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The EdGate Observer
CONNECTING PUBLISHERS AND
EDUCATORS TO WHAT WORKS
March 2013
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Top Stories
New Standards for Teaching Kids About Money
Next month a new set of standards for financial literacy will be unveiled, according to the Council for Economic Education, a nonprofit promoting financial education. The new standards establish clear benchmarks for what kids should know by the end of grades 4, 8, and 12 and are broken into six personal finance categories:
1. Earning income
2. Buying goods and services
3. Saving
4. Using credit
5. Investing
6. Protecting and insuring
New Learning Definitions:
A collection by Rich Street
Blended Learning: Innosight Institute defines blended learning as: a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace and at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home.
Digital Learning: Digital learning is any instructional practice that is effectively using technology to strengthen the student learning experience.
Distance Learning: General term for any type of educational activity in which the participants are at a distance from each other--in other words, are separated in space. They may or may not be separated in time (asynchronous vs. synchronous).
Hybrid Learning: The term "hybrid course" (a term used interchangeably with the term "blended learning") names a model of course design that combines traditional, face-to-face class time with online and out-of-class course work.
Online Learning: Education in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet. (Watson & Kalmon, 2005) The term does not include printed-based correspondence education, broadcast television or radio, videocassettes, and stand-alone educational software programs that do not have a significant Internet-based instructional component. Used interchangeably with Virtual learning, Cyber learning, e-learning.
Virtual Learning: See Online Learning
Do you have questions about other terms used in the education market today? Send Rich Street an email at [email protected]
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Staff Highlight We would like to introduce you to a member of our Standards Team, Hunter Wilcox Hunter joined EdGate in 2011 and has years of experience with highly specialized data management. His technical expertise, quality of work, and attention to detail quickly captured our attention to assist with any project across the broad scope of EdGate's services and products. As part of our standards team, he works to maintain, revise, and update the standards repository for customers across the globe. About Us 
Founded in 1997, EdGate Correlation Services (EdGate) is a leader in the field of alignment solutions for educational companies around the world.
The EdGate Standards Repository is the most comprehensive collection of national and international educational standards in all subject areas.
Through the power of our technology and the professional experience of our subject-area specialists, EdGate provides accurate and continually updated correlations, on-demand correlation reporting capabilities, and effective website integration options.
EdGate can also deliver standards licensing, customized taxonomy solutions, correlation to assessment standards, and more.
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Welcome to The EdGate Observer!
Greetings everyone,
In this month's newsletter, we focus on the most recent educational news pertaining to Pennsylvania's formal adoption of Common Core (Common Core Update), Shaping the Future in 2013 (Hot Topic), the Quest for STEM (STEM Education), Free Marketing Services (EdGate Services) and following up with new additions to the EdGate Standards Repository (Standards Update).
As always, EdGate is your source for staying current with new developments in education and specifically the impact of educational standards.
Regards,
Sandra Schugren, EdGate General Manager
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Common Core Update 
PENNSYLVANIA FORMALLY ADOPTS COMMON CORE STANDARDS
The State Board of Education voted to adopt final-form regulations to amend Chapter 4, Academic Standards and Assessment, of Title 22, the Pennsylvania Education Code. Specifically, the board's action puts into place the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards and requires students to demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam, validated local assessment or a comparable Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate exam.
As required by the new regulations, the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards in English language, arts and mathematics must be implemented in all public schools across the state by July 1, 2013.
The board also voted to repeal the required culminating graduation project, and the Keystone Exams, from counting as one-third of a student's course grade. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) will no longer be required for 11th-grade students but will continue to be taken by students in grades 3 through 8. Additionally, the PSSA will be aligned to the Pennsylvania Common Core State Academic Standards in the 2014-15 school year.
Now that the board has taken final action to amend the regulations, they will now go to the House and Senate Education committees and Independent Regulatory Review Commission for consideration.
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Hot Topic
SHAPING THE FUTURE: 2013?
In a Huffington Post blog titled "2013: The Digital Year that Will Shape the Future of Education" author Ashish Rangnekar says that he thinks established publishers will start working with tech companies and sites several examples of the trend. This continues the predicted trend of 2012 where K-12 education companies sought to diversify their product offerings through digital learning technology.
Another hot trend is MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). MOOCs have been around for some time, but are starting to gain acceptance into the mainstream. They have been viewed as attacks on traditional higher education institutions and are now starting to appear in the K-12 market. Rangnekar thinks the issue of monetization is still in its infancy. This is despite the February announcement by Apple that content downloads from its iTunes U free online catalog of educational content have topped one billion. Lots of action, but where is the money?
Rangnekar also states that "Today, education publishing is where media/entertainment publishing was 10 years ago. This calls for  innovative business models, distribution channels and more importantly a complete overhaul of the product design mindset." Do you agree?
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STEM Education 
THE QUEST FOR STEM
Due to increased interest in technology, more and more clients are asking us to align their content to the National STEM Standards.
According to Forbes, "Given the race for innovation - both in the start-up economy and in the big businesses looking to compete with them - it's no wonder that nine out of the 10 listed degrees are in technology." Of these, the Computer Engineering degrees are leading the pack.
With the NGSS scheduled to release their latest 'updated science standards' this spring/summer, which are part of the STEM standards, the STEM Standards certainly seem to be a focus for many. Rest assured  EdGate is among those and ready to assist you with these standards when they become available! |
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 EdGate Services 
FREE MARKETING SERVICES
As part of our Publisher services, we offer our partners the option to include their content in our online platform, the "Curriculum Matrix."
Our subscription based platform, which is marketed to schools, districts, and educators across the country, is a great way to quickly and easily get your content in front of users in need of quality resources aligned to their state standards.
Subscribers perform searches based on standards, grades, and/or subject, saving them countless hours of legwork and online research. With one click of a button, the user is easily directed to your website for immediate access to your content.
If you would like to learn more about adding your resources to the Curriculum Matrix, please contact Leslie Kolber at [email protected] or Tracy Olstad at [email protected] and they will be happy to assist you.
 The "EdGate Advantage is 
YOUR Advantage"
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Standards Update
Updates to The EdGate Standards Repository include:
� Nebraska Social Studies (2012)
� Iowa Core 21st Century Skills: Health Literacy (2010)
� Iowa Core 21st Century Skills: Financial Literacy (2010)
� Iowa Core 21st Century Skills: Technology Literacy (2010)
NOTE: The following curriculum has been added to the EdGate Standards Repository:
� OCR GCSE Science B J261 (2012)
� OCR GCSE Additional Science B J262 (2012)
� OCR GCSE Geography A J382 (2012)
� OCR GCSE Mathematics A J562 (2012)
� OCR GCSE Science A J241 (2012)
� India CISCE Mathematics 51 (2013)
OCR - a leading UK awarding body which provides qualifications engaging people of all ages and abilities at school, college, in work or through part-time learning programmes.
CISCE - based out of New Delhi, India, the Council for The Indian School Certificate Examinations was established by the University of Cambridge for local examinations in India.
If you have any questions regarding standards, feel free to contact me and I will be happy to assist you. You can always join us on Twitter and Facebook to receive notifications regarding state standards in the
EdGate Standards Repository at:
http://twitter.com/EdGate
http://www.facebook.com
Kristie McCarley
EdGate Standards and Operations Manager
[email protected]
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