Curricular Review Academy of #GoOpenNC

Right now I only work for NCVPS and we have done so much with copyright and have felt very limited in what we are able to use in recent years.  As a result, I think my fellow NCVPS educators would love the idea of being able to utilize a wide variety of resources that have already been sort of "vetted" with regard to copyright, alignment, and quality (although I know they still need to verify and the final responsibility will rest on their shoulders). 

I definitely agree with "vetting" learning resources based on copyright, alignment and quality.  Using this resource will help save time and energy with lesson planning and sifting through incomplete or ineffective resources.  

Melissa,

As an NCVPS teachers also, I agree with you that they have provided quite a large amount of education on copyright and fair use.  The videos on copyright located in the hub provide opportunities to return as needed to provide continued updating.

The educators I work with would appreciate the collaboration. The ability to share lessons, review other lessons, and remix lessons, provides great opportunities for all teachers to incorporate some great new lessons into their classrooms. They will also enjoy going through these lessons and thinking about alignment. This will help everyone to have a much stronger understanding of our standards and what students need to be able to do to meet that standard.

Christina, I totally agree.  I think it will help the new teachers that are coming aboard this year, but also those that might have gotten moved around either a new grade or subject.

And with the new teachers, they can often feel overwhelmed by not only all of the things they need to do in preparation and actual teaching, and all of the extra-curricular duties placed on them.  I think many districts should include this with their new-teacher training to help them from getting "burned-out."

Jennifer, good point. New teachers, or new to a curriculum area teachers will find this beneficial.

Yes! The remixing aspect of these resources will be a great way to make sure they effectively meet our individual needs in the classroom.

I think they will love being able to remix resources. I know I am excited about that. I am a "why reinvent the wheel?" person but often get frustrated when I find things that are almost perfect. The fact that these resources are specific to NC and being reviewed to ensure they align is awesome. 

I am so excited about the idea of being able to remix resources to make them fit the needs of my students.  Lots of time will be saved for teachers with this feautre.

yes, that little remix button has amazing possibilities.

I think my PLC will enjoy the remix feature as well....at least after they learn how to use the site.

I agree...I think teachers are born with that ability. We are constantly finding new ideas and tweaking them to fit our classrooms. 

I agree.  I love taking an existing resource and putting my own spin on it.  Creativity is one ingredient that make teachers special!

I love the idea of remixing and making resources fit my teaching style and flexible to meet the needs of my students.  

I agree with you, an awesome feature!

I think that when the standards are correctly aligned, my colleagues will love a place where they can get material that is specific to NC standards.  Many times we spend valuable time sifting through lessons and seeing how it relates to our standards. 

I agree! It is so hard to find materials that are "vetted" for the NCSCOS, since most materials creators outside of NC just default to Common Core, which is close but not exact (at least for elementary math!).

I totally agree.  I get frustrated when I find resources that I think will enhance students' academic performance, only to find standards that are incorrectly aligned, or missing.

I agree. Being able to quickly find material specific in NC will be such a time saver. It is so frustrating when you find materials that close but not quite right for the NC standards. 

I agree!  I want to make sure that I maximize my time by using resources that directly benefit my students while meeting NC Standards.  

I believe understanding the CC is an eye opening when we are looking and using lessons.  Also being able to have a platform to display our hard work without having to pay on a site and knowing that when we can look up resources on GoOpenNC by standards.

Yes! It is great to have a place where we can all share and we don't have to pay for it. I;m so excited to see this take off!

Exactly! We all spend so much already on classroom needs. This a fantastic resource for us--I just hope we don't change curriculum any time soon!

Educators would appreciate having access to a plethora of resources that have been evaluated for alignment to the standards and the opportunity to connect and share with fellow educators.  Educators spend so much time trying to searchin for quality resources.  This platform will provide them with great resources and opportunities to collaborate.

Latisha- I totally agree!  I love that other educators will have already examined the resources to check for standards alignment.  It also would be great to cut down on search time for quality resources.

Latisha I agree. Now we need to get this rolled out in CMS and open this up to AP teachers and standards as well.

Yes - this is so important! Hopefully this will cut down on time spent searching for quality resources.

The educators I work with would appreciate having all of these resources in one place, along with the collaboration piece. We are constantly having discussions to build upon each other's ideas - we are blessed to have an amazing team that values each persons individuality. I think they will appreciate that they can remix activities. As teachers, we do it everyday! We have to mix it up to fit the needs of our students - now we have a place that we can share what worked to hopefully have a positive impact in other classrooms!

That's awesome that you work with such a collaborative team Heather!  I think my co-workers would appreciate the centralized location of these resources as well :) 

There are many things that will resonate with educators from the Curriculum Review Academy that I work with but the most imporatnt one is being able to collaborate with others on resources that have been correctly alligned to the NC standards.  

