenience as well as the cost savings to our struggling district.
Read MoreValley View Junior High
School type: Public
State: OH
City: FarmersvilleCHALLENGE
Lack of up to date materials.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary, Improve state test scores.
BENEFITS
I believe that student content level readiness has increased and am waiting for end of course test scores to verify. Student engagement has increased and the content seems to be more engaging than a hard copy textbook in front of them. I really appreciate the ease of use and convenience as well as the cost savings to our struggling district.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 8
Subjects: Life Sciences, Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Computer lab, Home access, Computer in classroom
How were resources distributed? Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Kindle
Strategy: I use it as our classroom textbook.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Sometimes.
Challenges faced during implementation: Students remembering passwords to access class instruction. Keep it simple and contact parents with access codes earlier in the school year.
Suggested best practices: Search for grade level content and don’t try to add too much at a time to your Flexbooks. Keep it simple and follow state content standards.
Warren County Middle School
CHALLENGE
Cost of textbooks, weight of textbooks, lack of flexibility in adapting the material from the texts.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary.
BENEFIT
Never issued so many “A” and “B” grades in 20 years.
Read MoreWarren County Middle School
School type: Public
State: VA
City: Front RoyalCHALLENGE
Cost of textbooks, weight of textbooks, lack of flexibility in adapting the material from the texts.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary.
BENEFITS
Never issued so many “A” and “B” grades in 20 years.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 6
Subjects: Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Home access, Computer in classroom, intraNet with own Moodle.
How were resources distributed? Printed, Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format.
Strategy: CK-12 is at the core of my teaching.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? Custom designed quizzes, paper and Moodle based.
Challenges faced during implementation: File server issues, had to create entire back end – teaching tools, assessments etc.
Suggested best practices: Watch my videos on using it at: http://www.starmaterials.com/Book/Science/ES/ES19_Solar_System/ES19A/index.htm
Columbus Catholic Schools
CHALLENGE
High material costs moving to 1-to-1.
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to find, assemble, and customize primary textbooks from CK-12 Trigonometry, Math Analysis, and Calculus FlexBooks. Pilot began in the ’12-’13 academic year as part of iPad initiative for 90 students in grades 9-12.
BENEFIT
More than $4,000 in savings on textbook costs.
The masters school
CHALLENGE
High material costs, transportability, editable/customizable
SOLUTION
Used FlexBook System to find, assemble, and customize primary textbook from CK-12 Geometry FlexBook. Pilot began in the ’12-’13 academic year with 9 students in 8th grade. Open textbook is also used as a living text for the class with subsequent classes making revisions.
BENEFIT
Significant savings for parents,Text editing greatly enhanced student engagement in content
Columbus Catholic High School
CHALLENGE
Cost of textbooks, weight of textbooks, lack of flexibility in adapting the material from the texts
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary.
BENEFIT
We’ve used the program for one year, so it’s a bit difficult to determine progress change; but there’s been no significant loss of performance [as evaluated by standard formal and informal diagnostics], and student access to the materials from multiple locations (through Dropbox) has helped many struggling students (who’ve been able to access supplementary CK-12 texts and material, and whose grades have been raised because of access to those resources). Next year, we also hope to use the CK-12 study apps.
Read MoreColumbus Catholic High School
School type: Private
State: WICHALLENGE
Cost of textbooks, weight of textbooks, lack of flexibility in adapting the material from the texts.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Supplementary.
BENEFITS
We’ve used the program for one year, so it’s a bit difficult to determine progress change; but there’s been no significant loss of performance [as evaluated by standard formal and informal diagnostics], and student access to the materials from multiple locations (through Dropbox) has helped many struggling students (who’ve been able to access supplementary CK-12 texts and material, and whose grades have been raised because of access to those resources). Next year, we also hope to use the CK-12 study apps.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Statistics, Trigonometry, Analysis, Calculus
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Home access.
How were resources distributed? Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Apple iBooks
Strategy: We’re using CK-12 Flexbooks as the main textbooks in four courses.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? We track progress as we’d do with other materials (tests, informal diagnostics, etc.).
Challenges faced during implementation: Challenges faced during implementation: The formatting problems with various versions of the CK-12 Flexbooks were the biggest initial challenge; the lack of a Precalculus text (as such) was another challenge. If these could be fixed on CK-12’s end, it would be a tremendous help.
Suggested best practices: Suggested best practices: Implement Dropbox (or some other cloud-based storage (system), and put your texts (and supplementary materials) on it where students can access the materials and texts from multiple platforms. The fact that the materials are copyright free is a real blessing, for which I’m most grateful!
Imperial Academy
CHALLENGE
Obtaining quality textbooks with information we wanted to present.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, College and other career readiness.
BENEFIT
Students were more engaged in class as I was able to implement more interactive and hands on learning. Assessment was accomplished via hands on tests on camera as well as paper testing of knowledge.
Love the open source approach to the content.
