Resource Pathways into the National Science Digital Library (NSDL)

Through the existing project CPALMS, educators have contributed more than 700 resources that have been recommended or designed using existing tools and that have completed the review process. In addition, new resource contributions through CPALMS and iCPALMS will be contributed to the NSDL as the iCPALMS K-12 digital resource collection. Along with the resources, iCPALMS brings a tested review system that connects dozens of volunteer peer and subject matter expert reviewers that provide context related reviews and recommendations.

Resource Pathways into iCPALMS

Pulling in the NSDL Resources. In iCPALMS NSDL resources will be channeled into the iCPALMS review process. The review process will provide additional teacher and subject matter expert input on how each resource can be used in instruction. During this process, standards alignments and additional metadata (e.g., Nature of Instruction, 21st Century Skills, Suggested Technology) will be collected to contextualize learning objects.

New Content Developed During the Project. Resources are recommended or authored by educators via the iCPALMS widget-based resource authoring tools and will be shared with the National Science Digital Library.

An Essential Component – the Review Process

Most resource repositories enable users to search, find, and sometimes automatically recommend resources based on metadata. From our preliminary work, we find that this process is not enough. Teachers and administrators favor standards-aligned, peer recommended and reviewed/approved by peer teachers and subject matter experts. The human element of this process is very critical to a successful recommendation and relevance to the user. In a recent survey of 80 K-12 teachers, 100% agree that the review process is well designed and valuable in their decision.

Reviewers will be looking for resources that

• align with standards, which are the focus of STEM educators’ planning, instruction, assessment, and accountability
  
• contain accurate and appropriate content for the intended audience (primarily teachers and students)
  
• have high quality presentation (such as clear learning objectives and instructions)
  
• integrate evidence based teaching strategies for the intended student outcomes.

Standards-based Approach

• Florida's Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS),
  
  
• Common Core State Standards, and the
  
  
• 21st Century Skills and Standards and Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework

This alignment tool will be incorporated within the resource authoring tools and review system to enable the necessary tagging of these standards to the individual learning objects.