New EQuIP Videos for Teachers

Monday, August 11, 2014Printer-friendly version
New Achieve and Teaching Channel Partnership to Release 
Videos for Teachers 
 
First Three Will Focus on the Evaluating Quality Instructional Products (EQuIP) Initiative
 

EQuIP Logo

Washington, D.C. - August 12, 2014 - Achieve and Teaching Channel today announced the launch of their new partnership by releasing three new videos that introduce and explore Achieve’s Evaluating Quality Instructional Products (EQuIP) initiative. The videos, which are publicly available for viewing on Teaching Channel’s website (http://www.teachingchannel.org), introduce the EQuIP Peer Review process and provide an in-depth look at real teachers using the mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) rubrics to evaluate the quality and alignment of lessons and units.

“We’re delighted to have partnered with Teaching Channel to spread the message about EQuIP to educators across the country,” said Achieve president Mike Cohen. “EQuIP serves as an important vehicle for teacher collaboration in pursuit of high-quality lessons and units aligned with the Common Core, and we hope that these videos will encourage even more teachers to get involved.”

“Teaching Channel considers Achieve a valuable partner in offering important collaboration tools to our growing community of more than 560,000 thousand educators,” said Teaching Channel CEO, Pat Wasley.  “As teachers work together online to improve their practice, they’ve asked to see how they can better align their lessons to the Common Core. The Achieve rubric delivers on that need.”

EQuIP was launched by Achieve as a means of identifying high-quality materials aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The objectives of the EQuIP initiative are twofold: (1) to increase the supply of high quality lessons and units aligned to the CCSS that are available to elementary, middle, and high school teachers as soon as possible; and (2) to build the capacity of educators to evaluate and improve the quality of instructional materials for use in their classrooms and schools.

Lessons and units submitted to the EQuIP peer review panel are evaluated on a rubric with four different dimensions: alignment to the standards, evidence of instructional shifts, evidence of instructional supports, and assessment. Each dimension contains specific criteria and clear guideposts for using the rubric to provide feedback. The EQuIP peer review panel is currently comprised of 55 educators representing nearly half of the states in the U.S. Peer reviewers volunteer up to 12 days over the course of their commitment and collaborate both in person and virtually. Since the program’s inception, EQuIP peer reviewers have identified and publicly posted 40 lessons/units rated “Example” or “Example if Improved.”

“We’re honored to work with the EQuIP Peer Review Panel to elevate the professional judgment and expertise of a highly skilled group of educators,” said Alissa Peltzman, Vice President of State Policy and Implementation Support at Achieve. “The EQuIP quality review process fosters a collaborative environment and helps build the capacity of educators through a process that requires close reading of instructional materials, knowledge of the standards, and an opportunity to provide criterion-based suggestions for improvement.”

The three EQuIP videos produced by Teaching Channel provide an overview of the peer review process and introduction to the benefits for both ELA and mathematics teachers. Peer reviewers and Achieve staff explain the dimensions of the rubric as well as the ways in which EQuIP-reviewed products can be used in real classrooms.

All three videos can be viewed here:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2014/08/08/video-playlist-strengthening-lessons-for-the-ccss-equip/

EQuIP Overview: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/peer-review-for-better-ela-lessons-equip

To learn more about EQuIP or download example lessons and units, please visit www.achieve.org/EQuIP.

Media Contact: Achieve - Chad Colby (202) 419-1570, ccolby@achieve.org

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About Achieve
Achieve is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit education reform organization dedicated to working with states to raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability. For more information about the work of Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.   

About Teaching Channel

Teaching Channel (Tch) is a thriving online community that is revolutionizing how K–12 teachers can learn and improve. With its best-in-class video library of teacher practice and award-winning website, Tch has emerged as a leading educational resource for its 560,000+ members. Teaching Channel’s mission is to help teachers grow to improve outcomes for all students. Visit Tch on the Web at TeachingChannel.org, on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

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