Yes, Kimberly, and don't you think it will be easy to say, as a group, that we're teaching a specific lesson, and then being able to remix the lesson for our learners? I love that part!

The OER definitive constructs like “groups” and how to navigate and utilize those constructs. In truth there are so many things from the CRA that I believe are crucial and important to OER use, yet in retrospect what resonates is the quality and focus of groups and likewise the platform.

Several things would resonate, but I think the most shocking piece from the Academy would be that we have not been using openly licensed resources (we were using some resources illegally).  My colleagues will sleep better at night knowing that this platform is a safe (legal) place to get resources.  They'll also love the fact that they can remix most resources and make them fit their specific group of students.

I think that educators will appreciate having standards-based resources that have been reviewed in a central location.

Central location is huge!  I get so tired of constantly searching multiple resources.  I also like the review aspect and the ability to remix to make a resource work for my students.

The biggest thing I am going to take back to my teachers is the copyright information. We have two amazing curricula that we use, so standards-task alignment is not a big point of focus with us (with the exception of remixing small things to fit the NCSCOS). However, last year I did coach teachers who used supplemental resources, and did not know then how to understand copyright laws. I want to make a conscious effort in the PLCs I facilitate this year to make sure any materials we use are being used correctly -- and we will NOT be making copies of workbooks we bought last year and scratching out the "do not copy" note on each page (facepalm)!

This is an amazing aspect of this platform. We are supposed to be able to teach, understand, comply with copyright laws. I loved that the DTLs included copyright, but it still wasn't *real* to many teachers. I really think that understanding how copyright applies to their personal works will bring this home for many of our teachers.

Megan, great idea! I do not feel that there is a lot of training on copyright in many districts and teachers are unaware. 

I now know how to start making a priority list for PDs supporting OER. Thank you for the reality boost.

Yes! I agree with the copyright piece. I also think it will help teachers reflect on student assignments and start really making sure the students understand their side of copyright, too!

That's a great point. We all need to be paying attention to the copyright info.

The idea that we will have access to resources that don't violate copyright laws is so important. I am hopeful that this site will be used a lot and will provide a place to find fun, educational, engaging resources for our students!

The educators that I work with would love having access to a wide variety of resources in one central place.  The ability to remix resources and collaborate together is an amazing bonus!

Yes!  And knowing that those resources are very clear about copyright and how they can and can't be used is another added bonus!

I think the teachers I work with will like OER for several reasons:

• the resources are coming from other teachers not trying to sell something.
• it should save some time searching (as compared to the whole world on the internet)
• the remixing feature allows teachers to personalize the lessons/activities.
• the comment feature allows discussion/collaboration with other teachers outside of our school.
• they are NC standards aligned verse CCSS.

All very great points, Bitsy! 

Absolutely.  I totally agree with your reasons!  Especially when it comes to teaching content specific to only one area (i.e individual state history/government) and nothing is available in print form, unless you spend time searching for an old textbook on Ebay, Amazon, etc.

Yes, the comment tool will be a great advantage for collaboration.

Yes, Bitsy! This is exactly how I plan to get teachers on board with GoOpenNC! Can I just "remix" your post here and CC By Bitsy? :) 

While I know several teachers who swear by TPT, many (me!) avoid it because of the for-profit mentality of it & it's not really collaborative. This platform offers so many benefits that just may satisfy those who don't like TPT, and even bait those who do! 

haha why yes, yes you can remix!

I completely agree Bitsy!

I truly believe that teachers will be happy to have a "go-to" place for aligned resources... that are already approved by DPI. Aligned items, all in one place, approved by DPI... that should be a winning combination. That is more than one thing, but the combination of all three is exceptional.

I agree, April. I also think that teachers in the same grade and subject area will benefit because the ability to remix will allow us to adapt lesson for our specific classes. One lesson, adapted to different levels as needed with the remix button!

Hopefully this will be easier to get to than the DPI resource places they are currently housed.

Hopefully this will be easier to get to than the DPI resource places they are currently housed.

I think the fact that they are recommended by other educators to give that confidence that they are good resources would resonate the most.

Carrie

I think that the teachers at my school would most appreciate having standards aligned lessons available to download immediately.

Absolutely! This will be a big help for all teachers, and especially new teachers who need some help getting started. 

Collaboration, having a vault of vetted resources to go to and a sounding board for ideas, suggestions, help, etc!  I know that's more than one thing!  This is going to be a valuable resorce for NC educatiors.

If I had to choose only one thing that will resonate with my peers, I would say that it is the availability of aligned, open resources on the platform that can be remixed as necessary. Go Open NC will be a time-saver, without skimping on high-quality instructional materials.

