!! Smarter Balanced Technology Readiness Tool !!

Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), anticipates replacing the MEAP and MME for ELA and Mathematics with online assessments developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). It is important that Michigan schools make significant progress toward technology readiness to take advantage of this next-generation assessment system.

To assist local districts in preparing for this exciting change, SBAC has developed a Technology Readiness Assessment tool. This online tool will help local school districts and MDE determine current readiness levels and develop implementation plans for ensuring all schools are technologically ready for online assessments. The first Technology Readiness Assessment collection will take place between April 15, 2012 and May 15, 2012. To learn about the tool, check out the demonstration video.

Your district's MEAP Coordinator will serve as the primary contact for this process; however, we expect that completion of the Technology Readiness Assessment will be a joint effort between the district’s information technology staff, building administrators, and district assessment coordinator. The District MEAP Coordinator will receive an email notification with a user name and directions for creating a password.

In an effort to assist districts in completing this technology readiness assessment, webinars have been scheduled at the following days/times:

• April 12, 2012 from 9:00 AM until 10:30 AM
• April 13, 2012 from 2:00 PM until 3:30 PM
• April 19, 2012 from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM
• April 20, 2012 from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM

You can connect to these webinars at http://remc.adobeconnect.com/techready.

General questions about the CCSS-Mathematics standards

Bill McCallum, one of the lead authors of the CCSS-M, has recently started and Questions & Answer post for the content standards at his blog, Tools for the Common Core Standards. He describes the post as follows "If you have general questions about the standards, ask them in a comment on this post. I can’t guarantee being able to answer all of them quickly, but by now there is a fairly large community of readers of this blog, some of whom might be able to answer questions, and I’ll be sure to keep an eye on it."

So, if you're curious about a particular standard and you'd like to receive an answer from a person with authority, this is the place for you!

Check it out now; there are currently 27 posts with replies.

Upcoming T3 Math and webinars - Sign up now!

T³ webinars are presented by experienced educators with math and science teaching backgrounds. Sign up now for the webinars listed below. A Certificate of Attendance is available to participants.

All T³ webinars are approximately 60 minutes in length and start at: 8 PM EST

Ten80 Race to the Chase Lesson Series: How to Win Races and Influence Championships
Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Presenters: Michelle Bonds, Beverly Simmons, Jeff Thompson
Host: Eric Butterbaugh

Learn about STEM subjects in NASCAR through TI’s alliance with Ten80 Education. The “Race to the Chase” lesson series offers math and science resources based on real-world data from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Learn how to use classroom-ready math and science lessons that explore three key parameters that constantly change during a race: car balance due to fuel consumption, tire wear, and track temperature and contour. Students will learn why the race teams with the best engineers win. The more you know, the faster you go! Register now

TI-84 Plus Basic Skills: Problem-Solving in the Real World... and Beyond!
Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Presenters: Judy Hicks, John LaMaster
Host: Eric Butterbaugh

Explore actual data and problem-solving situations with lessons developed in cooperation with NASA, USA Today and the Numb3rs television series. Analyze the ascent of a space shuttle with a scatter plot and linear regression, and model the Weightless Wonder’s reduced-gravity flight with a quadratic function. Locate and use algebra and geometry lessons that incorporate data from USA Today articles. Use algebraic and geometric techniques to investigate crime scenes from episodes of the Numb3rs television series. Register now

View archived webinars

PD Opportunity: High Stakes Testing in Michigan - Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

Starting in the 2014-15 school year, Michigan will implement the new assessment system from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. We will use these assessments for our federal accountability in Math and ELA for grades 3-8 and 11.

A successful implementation of the new assessment system requires planning on all levels: district, school, and classroom. Educational leaders should attend this one-day session to explore and become familiar with the new assessment framework and to begin to plan for a successful implementation on the district and school levels.

Plan to attend

May 10, 2012

9am - 3:30 pm

Together, we will explore and answer questions like these

· What opportunities will districts, schools, teachers, and students have to access and use the SBAC assessments before 2014-15?

· To what extent will educational leaders and teachers be involved in the piloting and review phases of development?

· What tools will be offered as part of the Balanced Assessment system? What type of PD will be provided?

· What will happen to our students’ proficiency scores on these new assessments?

