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The EdGate Observer
CONNECTING PUBLISHERS AND
EDUCATORS TO WHAT WORKS
January 2012
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Top Stories
2012 eSchool News Readers' Choice Award Congratulations to EdGate client, Espresso Elementary, the online teaching and learning site for Pre-K through Grade 5, for being honored in the 2012 eSchool News Readers' Choice Awards. This respected award is given annually to K12 education products nominated by readers of eSchool Media's publications, websites and email newsletters. Top 10 Digital School District Awards Top school districts have been announced in the seventh annual Digital School Districts Survey by e.Republic's Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association (NSBA). The purpose of the survey is to recognize exemplary school boards and districts' use of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents and the community and to improve district operations. Quality Counts 2012: The Global Challenge - Education in a Competitive World report released online 01/09/12 Quality Counts 2012, the 16th edition of Education Week's annual examination of issues and challenges facing America's public schools, takes aim at topics high on the policy agenda, from the White House and Congress down to the level of local school boards and chambers of commerce: the nation's international standing in education, and lessons to be drawn from high-performing countries. 2011 K-12 Highlighted Stories * The Impact of the iPad on K-12 Schools * Top 6 Emerging Technologies in K-12 Education * School Libraries Cultivate Digital Literacy * 3-D Animated Animals Help Kindergartners Read * School Districts Integrate Technology into Common Core-based Curriculum * 4 Ways to Prepare Teachers for Technology Integration Emerging Technologies in K-12 Education · Cloud computing · Mobile computing · Game-based learning · Open content · Learning analytics · Personal learning environments 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning 1. Student Access 2. Barriers to Access 3. Personalized Learning 4. Advancement 5. Quality Content 6. Quality Instruction 7. Quality Choices 8. Assessment and Accountability 9. Funding 10. Infrastructure
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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 containing 1.8 million most recently adopted standards in all subject areas.
Through the power of our technology and the professional experience of our subject-area specialists, EdGate provides more than 150 educational publishing clients with accurate and continually updated correlations, on-demand correlation reporting capabilities, and effective website integration options.
EdGate can also provide 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 are proud to announce the launch of the new EdGate Digital Learning Today website (Hot Topic), and we focus on Is There a Difference Between Online and Offline Reading? (Burning Question), Video Content Correlations (Client Solutions), EdGate Correlation Services Video Tour (EdGate Services) and following up with new additions to the EdGate Standards Repository (Standards Update).
As always, EdGate is your source for staying abreast of any new developments in education and specifically the impact of educational standards.
Regards,
Sandra Schugren, EdGate General Manager
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Hot Topic
Digital Learning in the News
EdGate is pleased to announce the launch of a new website: Digital Learning Today!
This site (http://digitallearningtoday.net) will bring you the most relevant aggregated articles and news on the topics of e-learning, digital content and educational digital news that is fresh off the press.
Using the expertise of EdGate's staff of professional educators who work with digital content providers, the site contains the latest information about changes in education with focus on e-learning and digital initiatives. The site will be updated daily and provides content aggregated by topics such as Industry News, State by State Digital News, Video Highlight of the Week and the Buzz in Higher Education. We are currently highlighting the upcoming first-ever "Digital Learning Day - February 1, 2012". Plus there is news covering the latest apps for education, Apple's shaking the educational tree with interactive digital content apps, the launch of the new consortium of schools funded by CoSN and the MacArthur Foundation, and much more.
We shortly expect to include a blog and interactive sessions on the hottest topics in digital education. If you have news that you believe would be of interest to readers of the site, please forward them to Kristie McCarley at kmccarley@edgate.com.
By: Sandra Schugren General Manager |
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Client Solution 
Distilling Digital Content
There is no question that technology has become a critical component in our classrooms. In order to meet 21st century learning expectations, teachers need to be able to quickly select digital content with confidence that it is both relevant and that it addresses state standards.
There are various educational publishers with multimedia platforms that deliver and distribute content digitally--offering access to thousands of video titles across the curriculum for all ages.
EdGate's video team makes these resources classroom-ready by "clipping" or bookmarking titles into segments according to the publisher's needs, providing descriptions with subject-relevant terms for easy searching, and correlating them to state standards. This makes just the right content-in the right amount-available when educators need it.
By: Lisa Waugh
Project Manager
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Burning Question 
Reading Skills: Is there a difference between online and offline reading?
Is there a difference in skills between online reading and reading a piece off a piece of paper? Yes, they are different skills and they need to be taught separately.
The basics of decoding skills are and should be still in the domain of the home, classroom and paper. Decoding a system of symbolic representations of a spoken language is something we normally start doing very young, hopefully with the help of our parents.
In depth or "deep reading" is a learned skill for good readers in any media, it is used to gain deeper meaning and comprehension of a text block. We use it when researching detailed information or read difficult sections of a text. The question arises if our "old school" methods of comprehension can handle the challenges of reading electronic text.
In the online world, first came hypertext, and then a great leap into Web 2.0. Readers do not just read text, but they interact with it. They need a new type of reasoning to decide whether or not each hyperlink will enhance or disrupt their search for meaning. Additional skills and interactions arise as the reader decides to if he/she is going to share this information and collaborate with others. We are reaching for Literacy 2.0! The immediacy of information that leads us to expect instant answers, definitions and information boggles the generation still comfortable with Literacy 1.0.
Reading Online - Reading Comprehension on the Internet
Educational Leadership - Literacy 2.0
By: Rich Street
Project Manager
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EdGate Services
New Year Resolution 2012
Our New Year Resolution for 2012 is to maintain our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality services, alignments, and customer care available on the market. Our team is dedicated to supporting each of our clients in meeting their goals and objectives for this New Year by understanding the importance of quality, care, and pride you take in your projects and for your customers.
Please take a moment to watch our new correlation services video http://correlation.edgate.com/ecs-video.html. You just might find there is more that we can do for you! For more information and pricing, please contact your sales representative Leslie Kolber at lkolber@edgate.com or Tracy Olstad at tolstad@edgate.com
  The "EdGate Advantage is YOUR Advantage" |
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Standards Update
Updates to The EdGate Standards Repository include:
· Colorado Assessment Standards - Language Arts (TCAP 2011)
· Colorado Assessment Standards - Mathematics (TCAP 2011)
· Colorado Assessment Standards - Science (TCAP 2011)
· Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards - Early Childhood (2011)
· Louisiana Common Core Standards - Language Arts Grade PreK (2011)
· Louisiana Common Core Standards - Mathematics Grade PreK (2011)
· Texas Assessment Standards - Social Studies (STARR 2011 based on revised curricula)
Common Core Update
The EdGate Standards Repository now includes the following state-specific Common Core Standards:
Alabama*, Arizona*, Arkansas, California*, Colorado*, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia*, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa*, Kansas*, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts*, Michigan, Minnesota*, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana*, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York*, North Carolina, North Dakota*, Ohio*, Oklahoma, Oregon*, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. (Note: states marked with an * indicate up to 15% additions).
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 Manager
kmccarley@edgate.com
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