Julie,

I agree regarding the availability of aligned, open resources. I wonder how long it will take to amass a variety of resources that are aligned? 

I think they will value the fact that they can remix and make the lesson exactly what they want without the time spent starting from scratch and building the lesson.  The idea that they are already aligned to out our NC standards is awesome. Teachers work really hard and anything that can help lessen the time drain is awesome.  Especially great for those changing grade levels or new without a treasure trove of ideas to start with. 

The ability to create groups and have a specific pool for a school, district, grade level or subject area is also awesome. 

I think there are so MANY things that educators are going to love about this platform. If I have to choose one, I think they are going to love that there is one place they can go to and search for resources.  As an academic coach, I am going to be happy that there is one place I can go to and I can direct my teachers to go there. Teachers will be able to get quality resources! I am excited! 

Good point-This is a great place for academic coaches to find lessons to share. This is such an exciting resource!

I think the educators that I work with would really be interested to hear about the licensing options.  I think that knowing the options for licensing their own lessons and work would resonate with them and make them feel valued and like they have contributed to something bigger than the district.  I would hope that this would encourage them to contribute to the platform and interact with teachers across the state.

The educators I work with would appreciate having all of these resources in one place especially with the collaboration.   We are constantly having discussions but it is hard to get some teacheers on board with rigoring our lessons up!  They are in the mindset of doing the same thing over and over and not willing to change!  That's the hard part!  Coming down from upper grades I see the importance of getting those students ready for the next grade even more.  

 I know I would appreciate the remix activities.

 We have to differentiate to fit the individual needs of our students.  Having a place that we can share what worked will have a positive impact in other classrooms as well.

One thing I believe that would resonate most with the educators I work with is the ease of implementing the CC logo to the materials we create. Educators know how they want their products to be used but may not be sure how to address it within their materials. I believe the educators I work with would be excited about that as well as the platform of #GoOpenNC of openly licensed materials that also meets standard alignments. 

Absolutely, Katelyn! We have been through so much copyright training at NCVPS, but now the CC part makes sense. I love being able to create a resource and just click the CC options and it automatically shares that information. Love this platform.

I think the educators I work with would most appreciate the ability to find and use resources that are already peer reviewed and aligned to standards. I am excited to have the opportunity to share this resource with my colleagues once it goes live and to show them how they can use this to not only find resources but also to remix resources and publish their own stuff. I hope this creates an opportunity for them to become more collaborative as that is one thing my school struggles with due to many teachers being set in their ways. 

I think it is so exciting to provide a platform for our teachers to share not only with their colleagues in their school and district, but with everyone in the state teaching a specific standard!  

In working wtih DHHS, I think the idea of collaboration not only in a singular institution but across institutions will be adventageous.  I am asked about different materials I;ve used by colleages both at my school and at other educational facilities, and gladly share what I've created and/or used.  So once educators at these facilities see how effieciently they can search for, revise, and/or adapt materials, they will begin using the resources.

I agree that this could make the sharing of resources easier!  In the past, I have been asked to make other teachers a TA on my Canvas page so that they have access to materials.  The problem I have with doing that is that they have access to so much more when I do that!!  I love that this platform will give a safe place to share.

I really like the idea of commenting and reviewing resources for allignment.  I feel that at this time some of our art courses are being re-written and it is important to get feedback from other art teachers about resources and their effectiveness.

One thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that I think would resonate the most with the math educators in my district is the resources alignment to the standards.  The math teachers in my district meet three times each school year for a day of professional development.  The number one question is, does the resource have math problems similar to the math problems students will encounter on their EOG.  The math teachers in my school district will only use lessons or activities from the Curriculum Review Academy with similar EOG math problems or math problems that provide a challenge for their students.  I believe they would be appreciative that the resources have been reviewed and rated by fellow colleagues.

Chavonda, 

My colleagues who teach math are concerned abou the same thing! Everyone has varying opinions about NY Engage Math. Well, is it aligned more with the Common Core or the new NC Standards?

Hi Shelly,

The math teachers in our district occassionally incoporate NY Engage, but I do not use these lessons because I believe they are more aligned with Common Core.  Of course, the name of the standard is not the same, so we try to look for similarities in the conccepts.  I prefer to use resources that specifically state they are aligned to the new NC standards.  If I am not successful, I create my own lessons and activities.  I willingly share these resources.  However, after participating in the last three webinars, I now know to include a copyright on my material before sharing. 

HI Chavonda!

We use EngageNY in the middle school I am at. Do you use EngageNY in your county? 

I think this will be a very helpful tool for you all. Part of your PD could even be posting resources to ensure you all have access to each other's resources. 