· What will happen to the ACT? When is it going away? Will there be a MEAP assessment in 2014?

· What support will teachers need in transitioning to the new assessment system?

· What needs to happen with my district or school’s technology plan so that we are ready for the new assessments?

· What do our parents and guardians need to know about the new assessment system?

Register now

Pair this session with “High Stakes Testing – Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium – ELA" on May 23 to ensure you are fully informed and ready to plan for implementation with fidelity.

Calculus the Musical!

The Grand Valley State University Mathematics and Statistics Club and Physics Club are pleased to announce that Calculus the Musical will visit the GVSU Allendale campus on the evening of Friday, March 30. This event is free and open to the public and will take place from 7-8 p.m. in the Grand River Room of the Kirkhoff Center.

| Maps and Directions | Free parking is available in Lot H after 6:30 p.m.

Calculus the Musical is a nationally-renowned traveling theater production created by the "Know Theatre" of Cincinnati, Ohio. In this entertaining, dynamic production, actors use a variety of music genres, from light opera to rock to hip-hop, to parody the theory of calculus. Over 12,000 students across the country saw Calculus the Musical last year, and the production has become so popular that it has spawned both a Facebook page as well as a commercially available CD.

If you have any questions regarding the production, contact Paul Fishback at 616.331.2443 or at fishbacp@mail.gvsu.edu.

Seating is first come, first served and is limited so arrive early!

Arranging the HS CCSS-M into courses - ANOTHER option

A suggested arrangement of the high school standards into courses, developed with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pearson Foundation, by a group of people including Patrick Callahan and Brad Findell has just been released. It seems to be a solid effort by people familiar with the standards, so what do you think of these courses?

In Michigan, three options have emerged for High School math courses. Course pathways are offered

1. in Appendix A of the CCSS-M
2. from the MAISA collaborative project developed by Oakland Schools
3. by the group that has been grant funded. Their work is presented here:

• Traditional Algebra I and Geometry (graphical)
• Traditional Algebra II (graphical)
• Integrated I and II (graphical)
• Integrated III (graphical)
• All courses including the standards by unit (text)

THE question

So, which pathway should we use in Michigan?

[And, should we use just one pathway across the entire state?]

Please leave your comments here.

If you'd like to weigh in with others from across all states, visit Bill McCallum's original post of these files.

Free April Webinars: Marzano's Common Core Implementation: Steps to Success

Developed by Robert J. Marzano and MRL associates, each webinar of this four-part series will overview the critical processes that must occur for successful Common Core State Standards implementation regarding curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Each presentation will last about 45 minutes, with 15 minutes at the end for Q&A.

Part 1: What are the CCSS?
Presented by Jan Hoegh
4 p.m. EDT, Monday, April 2
Learn about the purpose, organization, and content of the CCSS.

Part 2: How do proficiency scales support the CCSS?
Presented by Jan Hoegh
4 p.m. EDT, Monday, April 9
Explore what a proficiency scale looks like, the ways it can be used, and why it should be considered a crucial element for successful implementation of CCSS.

Part 3: What instructional practices support CCSS implementation?
Presented by Phil Warrick
4 p.m. EDT, Thursday, April 19
Distinguish the essential differences between cognitive and conative skills, along with their impact on 21st century learning.

Part 4: What assessment practices support CCSS implementation?
Presented by Jan Hoegh
4 p.m. EDT, Thursday, April 26
Discover obtrusive, unobtrusive, and student-generated assessments, and how to use student assessment data to monitor your CCSS progress.

Register now.

Technology Readiness Tool for Smarter Balanced Assessments

Attention: Superintendents, Assessment Coordinators, and District Technology Directors

On March 8, 2012, Michigan's State Department of Education released the following memo.

Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) anticipates transitioning to online assessments developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). While there will be a paper version of the SBAC assessments available for the first three years, it is important that Michigan schools make significant progress towards technology readiness in order to take advantage of this next-generation assessment system.

To assist local districts in preparing for this change, the SBAC has developed a Technology Readiness Assessment tool that will be used across the consortium. This online tool will help local school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and the MDE determine current readiness levels for this new assessment format.

