Curriculum & Educational Design
Educational Options, Inc. is committed to providing students with the best Web-based instructional programs possible. All of its courses are created using a stringent, research-based development process that starts with a review of state academic standards to determine required learning outcomes. Course objectives are then set, along with an outline of lessons (or an organizational plan most appropriate to the subject matter).
The curriculum department at EdOptions consists of current and former teachers meeting the designation of “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act, educational professionals experienced in higher education or non-traditional settings, content specialists, and skilled editors.
These curriculum developers utilize “backward design,” a nationally recognized instructional methodology (Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Understanding by Design). Using this method, developers first determine what students are required to learn from a lesson and then structure content around the desired outcomes.
EdOptions’ Stars Suite™ and its courses are developed with an awareness of the learning styles outlined in the Dimensions of Learning model (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning). Supplemental activities in the curriculum are designed for students whose primary learning modality is not visual. In addition, lessons and supplemental activities assist teachers with differentiating instruction for ability levels and experiences (Carol Ann Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners). Both backward design and differentiated instruction are advocated by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.
A recent addition to course assessments (i.e., submissions and exams) is the clustering of questions by learning objective and difficulty level, as established in Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of critical thinking. This feature allows teachers to focus remediation and individualize instruction on specific areas of student need.
In response to inquiries regarding reading levels of our program, EdOptions now provides Lexile measures for all our courseware. For a full listing of courses and descriptions, visit our main site.
Beyond the for-credit courses of the Novel curriculum, Educational Options has developed a series of comprehensive test preparation courseware that will assist schools face the looming crisis where large numbers of students will not receive diplomas for failure to pass high school graduation exams. Despite a realignment of curriculum to more rigorous academic standards, NCLB mandates for end-of-course or comprehensive exit exams are proving very difficult for students, teachers, and administrators. TestPak, High School Prep, and GED Duo offer solutions to many of the resulting problems.
TestPak is an excellent resource and program of study for districts that administer comprehensive exams in reading, writing, and math. Because of its flexible delivery structure, it will also serve students who must review and practice the concepts found on specific end-of-course exams. Like Novel courses, TestPak was developed based on a review of state standards with a focus on the testable objectives. Each subsection of TestPak was designed to highlight and clarify essential knowledge and skills students are expected to have learned upon completion of their coursework. Comprehensive English may be taken as a whole or divided into any of its three component subjects: reading comprehension, language usage, and writing. Comprehensive Math comprises four subjects: basic math, geometry, algebraic thinking, and data analysis. Like its language arts counterpart, Comprehensive Math may be assigned to students section by section or in its entirety. Because students are given a pre-assessment and assigned only lessons dealing with concepts for which they did not demonstrate mastery, TestPak is time efficient and particularly useful for increasing student understanding prior to a second- or even final-chance administration of an exit exam.
All too often, administrators and teachers find middle school students entering high school lacking the foundational knowledge required to be successful. Educational Options’ High School Prep represents a remedial program that will fill in a student’s gaps in learning. Its review of key concepts in language arts, math, and science can be implemented easily in after-school programs, high school orientation summer sessions, early in the ninth grade year, or at any time it becomes evident students are faltering as a result of basic academic skill deficiencies. Written on a sixth to seventh grade level, High School Prep enables even students who read at a low level to master the concepts covered. Emphasis in this course is placed on teaching students how to apply the knowledge gained through the lessons to other problems and situations. Course exercises foster increased critical thinking.
Although the goal of schools is to reduce the dropout rate, there will, unfortunately, always be students who leave school without the benefit of a diploma. Educational Options created GED Duo, which consists of a two-tiered program: Pre-GED and GED Prep. GED Prep to meet the hurdles those students face if they decide to complete their education through a GED exam. The user-friendly interface found in all Novel courses combines with carefully researched content and instructional design guided by nationally recognized GED experts to make this prep program an ideal solution for older teens and adult learners alike. Students are introduced to the concepts evaluated by the GED test in language arts (writing and reading), social studies, science, and math. Lessons offer strategies for increasing comprehension of the different subject areas along with building test-taking skills. Students are given frequent opportunities to apply their new skills to tasks found on the GED. Accompanying assessments have been formulated to mirror GED test questions, adding to the students’ confidence on the official exam.
For those students who do not possess the basic skills needed to begin GED preparation, schools may assign them to Pre-GED, which will provide remediation to build skills in language arts, math, and science. When students have mastered the fundamental concepts, they are ready to transition to GED Prep.
These components of the Stars Suite complement the Novel curriculum and offer a full spectrum of educational options.
The combination of educational research and client input is the foundation for all of EdOptions' curriculum development. The superior quality of its developers and their deep understanding of instructional theory, along with a unique, Web-based delivery system, allow EdOptions’ curriculum to meet and exceed the needs of teachers and administrators striving to improve student achievement. For additional questions regarding curriculum development or methodology, please contact us.