I think that the ability to utilize free resources that have been aligned to the standards by NC educators will resonate the most with my colleagues because we have 60% lateral entry teachers in our district. Our currciculum director discussed the concern regarding teachers pulling resources that are really cute from TPT but they don't align to the standard. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for new and veteran teachers to reevaluate how they acquire resources, how they share them, and how they align.

Yes, Shelly! This is so true - I have worked with some lateral entry teachers have turned into fantastic teachers. Having some tried and proven resources that are aligned to the standards will definitely help all teachers.

I think the teachers I work with would love the PPT presentations from the academy! I would remix them to better serve my staff - and probably divide them up like Joanna/Donna did - some of my teachers are not ready for information on how to upload content. All need information on CC!

I think they would also benefit from the focus of standards alignment that we touched on. It would be an eye-opener for many. 

I think they will be most excited about the collaboration opportunities on the platform. 

So right Ms Martha, focused and direct.

I think educators will appreciate that tasks have already been aligned with standards and the platform is easy to search to find something to align to the topic you are teaching.

I agree, Kathrin!  I also think they will appreciate knowing that these resources have been vetted by other North Carolina educators!

I agree. Hopefully after seeing how easy the platform is to use, they will feel comfortable submitting their own resources/plans.

The educators I work with will love having a repository of tried and proven quality learning resources that have already been tested for standards alignment and copyright. Hopefully, colleagues I work with will jump on board and create and add many more resources to the repository.

As arts educators for NCVPS, my team is always looking for relevant visual imagry to include in lessons and to share with students. We would welcome the availability of free-to-use artworks to enhance our discussions and demonstrations. The #GoOpenNC site seems like it is growing and adding more and more each day. I am looking forward to sharing these resources with other teachers on my team!

As arts educators for NCVPS, my team is always looking for relevant visual imagry to include in lessons and to share with students. We would welcome the availability of free-to-use artworks to enhance our discussions and demonstrations. The #GoOpenNC site seems like it is growing and adding more and more each day. I am looking forward to sharing these resources with other teachers on my team!

Great idea! I've found lots of CC BY photographs on unsplash and flickr.

I think the educators I work with we be very excited to have access to this platform.  They will be happy to have a place they can go to search for and find resources that are aligned to NCSCOS and that have been vetted by other North Carolina teachers.  I think it will also be helpfull that all of the resources in the platform can be used without violating copyright - using an identification system that is easy for them to understand and navigate! 

One thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that will resonate the most with my coworkers is having resources that are correctly aligned.  Having correctly aligned resources which have been rated will give teachers a starting point.  If new teachers can have these resources as a jumping off point, I think sometimes teachers seeing, even the bad resources, can give clues to what they need and allow them to change/revamp resources to fit their needs.

My colleagues would be excited to learn that GoOpenNC has free, high-quality, standards-aligned resources. I hope that through the work of all who have been involved so far, that will be what they find.

It reminds me of students who search on Google for information, because Google will always give you lots of results that appear to be what you want. They don't realize that not all of what they find is reliable. When they try searching using a reliable tool like NC WiseOwl, they may not get as many results or they may have to search more carefully, but what they find should be better quality. Some students still want to go back to Google because it seems easier.

I wonder if teachers will have that experience, too. They search Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teachers and find lots of results that appear to be what they want. But the quality is mixed. Searching here, they may find fewer results, but it should be better quality. I just hope that we will have enough resources for them and that they will recognize the value of the work that is going into vetting these resources. And that they will see the value of contributing to that work.

Kristina,  I totally agree with you about the quality.  And searching for quality lessons is so time consuming.  A curated platform is a beautiful thing!

I love the analogy to a random google search and reliable resources.  I am excited to have this platform....especially the review aspect so that you can feel more confident that the resource is reliable.

I think the thing that will resonate with teachers is the ready access to materials and clear copyright instructions.  Especially new teachers spend so much time looking for resources that could be used for more productive practices.  The ease of finding these activities and knowing that they are fine to use will be great.  I know as a classroom teacher I bought so many supplemental book and then I would have to figure out if I could copy pages or not or how they could be used.  

I think there's so many things that will resonate with my colleagues.  The ability to search one place by North Carolina specific standards will be the biggest selling point.  This will give teachers a one-stop shop!  I believe the fact that the resources are vetted and commented on by their peers in North Carolina will also help create buy-in.

Peer vetting is definitely a positive with this platform.

I agree. I think we all feel a little uneasy at first, both by putting our lessons out there and when evaluating others. However, once we are are all comfortable, it will be such a positive experience for all of us. 

I believe that the educators I work with will resonate the most with the Curriculum Review Academy due to the many resources available that are directly tied to the NC Standards, and the easy navigation of the website. 

Yes! I like the various ways to search for resources. 

