Instructional materials matter and looking closely at the materials you use in your classrooms is important. Every Ohio student deserves the opportunity to learn from high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials to become a resilient, lifelong learner who contributes to society.
Studies have shown that using high-quality, coherent curriculums and instructional materials leads to student growth in learning and achievement. We also know that students gain months of learning when teachers use high-quality instructional materials.
While securing a coherent curriculum and professional development for teachers is the first step in ensuring equity in Ohio’s classrooms, identifying high-quality supplemental materials at grade level for all learners can be helpful in increasing student engagement, meeting diverse needs, and filling instructional gaps.
For more than 20 years, INFOhio has been providing Ohio schools and districts with quality supplemental resources available at no cost. INFOhio’s resources provide educators and students with premium, vetted content such as eBooks, videos, lesson plans, instructional web tools, and training and support materials that can be used for teaching and learning. When paired with a high-quality curriculum, these resources can provide additional engaging and innovative materials for student growth and achievement and can scaffold student learning if there are gaps.
While the criteria for high-quality instructional materials is broad, key indicators can be applied to materials to determine their effectiveness for student learning. For this Teach With INFOhio blog series, the premium content provided by INFOhio will be shared, highlighted by its
These are the categories of criteria for the Instructional Materials Rubric, developed by INFOhio's Instructional Team in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Education. EdReports' and Achieve's EQuIP rubrics were models for this tool. You can feel secure knowing that using the instructional materials from INFOhio will provide students with the quality materials they need to be successful and grow as learners.
Ohio educators can support student voice and choice with access to more than 12,000 unlimited use eBooks for grades 9–12 through INFOhio. The High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) include contemporary fiction, hi-lo books, reference materials, and classic literary works. This collection provides supplemental content for science, social studies, technology, business, and mathematics with nonfiction eBooks that include graphs, diagrams, and charts to communicate discipline-specific content. High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) offer download capability and unlimited use, allowing multiple students to access the same eBook at the same time in the classroom, at home, or on the go.
INFOhio is excited to license new resources and expand features with previously licensed resources offering Ohio parents, educators, and students access to quality content. High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) is one of the newly acquired resources.
Educators can feel secure in using digital content from High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) as quality content to supplement the curriculum and scaffold learning. Content meets the criteria set by the Instructional Materials Rubric and supports rigor and acceleration in classrooms.
Using the rubric's individual criterion and applying its indicators to instructional materials can help determine the best content to use with students. Read more about how High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) align with the criteria and indicators for quality materials.
The following criteria and indicators help educators identify instructional materials that are aligned with the rigor of the Ohio Learning Standards and rely on research and scientific thinking for best results in the classroom.
Content provides for authentic learning application of literacy skills, student-directed inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and/or reflection
High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) include features and content to promote reading, writing, and discussion as well as other forms for learning or sharing information. Selected titles from the nonfiction collection include reflection questions, vocabulary instruction, and extension activities to facilitate conversation among students, build vocabulary, and extend student learning.
With more than 12,000 eBooks, the collection includes a variety of text arranged by units and themes used across content areas. Educators can use the Browse by Category option from the homepage to access fiction and nonfiction eBooks to supplement high school content area classrooms, career development, and elective courses. Categories include key topics relevant to the 21st-century classroom.
After selecting a category from the homepage, additional limiters and subject facets help to refine results around a particular theme or topic. Educators can use the Subject limiter to limit search results within a category.
Use a simple keyword search to locate eBooks to support a specific topic or unit of study. In this example, educators can conduct a search using the keyword "college" to locate eBooks to support college and career readiness topics including writing an admissions essay, planning for college, and studying for entrance exams.
Inclusive teaching emphasizes the strategies and practices educators can use in the classroom to leverage the strengths and tools students of color bring for learning. The criteria and indicators for this category focus on how instructional materials recognize, define, and contribute to the growth and understanding of these strengths.
Content Cultivates an Awareness and Acceptance of a Variety of Ages, Cultures, Races, Religions, and Gender Roles and Identities
Students and educators can browse the Biographies & Memoirs category to enjoy accounts from a variety of authors sharing experiences that represent many cultures, races, religions, and genders providing opportunities for students to see themselves in the content. EBooks in this category include content about popular figures from history alongside inspirational stories of trailblazers and leaders.
The criteria and indicators for this category ensure that instructional materials provide students and educators with what they need for learning in any form—in person, hybrid, blended, or remote.
Materials Are Flexible To Allow Students To Access and Complete Work Online or Offline as Needed
The ability to access quality digital content, comparable in rigor and alignment offline is important in delivering instruction that is equitable and relevant. With unlimited access, multiple students can access the same eBook at the same time increasing equitable access to titles for each student. To ensure uninterrupted access regardless of internet connectivity, students can download eBooks from the EBSCO High School Collection by chapter or using a customized page range.
Teacher Supports, Documentation, and/or Guides for Effective Use are Present
On INFOhio's information page for High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO), digital teacher guides, examples, and/or templates are available for the materials to use in different delivery modes. In the Training & Support materials, a short, 30-minute webinar sharing an overview of how to search, save, and share eBooks, See What's New: High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) is available.
Usability
High-quality instructional materials are accessible. These criteria and indicators will help determine how well materials meet the needs of all learners.
Materials follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Text that allows the user to adjust the font size of the text displayed and includes alternate text or captions present on images personalizes the learning experience for the student. Students can access eBooks using a PDF or EPUB Full Text format. Each format provides a different reading experience and both formats can be used for offline viewing. Some titles are available in both formats.
The EPUB Full Text format offers dynamic interactive text, best for tablets or mobile devices as the text will resize to fit the screen. The arrow key at the bottom of the screen allows the student to navigate to the next page similar to a physical book.
The PDF format allows the student to scroll one page at a time. Students can enlarge the font using the zoom button at the bottom of the screen.
The Visual Design of Materials is Clean and Coherent, Lending Itself to Ease of Learning
Educators will find eBooks in the EBSCO High School Collection designed to support best practices for digital reading and provide a reading experience free of pop-up advertisements and distractions. EBooks include a table of contents and the option for educators to chunk information into smaller elements by selecting a chapter to supplement a current instructional unit. The EBSCO interface will generate a permalink for each chapter, allowing educators to share selected content with students.
With engaging contemporary fiction, students can rediscover the love of learning using eBooks accessible from their mobile devices. For educators, access to quality, nonfiction eBooks offers expanded access to digital content to ensure their classroom curriculum is fresh, timely, and relevant. Learn more about the High School Collection eBooks (EBSCO) on the INFOhio website. Try the quality instructional materials it offers available at no cost in your classroom. Be sure to share how #INFOhioWorks for you on social media.
Mary Rowland is a Senior Instructional Specialist with INFOhio. A former high school English teacher with 14 years of teaching experience, Mary is an accomplished leader who facilitated professional development in her previous district on integrating web-based tools into the classroom, Google Apps for Education, and writing across the curriculum. During her career, Mary mentored student teachers and served on both the district and building leadership committees. She has earned a BA in English, an MS in Education: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and is a Google Certified Educator Level 2. Mary is passionate about supporting INFOhio’s mission to help Ohio’s educators integrate the tools and resources to strengthen education for Ohio’s students.
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