Distance Learning and Instructional Materials

CDE Presenters:

• Rachael Maves, Deputy Superintendent, Instruction and Measurement Branch
• Shanine Coats, Director, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
  

CalCurriculum Presenters:

• Shannah Estep, Senior Outreach Specialist, EdReports.org
• Allison Carter, Vice President, Education Programs, Pivot Learning
• Manny Barrera, Program Manager, Pivot Learning

Key Takeaways

1. CDE: Instructional Materials Support
   • Standards, curriculum frameworks, and instructional resources part of process to ensure use of high-quality, accessible materials
   • IQC advises SBE on curriculum/instruction
   • CFIRD supports IQC, oversees instructional material adoption, produces specialized media
   • Webinar will address how instructional materials can support learning models for next year

2. California Curriculum Collaborative
   • Partnership between Pivot Learning, EdReports, and CDE
   • Supports California districts in search for instructional resources
   • EdReports provides reports on educational materials
   • Pivot Learning works with districts to improve learning through adoption of high-quality materials

3. Overview
   • Learning Goals
     • Reflect on current varied teaching/learning contexts
     • Understand selection of materials according to context
     • Identify guidance/support for planning for next school year
   • Distance Learning means student and instructor are in different locations
     • Includes use of technology or print materials
     • Synchronous or asynchronous

4. There are a wealth of resources. School sites will benefit from considering what materials to select, how to use them, and understanding the rationale - the why
   • There is a wealth of distance learning resources
     • Educators need guidance on What to select, How to use them, and Why
   • Best practices for distance learning are general best practices
     • Must meet needs of all students, include assessment and interventions, and align to standards/research
   • Connections
     • Standards are result of legislation, SBE approval
     • Frameworks provide guidance on implementing standards
     • Instructional materials align to standards/frameworks
   • Guiding principles in frameworks still apply in distance learning context
   • Instructional materials support instruction on standards
     • Instructional materials are adopted through a review process involving CDE, SBE, and the IQC

5. Need for high quality in distance/in-person learning and hybrid models
   • Instructional materials significantly influence teaching and learning
   • District vignettes
   • District A––Materials from many sources, often unvetted 
   • District B ––High-quality instructional materials, little training, accessibility issues
   • District ––Struggled to transition adopted materials to distance learning, accessibility issues
   • District D–– High-quality materials, support, collaboration
   • Key questions include
     • What is your vision for teaching (in person/DL) in all content areas?
     • How do high-quality materials support the vision?
     • What guidance is there to support coherent/systematic DL instruction?
       

6. Why Materials Matter
   • Materials are important to help mitigate instructional challenges
     • Challenge #1––Educators are overwhelmed by choices
     • Challenge #2––Equity/Access (three-quarters of instructional hours on assignment not at grade level)
     • High-quality materials make transition to DL easier
   • Key Elements of quality material
     • Alignment to standards
     • Support all learners
     • Include tools for DL
   • CalCurriculum/EdReports help evaluate materials
   • Important to also evaluate systems
     • Vision
   • Technology
   • Professional Learning
   • Student experience with DL
   • Consider Community Experience
     • Technology access
     • School communication
     • Support for families accessing materials
   • Prepare for next fall by establishing a plan and expectations
     • Materials are “low hanging fruit”
     • DL adds extra layer of investigation

7. Preparing for Ongoing Distance Learning
   • Plan for a variety of scenarios-in-person, DL, Hybrid
     • Learn from spring experience
     • Plan for summer professional learning
     • Gather data from diverse stakeholders
     • Equitable Learning Recovery Toolkit
   • Plan for 2020–2021 school year
     • Refer to CDE guidance
     • Attend to unfinished instruction, supports for accessing high-quality materials, delivering high-quality instruction, and parents helping students with DL
     • MTSS thresholds may need to be adjusted
     • Focus should be recovery, not remediation
     • Use valid, reliable screeners
     • Implement high-quality interventions
     • Center equity during planning
     • Develop systems to monitor access to technology and materials and respond accordingly
     • Account for DL in resetting instructional vison
     • Communicate equity expectations for DL instruction
     • Provide ongoing professional learning for DL aligned to high-quality instructional materials
     • Support parents/guardians with guidance on caregivers’ role in DL and materials
     • Plan should include materials adoption, pacing/assessment calendar, instructional expectations, access for priority populations, coaching scope/sequence
     • Implementation of plan should include strong communication with stakeholders, progress monitoring, ongoing professional learning
     • Develop plans for a variety of scenarios that support a wide range of needs, student population, conditions
     • Strengthen communication, collaboration, and virtual professional learning systems