One this from the Academy that I feel would resonate with the reachers I work with is the collaboration and comminucation that the Academy allows. The ability to remix lessons is a feature they will love, and the opportunity to learn more about copyright will be an added bonus!

Love the remix idea as well!

One thing about the Curriculum Review Academy that I think would resonate the most with the educators that I work with is the availability of standards aligned resources from multiple familiar places (as well as new places) that can be used "as is" or remixed to fit the needs of a specific class.  For example, instead of looking at T4T and Illustrative Mathematics separately, resources from both places will be located here.

Teachers are going to love the ability to use these resources as is, as well as the opportunity to remix by adding there own lessons or mayber remixing two or more lessons.  For example, teachers could remix to create a STEM lesson from a math and a science lesson that is itegrated with technology that enhances the lesson.

Being able to provide feedback will be essential. Even beginning teachers will have comments and experiences to add in order to remix ideas. We can all benefit from everyone's remixes. I do, however, think there needs to be a disclaimer, or somehow really well known, for beginning teachers especially that these lessons/activities, etc... may or may not be complete. I can hear "excuses" already of "Well, I got it on GoOpenNC, so.... I thought it was fine as is."

Many of our teachers are in split PLCs or have a PLC of only one person in the building, so this resource is a fantastic way for the teachers to have a community of others to share resources.

As I said in one of my responses before, it is also wonderful to have the lessons already provided and curated, so teachers can focus on the remixing in order to best meet the needs of the students in their classrooms.  

I agree-the remixing will save so much time!

Good point about creating a community. We can feel isolated when we don't have a PLC for support. I like the idea that we are collaborating with other teachers in NC.

Having such a large data base of resources that have already been aligned to the standards and have been reviewed by fellow educators will be a "gift" to the teachers I work with! We are always looking for quality resources that will meet our needs but in the days of TPT and other commercial sites it is difficult to know if the resources we use are truly aligned to the standards we teach. This will be an effective tool for teachers across the state!

One thing that I think would resonate with the educators I work with is the abiity to remix resources. The educators I know and myself do not have a difficult time finding resources.  It is discouraging when resources don't align with what needs to be taught.  Being able to review and remix and resources is exciting especially since we have PLCs to work together.

I am a remixer by nature! I try not to completely recreate a wheel, and I am really looking forward to locating resources and remixing them.

Teachers would most appreciate the collaboration and sharing of resources.  This will be especially helpful for new teachers who are struggling to find quality materials to use with their students.  

Yes! I am a remixer by nature. I am really looking forward to finding resources and adjusting them for my needs. I am also looking forward to sharing this tool with my peers. I even see veteran teachers needing this when they are trying to find materials with student outcomes in mind.

I think that the idea of easy access and availability will make them interested in GoOpenNC! A lot of my coworkers are old school and do the same things year after year with no alterations. I think having reviews on resources and the alignment with standards will get them involved and access the resources often! Reviews and comments from other teachers will definitely keep me interested as I LOVE knowing whether or not a resource works well with certain kinds of classes... or if it is liked in general!

Even with doing the same thing year after year, they can tweak and update lesson plans as they modernize them or personalize them for their current class of students.  This is great!

Love the easy access feature! 

I think that the biggest piece that will resonate with the educators that I work with is that this platform will have a plothora of aligned resources. They will be excited to be able to find resources in one place that match the standards that we are teaching.  I believe that they will find it a great time saver.

I agree. I would much rather come here to search for resources I know are aligned closely rather than searching Google or TPT.

I think really diving into the copyright options and more informaiton about what and how things can be used.  This would resonate - or be eye-opening - for teachers that thinks Fair Use allows them to use whatever/however.  I believe this is a good step to get the teachers to work with their teams/ media coordinators to teach the basic copyright to students, as well.

I currently work with beginning teachers and I think they will be especially appreciative of having resources to support their instruction that have been vetted by other North Carolina educators to confirm they do in fact match the standards they are teaching.  So many teachers use the internet as a resource, and not everything is reliably tagged, but I think this resource will be incredibly helpful to supporting beginning teachers with aligning instruction to standards. 

Yes, getting beginning teachers on board will be crucial to the platform's growth and success. They will be excited to use the platform and contribute to it as well.

Yes! Yes! Yes! I think it will be a great source for teachers to find high quality, free resources. Start them out right rather than buying item after item in TPT.

One thing that will resonate with educators that I work with is the ability to locate Open Educational Resources that are aligned to NC State Standards and can be customized right there in the platform. It is a great resource for all teachers, but I see it being especially helpful to BTs.

I believe educators I work with will be excited about this resource. I think they would be interested to see and understand the rubric from the Friday Institute that we used for determining the strengths of the resources we've commented on.

I think the educators I work with will be most excited about the collaboration that is available through the platform and the variety of resources. Since contributions will come from everywhere, it will create so many opportunities for diversity in our lessons, without having to put everything together ourselves! 

