Before searching for content, it is important to think about what separates high-quality instructional materials from the average. Why consider quality before searching? Consider these statistics:

• Improving the quality of curriculum is 40 times more effective than class-size reduction (Boser et al., 2015).
• In a single school year, the average student spends 500 hours in core subjects on assignments that are not high quality (The New Teacher Project, 2018).

In this lesson, we'll look at a number of lenses you can use to evaluate learning materials, as well as established quality assurance rubrics that will help you. 

Instructional Materials Rubric

The Instructional Materials Rubric from INFOhio is quality assurance tool that can help you evaluate supplemental content. It is composed of 14 standards across four categories. These are standards alignment, research-based strategies, usability, and flexibility.

• Standards Alignment
  1. Explicitly aligned to Ohio’s Learning Standards or one or more national standards which would allow for crosswalking to Ohio standards.
• Research-Based Strategies
  2. Content builds on prior learning.
  3. Content supports learning by gradually removing supports, requiring advanced skills and concepts, and application of literacy skills.
  4. Content provides for authentic learning, student-directed inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and/or reflection.
  5. Uses technology and media to deepen learning and engage students.
  6. Content includes options for differentiation to meet the needs of all learners.
  7. Content is presented with an objective view on the topic and is free of bias.
  8. Content creates student experiences that enable all children to reach empowering and rigorous learning outcomes.
• Usability
  9. Materials follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1).
  10. Materials would not require consistent high-speed internet access for content such as large video files or high-resolution photos.
  11. The visual design of materials is clean and coherent, lending itself to ease of learning.
• Flexibility
  12. Materials are flexible to allow students to access and complete work online or offline as needed.
  13. Materials can support and facilitate learning in hybrid or online delivery methods.
  14. Content includes support, documentation, and guides for effective use.

The abbreviated, one-page version of the rubric features simple yes/no checkboxes. This allows for quick yet objective reviews of what is critical for learning. This version of the rubric was created to be an approachable evaluation tool, with potential uses by classroom teachers, librarians, instructional coaches, and administrators. Users can find this on page 1 of the Instructional Materials Rubric.

A more detailed version found on pages 2-4 of the Instructional Materials Rubric includes additional criteria which expand upon the standards. These are more finely detailed clarifying statements or possible evidence for a standard being present. The 48 total criteria are represented as bullets to allow users to check or circle one if a material meets expectations in that area.

Additional Sources

The Instructional Materials Rubric was inspired by and includes elements from reputable sources like EdReports, Achieve.org, Ohio Department of Education (ODE) content-area rubrics, Quality Matters, Univeral Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines from CAST, and research on effective instructional materials and instruction.

INFOhio made several rounds of revisions to the rubric based on feedback from ODE and field educators who had used it as part of INFOhio's Instructional Materials Reviewer program.

Importantly, items appearing in Open Space have already achieved the standards in the Open Space Submission Rubric.  Visit the Ohio Reviewed Instructional Materials hub to see educator-reviewed content that met expectations on the Instructional Materials Rubric.

References

Boser, U., Chingos, M., & Straus, C. (2015, October). The Hidden Value of Curriculum Reform: Do States and Districts Receive the Most Bang for Their Curriculum Buck? Center for American Progress. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/06111518/CurriculumMatters-report.pdf

The New Teacher Project (TNTP). (2018, September 25). The Opportunity Myth: What Students Can Show Us About How School Is Letting Them Down—and How to Fix It. https://tntp.org/publications/view/student-experiences/the-opportunity-myth