Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) March 07, 2016
Small school districts that may not have the resources to assess students’ digital literacy skills now have a powerful tool for putting them on the path for success in the 21st century classroom as the result of a new collaboration between the Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA) and Learning.com. The Portland-based education technology company is partnering with SSDA to provide free access to its TechLiteracy Skills Inventory for the more than 20,000 fifth graders the association’s members serve.
“With the ubiquitousness of technology today, it is easy to take for granted that students are prepared to meet the challenges of our increasingly digital society,” said Debra Pearson, executive director, SSDA, which advocates for the special needs of small school districts throughout California. “However, having the skills necessary to use technology for learning is critical. The TechLiteracy Skills Inventory helps to identify and fill a crucial gap for students to help them succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
The mission of the Small School Districts’ Association is to provide proactive assistance to small school district governing boards and superintendents through legislative advocacy, collaboration, professional development and support services. As a digital content provider, Learning.com is focused on developing partnerships with school districts across the country. The company offers K-12 solutions to help students, teachers and schools excel in a digital world and give districts the opportunity to equip their students with the technology and 21st century skills needed for success in online assessments, college and the workforce.
Learning.com’s TechLiteracy Skills Inventory helps educators ensure that all students have the technology skills to successfully complete online tests, such as the Smarter Balanced assessment taken by California students. The TechLiteracy Skills Inventory helps teachers gain a deep understanding of students’ technology skills by providing accurate and detailed student-level reports. Teachers can use these reports to pinpoint technology skills that students are struggling with and identify teaching strategies that will help improve those skills.
“Reports coming out of the recent transition to online testing have revealed that even though today’s students are digital natives, they are scoring higher on traditional pencil and paper tests,” said Learning.com CEO Keith Oelrich. “We are partnering with SSDA to ensure not only that California students have the digital skills to be successful on the Smarter Balanced assessments, but are also prepared for college, the workforce and life.”
Learning.com will be at the SSDA 33rd Annual Spring Conference at the McClellan Conference Center in McClellan, California from March 9-11. Attendees can stop by Booth 723 for more information about the TechLiteracy Skills Inventory and Learning.com’s other digital literacy solutions.
About the Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA)
Established in 1983 by four school district superintendents in Monterey, California, the SSDA encourages businesses to support the work of small school districts. SSDA Associate Members include over 120 businesses in such fields as architecture, legal services, construction management, curriculum and assessment, financial services, HVAC, school buses, office equipment, and consultants.
About Learning.com
Founded in 1999, Portland, Ore.-based Learning.com’s digital content tools help districts build and share custom digital curriculum helping them meet their instructional goals, facilitate personalized learning, and address budget challenges. Through implementation services and professional development, Learning.com serves educators as they integrate technology and digital content into instruction.