Being able to determine what are valid resources will be a valuable skill for anyone. I have learned to look for specific things to make sure the resource is aligned with standards, does it have a clear objective, and does it accurately assess the students. By being able to do this, I can sift through resources to find the most appropriate ones for my students' needs. 

By having us review these materials, we are already setting the stage for other educators to be able to see what to look for, and sift through resources based off good star ratings/comments that will allow them to see if they should use it or not. Instead of just going through Google, educators can go to one place, where they know the resources have been vouched and remixed for the optimal purpose they were meant to be used with. 

I think that the structure and set up of this platform being targeted specifically for North Carolina teachers will resonate. Usually, when a teacher goes searching for a resource, the types of resources that appear may or may not be aligned to our current standards. This platform has safeguards to help make it possible to curate resources that are aligned or have the ability to be rated, making it easier to find materials with the correct depth and complexity that is required to meet the standards. 

I agree 100%.  Very well stated!

I believe my colleagues will like the ability to search for resources by our NC standards and the ability to download and remix lessons.  The platform will be valuable as educators reflect on what worked well during the school year and what areas could use improvement.  The wealth of resources will spark imagination and creativity in teachers--new and seasoned.

I think the tool that my team will most enjoy is the re-mix button.  I am sure we will use this platform when planning and assessing.   I love that if there is a 'good' resource but you want to make it work for your students a little more, there is a  way for that to happen.  

I also feel a little more comfortable with understanding copyright and what I  can/cannot use in my classroom.  

I agree with both of those points!  I'm definitely excited about having reviewed resources and being able to remix them.  I am also glad to have clear copyright "instructions" so that I don't have to worry about what I am reproducing or posting in Canvas.

I think it will be a valuable resource for everyone!  I love the idea that it reaches not only across the K-12 grade levels, but that it also allows media coordinators, PE teachers, etc to have a place.  I look forward to sharing this with everyone at my school once we are allowed too!

I can't wait to share it once we are allowed as well, Amanda! 

The NC Standards alignment and that they're vetted and evaluated will be a huge draw for educators. One thing I'm excited about is getting more librarians on board, as we are often the first-stop for teachers seeking resources. Loved Martha's idea of a librarians group so we can build our own PLC on the platform, support each other as we bring teachers to GoOpenNC, and address how to teach about ethical use of the resources, understanding CC licensing, using rubrics and critiquing standards, etc. 

I agree. I think it will also be a draw to district level curriculum coaches -- when they are reviewing local data, they now have a huge cache of teacher-vetted ideas to bring to PLTs that are struggling with skill achievement. 

I agree Mollee. I would much rather search here through reviewed and evaluated activities than to search and pay for things that may not measure up on TPT or Google. Once we start pointing teachers here, I think the platform will become a valuable resource.

I believe the educators I work with would be most excited about the collaboration. I work for a small school and each teacher is the only one teaching their subject, so having other educators that teach the same thing to share with will be very helpful.

I am at a larger school, but I am also excited about the collaboration. As far as I'm concerned, the more the merrier!

"Collaboration" is a key word in all of this. I think teachers being able to see this platform as a way to utilize resources, and contribute resources, will add a keen level of confidence. That confidence will come from using #goopennc resoruces in areas a teacher may have needed extra support in to meet particular objectives. And, that confidence will come from contributing resources that brought great success with meeting objectives in their own classrooms. Win-win.

April, I agree collaboration is key especially for new teachers. They sometimes feel like outsiders. However, on this platform there are no outsiders. 

The availability of resources that are openly licensed is priceless. In today's digital world I think we have become "greedy" and calus to giving attribution to work, resources, lessons, etc that we find online.....I know I have. But hearing Joanna say in the first webinar "once you see or hear it, you can't unsee or unhear it" so we are all accountable for being mindful of copyrights. I am excited to share this with my team and school in a few weeks. I have also enjoyed the online community here and brings our state together when we have a shared "place" to come and find, share, create resources. 

I also think this platform will be a goldmine for new teachers!!!

You are correct, Wendy! This is a gold mine! Teachers can be encouraged to put their own gold into it!

I think the fact that resources will be evaluated to see if they are fully, partially or not aligned to standards will resonate the most with educators I work with. They often find resources on a specific math topic and not necessarily aligned to specific standards. To be able to access resources, that have already been vetted is a plus. And to be able to see discussions and contribute to the discussions will also help them grow professionally. 

I work with Social Studies teachers in grades K-12 and I believe they would appreciate the collaboration and sharing of vetted resources.

I believe they would value the ability to share lessons, review other lessons, and remix lessons, provides great opportunities for all teachers to incorporate some great new lessons into their classrooms.   The fact that the lessons and resources are aligned to standards will help encourage teachers to the importance of the standards driving their lessons and ensuring they cover the standards throughout the year.