Read MoreImperial Academy
School type: Private
State: WI
City: EdmondCHALLENGE
Obtaining quality textbooks with information we wanted to present.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, College and other career readiness.
BENEFITS
Students were more engaged in class as I was able to implement more interactive and hands on learning. Assessment was accomplished via hands on tests on camera as well as paper testing of knowledge.
Love the open source approach to the content.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Computer in classroom, Online school
How were resources distributed? Projected onto board in class, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, projected in Adobe Connect
Strategy: We began with a basic Flexbook and edited for our core curriculum.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? In class assessments.
Challenges faced during implementation: Learning how to edit the textbooks. Really learn the software they are going to use to edit.
Suggested best practices: The textbooks are really good to begin to plan your curriculum. You can then edit them to plan your curriculum to be what you want to accomplish.
Kumu Wai Mauloa Academy (We were Isaiah Academy for Excellence)
CHALLENGE
We struggled to find a well rounded science program until CK-12. It was great to have the added resources for SAT Prep.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, College and other career readiness
BENEFIT
CK-12 was a great start. It needs tweaking in order to make it easier for the teacher to blend their model or to implement without a number of days of additional planning.
Read MoreKumu Wai Mauloa Academy (We were Isaiah Academy for Excellence)
School type: Private
State: WI
City: WailukuCHALLENGE
We struggled to find a well rounded science program until CK-12. It was great to have the added resources for SAT Prep.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, College and other career readiness.
BENEFITS
CK-12 was a great start. It needs tweaking in order to make it easier for the teacher to blend their model or to implement without a number of days of additional planning.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 6,7,8
Subjects: Biology, Physical Science, SAT Prep
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: Each student has a computer at their desk.
How were resources distributed? Printed, Online in the browser.
Strategy: I have taken the curriculum for Biology — and the Core Curriculum– and added the activities from CK-12 to each part of my class plans.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? It is part of their homework responsibilities.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I print out the actual concept lists; then we highlight when each is completed (based on honest reporting). It would be GREAT to have something like ALEKS.com which tracks time on task and mastery responses.
Challenges faced during implementation: The challenge is to monitor student progress AND the time it takes to be sure they have completed each module. Many of the “maps” do not work.
Suggested best practices: If I had more time (later during the summer) or after school is out, I would be happy to share these.
North Country Learning Center
CHALLENGE
Finding appropriate affordable curriculum that was flexible enough to meet the individual needs of our students.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Special Education, At-risk students.
BENEFIT
We are using the FlexBooks as a primary source for foundational information. Students are producing projects on a variety of topics based on the information that they have learned in the textbooks.
Read MoreNorth Country Learning Center
School type: Private
State: NH
City: North ConwayCHALLENGE
Finding appropriate affordable curriculum that was flexible enough to meet the individual needs of our students.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Special Education, At-risk students.
BENEFITS
We are using the FlexBooks as a primary source for foundational information. Students are producing projects on a variety of topics based on the information that they have learned in the textbooks.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: Pre-K – 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Life Sciences, Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics, geography
Created own FlexBook? No
Scenario: Computer lab.
How were resources distributed? Printed.
Strategy: We are using Flex Books in a variety of subjects as the foundation for meeting core curriculum requirements.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? No.
Challenges faced during implementation: The information seems a little too basic. We have realized that we have to customize the information to make it usable.
Suggested best practices: Be fully aware of the content and be prepared to augment what is available with other resources.
Sacred Heart Cathedral High School
CHALLENGE
Paying $ for textbooks that students don’t use.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Supplementary.
BENEFIT
My metric is FCI, student products (blogs, projects etc.), and written assessments. Thank you for making a free textbook. Lots of happy parents and students. Keep up the good work. We aren’t a textbook based class, but since we are required to have a textbook, yours is the one we will go with.
Sacred Heart Cathedral High School
School type: Private
State: NH
City: San FranciscoCHALLENGE
Paying $ for textbooks that students don’t use.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Supplementary.
BENEFITS
My metric is FCI, student products (blogs, projects etc.), and written assessments. Thank you for making a free textbook. Lots of happy parents and students. Keep up the good work. We aren’t a textbook based class, but since we are required to have a textbook, yours is the one we will go with.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: High School
Subjects: Physics
Created own FlexBook? Yes
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Home access, Computer in classroom.
How were resources distributed? Printed, On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser, Apple iBooks, Kindle, Android Tablet.
Strategy: We met in teams to discuss core unpacked standards and remix the books to put those in at the beginning. We edited content to reflect language and equation formats used in class. We also edit problems. Finally, at the end of our chapter, we add in the rubric and description of the project-based challenge problem that we put at the end of each unit.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? No.
Challenges faced during implementation: No.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? The information seems a little too basic. We have realized that we have to customize the information to make it usable.
Challenges faced during implementation: The UI was really irritating. Also, the password process seemed more complicated than necessary.
Suggested best practices: When creating a Flexbook, don’t write the whole book at once. Do it one chapter/unit at a time in your learning team.
