Curriculum Matrix Help

CURRICULUM MATRIX DATA SUMMARY MAP
ABOUT THE EDGATE CURRICULUM MATRIX
          How it Works
          Benefits for Teachers,Parents and Students and Administrators
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
         Hardware and Software Requirements
         User ID and Password
LOGGING IN TO THE MATRIX
          How to Login
          Forget Your ID and Password
SEARCHING
          Searching for State Standards
          Searching for Achievement Tools
          Searching by Keyword
SEARCH RESULTS
          View All Standards
          Achievement Tools
          Keyword Search In Standards
          Keyword Search for Achievement Tools
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
GLOSSARY

ABOUT THE EDGATE CURRICULUM MATRIX
The EdGate Curriculum Matrix is a powerful, easy-to-use tool – developed by teachers for teachers – to help address the requirement for standards-based instruction, state testing and preparing students with essential life skills. The EdGate Curriculum Matrix allows an EdGate subscriber to access an extensive database of lesson plans, assessments and resources that match state instructional standards. Most importantly, the Curriculum Matrix helps teachers meet their greatest challenge – to make the most of precious time.

The EdGate Curriculum Matrix is available through a:
1) subscription to a Community Education Gateway (CEG);
2) subscription to Personal Edition that includes a state version of the Curriculum Matrix;
3) stand-alone version sold to publishers and organizations.

How It Works
The Curriculum Matrix presents every standard with the same structure and wording as used by the state. EdGate does not correct or change state language. Each standard is linked to related lesson plans, assessments and resources (known as Achievement Tools). Search options allow the user to find state standards, Achievement Tools and do precise keyword searches to easily locate relevant classroom online materials.

The Curriculum Matrix is constantly updated through input from local teachers and a team of EdGate subject experts who maintain and update the links to lessons, resources and assessments (Achievement Tools) in the Matrix. This gives teachers a local framework and orientation to curriculum while exposing them to national resources to supplement their teaching.

Benefits for Teachers
Teachers gain invaluable benefits from using the EdGate Curriculum Matrix, with the ability to:
·        Save time and increase productivity with one-stop access to standards and instructional tools.
·        Clarify their understanding of state standards by viewing lesson examples.
·        Streamline classroom preparation by finding lessons and resources that meet state requirements.
·        Access assessments that are aligned with state standards.

Benefits for Parents and Students
The EdGate Curriculum Matrix gives parents and students the ability to:
·        Identify state instructional standards.
·        Understand the state standards that are required for their children's education.
·        Access lessons and resources that help in the completion of homework assignments.
·        Tap into resources for independent study.

Benefits for Administrators (Community Education Gateway - CEG subscription)
District superintendents, curriculum directors and other school administrators appreciate the EdGate Curriculum Matrix for the ability to:
·        Aggregate the highest quality educational materials from trusted and reliable sources.
·        Provide teachers with tools that can help individualize instruction.
·        Align curriculum and materials to state and local academic standards.
·        Improve performance and ease test anxiety on state assessments using EdGate assessment tools.
·        Customize curriculum and lesson plans to meet the needs of individual classrooms.
·        Increase local community awareness and participation in building and sustaining successful schools.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Hardware and Software Requirements
The Curriculum Matrix can be used with either a PC or a Macintosh. You will need an Internet connection and current Web browser to access its many features. A modem or other Internet connection of at least 28.8 bps is required. For the Web browser, use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Version 5.0 (or higher) or Netscape Navigator, Version 4.7. A screen size of 1024 x 768 is recommended.

You do not need to know HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or any other programming language to use the Curriculum Matrix. However, there are some Achievment Tools (lessons, assessments or resources) that are in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (available for free from Adobe's Web site at http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html in order to open these attachments. Otherwise, plug-ins or special downloads are generally not required.

User ID and Password
A login and password are required for access to your version of the EdGate Curriculum Matrix. Generally, you will need to provide a User ID and Password in order to log-in to the system. You can obtain your User ID and Password from your Community Education Gateway representative in your district or if you are a Personal Edition subscriber, your Curriculum Matrix login is included as part of your Personal Edition login. Once you have logged in, you can use all the resources provided by the Matrix.

LOGGING IN TO THE MATRIX

The Curriculum Matrix is available for exclusive use to EdGate Personal Edition and Community Education Gateway subscribers. This valuable resource is password-protected.

To begin using the Curriculum Matrix, you may need to sign in from the Curriculum Matrix Login page. Note: there may be some Community Education Gateways that have contracted to have this feature “hidden” and it is not a requirement for each individual to do this step. A Personal Edition login to the Curriculum Matrix is tied to the Personal Edition User ID; therefore, it is not necessary to login again to the Matrix.

How to login to the Matrix:
Using a mouse or the tab key, enter your User ID in the first text box, and your password in the Password text box. Your User ID and Password are case sensitive- all lower case. Click on Submit. Once you have successfully signed in, the Login page will be replaced by the home page for the Curriculum Matrix. That's all it takes. Now you have full access to the resources available through the Curriculum Matrix.