I think that educators will appreciate a reviewed, curriculum resource that is aligned to NC standards. So many resources either are not aligned or lack a review process. The review process will allow teachers to quickly search/browse for quality lessons. I also think that teachers will like the easy of posting their own work and/or remixing work to share their ideas with others. 

I do hope that the review process will clearly indicate quality lessons from others as I have been frustrated with the quality of middle school science lessons currently available. It took me quite an effort to find a quality lesson to save. 

-Jeff

I agree Jeff. So many reviews seem to be personal opinions. This process will ensure educators are getting evidence based reviews. I think the comments will be so meaninful. I also hope the quality of resources will get better and better as we go. 

I think the educators I work with would most appreciate the “one stop shop” flexibility of the platform. They have ability to find and use resources that are already peer reviewed and aligned to standards. Plus, they can remix the resources to match their classroom specifics. Not to mention that they can publish their own lessons. This platform creates an opportunity for all teachers across the state to become more collaborative. 

I think understanding more about CC and copyright would be something educators would be interested in. This academy presented information that showed that CC and copyrighting your intellectual property is an asset to teachers rather than a hinderance. Presenting GoopenNC as a way to exchange and share your teacher materials with CC also encourages teachers to consider how their resources look to other users ---- it encourages teachers to reflect and refine (back to those RE words again!). Sharing resources benefits the sharer (who gets feedback) and the reciever (who gets ideas). 

I think my teacher friends are going to love this platform. No more getting that credit card out for TPT!  Saving money is all good, but I also think having the platform being filled with lessons and resources that specifically for NC standards will also be a very big deal. That is more than one, but I really look forward to this.

The one thing that will resonate the most with the teachers and educators I work with would be that this site will be ONE place where there will be a wide variety of ideas, lessons, and resources that align to our Math standards.  So many times alignment of TPT or internet resources that we find do not completely align to our standards and unpacking documents.  This site will be an open honest example of resources that align and a safe place to share!!!

Hi! I believe my educator colleagues are going to love having vetted resources so easily available. They will also love that it is a NC appropriate set of resources. We will have to be responsible about copyright and continue to educate colleagues about copyright laws. This is a great exhaustive resource https://www.copyright.gov/circs/ Overall this is going to be amazing for my colleagues and myself.

I believe that having the Curriculum Review Academy provides a platform for educators to collaborate and share lesson ideas that they can actively use within their classrooms.  Its always refreshing to bounce ideas off of other educators and listen to their perspectives on engaging lesson ideas that aligns with our standards.  The Curriculum Review Academy also helps to weed out ineffective resources so that you don't waste time with implementing lessons that don't work or that requires supplementing additional resources.

I think that other eductators will like being able to remix other lessons that are already vetted.  I alos think the 5 point curriculum review makes a uniform way for educators to evaluate each other's works. 

I believe our consistent feedback method will really make identifying high quality resources easier for educators. When I think of my peers, I know some will be searching for resources they can just replicate, while others will really appreciate how easy it is to remix resources. 

I think my coworkers are going to be excited to have a resource database.  I think the copyright information is definitely important, and knowing that we have a source that clearly shows what we can and cannot do with a resource will be very helpful.  We use Canvas on a daily basis in our classes and I know that I have not paid attention to copyright when it comes to posting things for students.  I think being able to review and remix activities to make them more applicable to our own curriculum or our own students is also going to be a big positive.

I think the Review rubric for resources will be very helpful to show to teachers, so that they know about the quality of the resources available on GoopenNC.

In my opinion, we have not had resources that are reviewed for alignment to standards-- this feels like a bold new horizon to me. I love the colloborative aspect of this platform, as we may look for materials that are reviewed. 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think having all of these resources in one place to pull from will be the most beneficial! We have already had some planning meetings and I have shared with them what we are working on! 

I think just having all of these resources in one place will be beneficial! I have already started to tell my team about them! 

I feel that the ability to remix is a feature they will love.  With teaching a variety of ability levels this will help to reach all learners.  This will be a time saver when looking for quality standard based resources and offer support to teachers at all levels. 

I apologize for the late response - I was in the mountains on Virginia and the place I was staying lost WIFI after some pretty wicked storms. 

I think the one thing that will resonate with most of the educators I know is simply the resource. We haven't had textbook adoptions in forever, the standards keep changing, the classroom expectations for differentiation keep changing...I think just knowing that there are teachers dedicated to creating and/or vetting quality resources for our classrooms is going to mean a lot to NC teachers. 