Sapientia Omnia Vincit Academy
CHALLENGE
A lot of gaps in my students’ learning skills.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, At-risk students.
BENEFIT
I assess the students with released CST test score questions and reassess with the same questions to see what learning has taken place.
Sapientia Omnia Vincit Academy
School type: Private
State: CA
City: San JacintoCHALLENGE
A lot of gaps in my students’ learning skills.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Intervention, At-risk students.
BENEFITS
I assess the students with released CST test score questions and reassess with the same questions to see what learning has taken place.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 12
Subjects: Arithmetic, Measurement, Algebra, Geometry, Life Sciences, Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences
Scenario: One-to-one laptop / tablet program, Home access.
How were resources distributed? On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser.
Strategy: I am using CK-12 to fill in gaps in learning and to further skills in math and sciences.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I take the courses with them.
Challenges faced during implementation: None at this point. This is very user friendly.
Suggested best practices: Being proactive with the courses will help you understand what the students are learning and how.
Saint Francis Cabrini School
CHALLENGE
Some Flash issues with individual students but those can be resolved.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum.
BENEFIT
No head to head comparisons were done. Student achievement was on par with prior year’s classes using traditional texts and curriculum.
Saint Francis Cabrini School
School type: Private
State: CA
City: San JoseCHALLENGE
Some Flash issues with individual students but those can be resolved.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum.
BENEFITS
No head to head comparisons were done. Student achievement was on par with prior year’s classes using traditional texts and curriculum.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Life Sciences, Physical Science, Earth Sciences.
Created own FlexBook? No.
Scenario: Home access.
How were resources distributed? Projected onto board in class, Online in the browser, Kindle, Android Tablet.
Strategy: We just jumped in, replacing old textbooks. Sent parents a long explanatory email. Had NO complaints.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? Reading quizzes and submitted assignments from the linked labs.
Challenges faced during implementation: Inform parents up front. Parents are much more uncomfortable than the students.
Suggested best practices: Emphasize that the text is accessible from many devices, allowing students flexibility in study locations.
Hayward
CHALLENGE
Low Algebra 1 proficiency scores.
SOLUTION
Pilot ran from 2009 to 2011. FlexMath was used as the full curriculum including lesson plans, assessments, assignments, and practice. 4 teachers taught 400 9th grade students using FlexMath.
BENEFIT
Increased Algebra CST passing rates increase from 13% proficient with no students scoring advanced in 2008 to 68% proficient with 20% advanced
LPS Richmond
CHALLENGE
Low Algebra 1 proficiency scores.
SOLUTION
Pilot ran in 2011. FlexMath was used as the full curriculum including lesson plans, assessments, assignments, and practice. 4 teachers taught 200 9th grade students using FlexMath.
BENEFIT
Increased Algebra CST passing rates increase from 29% proficient with 3% scoring advanced in 2010 to 73% proficient with 30% advanced
Impact Academy
CHALLENGE
Low Algebra 1 proficiency scores.
SOLUTION
Pilot ran in 2011. FlexMath was used as the full curriculum including lesson plans, assessments, assignments, and practice. 4 teachers taught 200 9th grade students using FlexMath.
BENEFIT
Increased Algebra CST passing rates from 28% in 2010 to 53% in 2011
Voyager Academy
CHALLENGE
Wanted state aligned texts, workbooks, and teacher resources.
SOLUTION
Pilot began in ’11-’12 academic year with one teacher using the CK-12 Biology FlexBook as the primary text for both Honors and at grade level Biology for 100 students. During ’12-’13, 160 students used CK-12 FlexBooks in Biology and Earth Science.
BENEFIT
2012 Biology state tests showed 81% proficiency at Voyager compared to 75% for state average. Savings between $2,000 and $5,000.
Leadership Public Schools Oakland R&D
CHALLENGE
Information was too rigid and hard for our students to access.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Summer school, Supplementary, College and other career readiness.
BENEFIT
I grade student comprehension once every unit on a CK-12 text. On average students score between 90 and 80 percent.
Leadership Public Schools Oakland R&D
School type: Charter
State: CA
City: OaklandCHALLENGE
Information was too rigid and hard for our students to access.
SOLUTION
CK-12 resources were used as Core curriculum, Enrichment / gifted students, Summer school, Supplementary, College and other career readiness.
BENEFITS
I grade student comprehension once every unit on a CK-12 text. On average students score between 90 and 80 percent.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Life Sciences, Biology, Physical Science, Earth Sciences
Created own FlexBook? Yes.
Scenario: Print out CK-12 content for students’ packets.
How were resources distributed? On the computer – PDF format, Online in the browser.
Strategy: I implement CK-12 as the main reading resource. I give it for homework or reading in partners in class.
Is CK-12 content assigned as part of students’ homework responsibilities? Yes.
How do you track student progress with CK-12? I track progress through annotations and completion of analysis questions at the end of each reading.
Challenges faced during implementation: None
Suggested best practices: Edit and organize the content for the unit prior to teaching the unit.
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