Teachscape Introduces New Online ELA & Literacy Courses to Help Educators Navigate the Common Core State Standards

SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teachscape has expanded its award-winning Teachscape Learn Professional Learning Suite. In addition to its online courses about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Mathematics, The Common Core Series in Teachscape Learn now boasts new video-based, self-paced courses on the CCSS for English Language Arts (ELA) & Literacy. This interactive series, which was developed specifically to help educators understand and effectively implement the new standards, includes case studies, extensive expert commentary and more than 24 hours of course content.

The courses range in length from 15 minutes to two hours and use a multimodal approach to boost educators' knowledge about the CCSS for ELA & Literacy. Experts include distinguished professors and content experts from several institutions, including University of California, Berkeley; Rutgers University; University of Maryland, College Park; and Stanford University. Teachers from various grades and diverse classroom settings are featured in the courses to ensure educators find relevant content that will inform and shape their classroom practice.

"When teachers—novice and veteran educators alike—have a clear understanding of what the new standards mean for their teaching, and they can see what those instructional shifts look like in real classrooms, they can align their own instructional practices accordingly," said Peter Worth, director of learning design at Teachscape. "Our goal in designing these courses was to create a learning experience that, whether used as a stand-alone resource, or as part of a comprehensive professional learning program, would help to build that understanding and inspire teachers to reflect on their practice as they implement the Common Core."

Users can access an overview of the CCSS for ELA & Literacy by starting with the introductory course, which will guide them through the standards as well as the series. Throughout the series, learners will benefit from interviews with leading literacy experts, recommended readings, and reflection questions. Five of the new courses focus on key instructional shifts (changes) that need to be considered as a result of the CCSS, and there is one additional course that focuses on implicit aspects of the standards identified by expert contributors. These courses present a research-based analysis of the CCSS and provide considerations for implementation. Six teaching cases each showcase a full-length, standards-aligned lesson with reflection by the teacher and/or a discussion by one or more experts.

The new courses are part of the award-winning Teachscape Learn Professional Learning Suite, which helps teachers and administrators reflect on practice, collaborate with colleagues, and build relevant skills. Teachscape Learn includes a research-based PreK–12 course library, online learning communities, video upload and sharing tools, and personalized learning plans. Teachscape Learn is part of the integrated online Teachscape Effectiveness Platform, which provides districts and states with tools for classroom observation and evaluation as well as professional learning, and supports the development of effective teaching practices throughout an educator's career.

About Teachscape
Teachscape uniquely combines innovative technology, engaging content, and expert services to develop great teachers. From its classroom observation training and technology to its powerful web-based content delivery platform, Teachscape's award-winning products and services have been inspired by its dedication to sparking transformative change in teaching practice. Since 1999, Teachscape has worked with schools and school districts, charter networks, archdioceses, universities, and state education departments to measurably and continuously improve the effectiveness of educators to produce gains in student achievement. Teachscape's partners, including Charlotte Danielson, ETS, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Stanford University, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, have helped to shape its vision, its products, and its strategies. To learn more about Teachscape and its complete collection of professional development offerings, go to http://www.teachscape.com.

SOURCE Teachscape