Four great tips on how schools can use technology for Common Core

3. Acclimate students to how they will be evaluated

Under the new standards, most summative assessments will be conducted online. So students need to understand tech tools before they log in for their first test. Online formative assessments will help students get comfortable with online test taking, as well as enable them to continuously evaluate their mastery of the material before the end-of-year test.

Common Core’s individualized learning components require students to be more accountable for their academic performance. Online learning tools can help them stay organized and connected to helpful resources while allowing them to track their own progress through always-available assessment data, including targeted and multimedia feedback from their teachers. Students will always know what’s required, what’s due next, and where they stand.

4. Keep parents informed with communication tools

Parents are an important part of the Common Core process, and districts must communicate regularly with parents and other members of the community who will see changes in how children are learning. Let them know what’s happening, when changes will take place, and where to go with questions.

Online and mobile tools are a great way to keep stakeholders informed. Websites, social media, texts, and eMails are essential for keeping in touch with working parents, and communication management tools ease the logistics.

Cobb County has a Common Core button on its website homepage that links parents to bilingual information about the standards and the district’s rollout. Some individual schools have conducted webinars for parents and then posted those sessions for anytime, anywhere access.

Getting online tools in place today ensures smoother communication when their children start coming home with new assignments and are graded on new standards. Plus, it starts an ongoing conversation with parents about expectations and how to measure their kids’ progress.

With the right strategy and tools, districts can capitalize on what they know, train to fill any gaps, and keep all stakeholders informed as they move along the path to Common Core success while creating a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration that will yield excellence in the Common Core classroom.

Mark Strassman is the senior vice president of product management for Blackboard.

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