I agree Stephanie. The nice thing about this resource is it will change along with each teachers needs. As our needs change we can update and tweak what we have created and shared. In essence it becomes a living document unlike a textbook which is useful for a brief period in time before the curriculum changes or the language becomes outdated.

Teachers will love the collaboration and the resources. I think they will ike being able to use the resources and still change them to fit the needs of the students. The feedback and star rating will be helpful to teachers to choose the right resources and to update resournces they have created.

Teachers will love the collaboration and the resources. I think they will ike being able to use the resources and still change them to fit the needs of the students. The feedback and star rating will be helpful to teachers to choose the right resources and to update resournces they have created.

Teachers will love the collaboration and the resources. I think they will ike being able to use the resources and still change them to fit the needs of the students. The feedback and star rating will be helpful to teachers to choose the right resources and to update resournces they have created.

Teachers will love the collaboration and the resources. I think they will ike being able to use the resources and still change them to fit the needs of the students. The feedback and star rating will be helpful to teachers to choose the right resources and to update resournces they have created.

Teachers will love the collaboration and the resources. I think they will ike being able to use the resources and still change them to fit the needs of the students. The feedback and star rating will be helpful to teachers to choose the right resources and to update resournces they have created.

At first I was nervous about the depth of knowledge around licensing but I think that having the license auto populate while creating/remixing resources will give educators confidence to know that they are following copyright laws. This feature also teaches them as they are using the platform. Such a great way to enage in learning about all the different types of licenses. 

Money for curricular materials is very limited and teacher's time is valuable!  Resources that have been utilied with students by NC teachers, aligned to our standards, and with no copyright concerns will resonate with our staff. ( and they are free!)

I come from a small school where all the teachers have multiple preps that only overlap in one or two subjects.  We don't have time to completely re-invent the wheel and if the resources are accurately aligned to the standards and are easily accessible and can be "remixed" then I can see our teachers taking the time to use the resources. For older, more experienced teachers there has been more of a challenge keeping up with using resources like Canvas, Schoolnet, and all things "Google".    I think the emphasis in the past has been on the individual problems but this is more geared toward lesson plans and I would love to see our PLC's working on documenting those reflecting best practices from those experienced teachers. 

Using creative commons resources can easily resonate with educators that I works with.  These resources can not only be used by teachers but students as well.  However it is important that we communicate to students the need for citing sources according to the authors demands.

I hope I don't sound as if I am "tooting my own horn," but learning to find- and cite- credible resources, should be included in media center lessons. Please contact your media coordinator to teach "mini lessons" in your classroom. I love doing this, and my middle schoolers understand the implications of "plagiarism" well! 

Copyright and fair use is part of the media specialist's curriculum.  Many of them are up-to-date with the changes and can do a top notch job teaching it.  I agree with you Stephanie.

Being able to remix resources to meet the needs of all students will appeal to many teachers since our students do not come to us as "one size fits all."  

Dawn I agree. By remixing we can then differentiate to meet our students individual needs. Not every resource will be beneficial for every teacher unless they tweak it to fit their classes needs.

Yes! So many of our resources have fallen under the "one size fits all" state. I completely agree that the opportunity to remix is one of the most important "perks" of this new platform. 

The one thing that resonated with me the most is being able to review curriculum against a rubric before implementing it into the classroom. I believe that too often we take an activity/task for face value before we break it down into its different parts and assess its worth. I think my colleague and PLC would benefit greatly from taking the same approach we are in the Academy to review the materials and curriculum we have ahead of time before using it and recommending it to others. 

Right now my district is beginning to implement a new curriculum without vetting it first. The preliminary review of it took place in the spring when teachers and community members were able to take a look at what the district was looking into buying. However, we only had one brief evening. We should have had weeks, days, months to review. But that was not the case. 

I found so many things from the webinars that I cannot wait to share out with my IF, and my teachers (I am the media coordinator). If I had to choose just one, I would have to say the rich variety of materials that have been collected by professional educators across the state. 

As a media coordinator, I try to encourage teachers to contact me for credible resources for lessons, either in the classroom, or in the media center. I have been dissatisfied with so many resources because they are too "techy" for the teachers to use easily. Having a new aggregate of information in a format that is easily searchable is a dream. 

I agree, Stephanie, about the rich materials! It would be hard "not" to find a resource here!

Please describe one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with.

The fact that these resources are being reviewed by our NC teachers for our NC teachers. We are not a bunch of people on little islands but rather one big team!

I think one ascpet of the Curriculum Review Acadmey that resonates with me is that not having to "reinvent the wheel". We are given very little time to be able to get to know our new curriculum as aspects are changing all the time, having resources that teachers have already vetted allows teachers of all levels to step out of their comfort zone and try new materials.  I am a teacher that is always looking for different material to reinforce my lesson, having material so easy to find takes so much stress off of my shoulders.