There will be frequent Technology Readiness Assessment windows over the next three years that will allow local districts to use the tool and update information on the technology available in their buildings. The information collected using this tool will enable all stakeholders, including policymakers, to work together to ensure that Michigan schools are prepared for the transition to online assessments.

The first Technology Readiness Assessment collection will take place between

March 20 and June 14, 2012. Information regarding online training resources, as

well as login information for your district, will be provided to technology directors and assessment coordinators in the coming weeks.

Sources of additional information and who to contact

If you have questions regarding the Technology Readiness Assessment tool please

contact Bruce Umpstead, State Readiness Coordinator at: TechReady@michigan.gov.

Questions about the transition from Michigan’s existing assessments to those developed by the SBAC should be sent to BAA@michigan.gov.

For more information on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, please visit www.smarterbalanced.org.

For more information on the national technology readiness effort, please visit

www.Assess4Ed.org.

What's all of this about a 'flipped' classroom?

Have you been hearing about flipped classrooms? Curious as to what they are and why we might consider moving towards one?

From Harvard University to inner city Detroit to rural Colorado; from basic introductory classes to AP courses, teachers are experiencing significant improvement in student achievement transitioning to the 'Flipped Classroom' model. A side benefit is that teachers save time. The flip model represents a merger of:

• The Socratic method where students are responsible for meaningful conversation while in class
• Research in cognitive science that shows students need immediate feedback
• The emergence of powerful learning online communities where student thinking can become more visible and mutually supportive

The flip model represents a significant cultural change in the traditional classroom and changing roles of student and teacher.

Curious? Attend a FREE webinar April 4 at 2pm to learn more.

Register now.

Free Math Technology & Common Core Webinars

Upcoming Free Webinars

Every Tuesday throughout the school year, Key Curriculum Press offers free technology webinars focus on using The Geometer's Sketchpad®, TinkerPlots® Dynamic Data Exploration, orFathom® Dynamic Data software to teach mathematical topics ranging from elementary to calculus. If you miss a webinar or want to review it, each one is recorded for on-demand viewing and support.

Sketchpad Webinars

Key Curriculum Press offers two Sketchpad webinars each month, one for beginning users of Sketchpad (no prior experience is necessary!) and one for intermediate or advanced users. The webinars use Sketchpad 5: Click here to download a preview copy or purchase the software.

March 20
Exploring Conic Sections with Sketchpad

More Info | Register for March 20

April 3
All About Area with Sketchpad (Beginner)

More Info | Register for April 3

April 17
Putting a Professional Polish on Your Sketchpad Presentation (Intermediate)

More Info | Register for April 17

May 1
Building Equations with Sketchpad (Beginner)

More Info | Register for May 1

May 15
Programming Demonstrations in Sketchpad (Intermediate/Advanced)

More Info | Register for May 15

Fathom and TinkerPlots Webinars

Every month they offer a webinar on either Fathom orTinkerPlots. Fathom webinars focus on high school mathematics, and TinkerPlots webinars focus on elementary or middle school mathematics. No prior experience with the software is necessary. (Fathom webinars use Version 2: Click here to preview or purchase the software. TinkerPlots webinars use Version 2 Click here to preview or purchase the software.)

March 13
Exploring Covariation with TinkerPlots

More Info | Register for March 13

April 10
Reviewing for the AP Statistics Exam with Fathom

More Info | Register for April 10

May 8
Using TinkerPlots to Foster Understanding of Charts and Graphs (Beginner)

More Info | Register for May 8

May 29
Data Games: Games that Produce Data that Leads to Mathematical Learning

More Info | Register for May 29

Common Core Webinars

Every month they offer a webinar on how to support the implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics through the use of dynamic technology tools. The Common Core webinars highlight how to foster the mathematical practices, particularly modeling with mathematics, using tools strategically, and construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Each month has a different mathematical focus. To learn more about how our dynamic software supports the pedagogical approaches and content recommended by the Common Core, visit www.keypress.com/commoncore.

March 27

Get to the Core: Algebra and Functions with Sketchpad

More Info | Register for March 27

April 24
Get to the Core: 6th Grade Statistics and Probability Standards with TinkerPlots (Beginning)

More Info | Register for April 24

May 22
Get to the Core: High School Algebra and Functions Standards with Fathom (Beginner)

More Info | Register for May 22