Forgot your User ID and Password?
Personal Edition: If you forget your login, you just need to click on “Forgot Your Password” and follow the instructions.

Community Education Gateway: If you forget your User ID or Password, contact the designated Community Education Gateway representative in your school or district. If you do not know this person, ask your Library Media Specialist or your Principal. They should be able to direct you to the right person. At the district level, ask the Curriculum Director or a Curriculum Specialist. You may also e-mail EdGate Customer Care at customercare@edgate.com for further assistance.

SEARCHING THE CURRICULUM MATRIX

The Search function is the gateway to your state standards and all associated lessons, assessments and resources (Achievement Tools). You may search by:
1) Your State Standards for a specific subject and grade level;
2) Lessons, resources and assessments for a specific subject and grade level or;
3) Typing in a keyword and searching for either standards or Achievement Tools for a specific subject and grade.
For all three searches, you MUST select a grade and subject.

1) Searching for State Standards
On the Search Page, you must click on the down arrow next to the Grade field to select a grade. Similarly, click on the down arrow next to the Subject to select the curriculum subject that you desire. On the right, the Standards box is checked by default. All you need to do now is click on Find It to begin the search.

This search will provide you with a complete list of your state standards and learning objectives for the grade and subject that you have selected. More details on this search are provided below in the section – Standards Search Details.

2) Searching for Achievement Tools (Lessons, Assessments, Resources)
On the Search Page, you must click on the down arrow next to the Grade field to select a grade. Similarly, click on the down arrow next to the Subject to select the curriculum subject that you desire. Check the Achievement Tools box on the right side of screen and then click on Find It to begin the search.

This search will provide you with a complete list of Achievement Tools for the grade and subject that you have selected. More details on this search are provided below in the section – Achievement Tools Search Details.

3) Searching By Keyword
The Curriculum Matrix allows you to search for any term found in state standards (and all associated levels) and for a term found in the title and description of an Achievement Tool. Searching by keyword allows a greater degree of refinement for your search.

On the Search Page, you must click on the down arrow next to the Grade field to select a grade and then click on the down arrow to choose a subject in the Subject field. In the Keyword field, type in the keyword that you want to find (for example – fraction if you are searching Mathematics). Next, check off the box located on the right side of the Search Page for the results you want: either Standards or Achievement Tools. The system will quickly refresh. Click on Find It to begin the search.

SEARCH RESULTS FOR THE CURRICULUM MATRIX

1) Search Results for Standards: View All Standards
All the state standards for a specific grade and subject will appear on the screen after you click on the Find It button. The state standard is followed by any additional levels that are associated with that standard. This page is printable and provides you with a complete list of state standards for this subject.

EdGate has the most comprehensive database of standards in the country. With over 900,000 standards in the repository, all the core subjects plus Arts, Health and PE, World Languages, Library Media / Technology, English Language Learners and Early Childhood standards are available. You may search by Achievement Tools to find lessons, assessments and resources in these subjects.

Labels:
Each state has a different naming convention for the standards and associated levels. For instance, in Washington the top level is a “EALR”, the next level is “Component” , the third level is “Grade Level Expectation" and the fourth level is ”Evidence of Learning". The Matrix identifies each of these levels with the state label on the left hand side of the screen.

Numbering:
Each state uses a different numbering system for standards and associated levels. For instance in Washington for Math, the standard level is “1.”; in Texas the standard level is “110.5 (3.1)”. The Matrix identifies each of these levels with the state numbering system on the left hand side of the screen.

State Standards text:
Each state standard is a hot link to another screen that displays all associated lessons, assessments and resources (Achievement Tools) for that level.

Search Results from View All Standards
Once you have selected and clicked on a standard level on the View All Standards screen, the Matrix will take you to the Search Results screen. This screen presents each standard and all associated levels of that standard on its own page. Across the top of the page, you'll find the grade, subject, discipline, topic, keywords and/or search refinements used in your search. The standard / level that you selected is displayed along with associated grade-level Achievement Tools: Lessons (yellow tab), Assessments (green tab) and Resources (blue tab). You need to click on the tab to see each of the groups of tools.

To return to the View All Standards page, click on the link at the bottom right side of the Search Results page. To start a new search, click on the “back to Matrix Search” in the middle right of the screen.

2) Search Results for Achievement Tools
Once you have clicked on Find It, the system will process your request. Note: it may take a few seconds to return the results. The results page for Achievement Tools offers access to lessons, assessments and resources by clicking on the appropriate tab: Lessons (yellow), Assessments (green), Resources (blue).

The Curriculum Matrix tells you how many results were found in the category. The title, summary statement and source are displayed for each listing. To access the lesson, assessment or resource, click on the title. A warning that "You are leaving the EdGate Curriculum Matrix" will appear. Click OK to proceed. The Web site will open in a separate window. When you want to return to the Curriculum Matrix search results, close this window.

If your school is part of a Community Education Gateway, your Curriculum Matrix may also include additional groups of Achievement Tools. The thousands of EdGate Internet resources are always included. In addition, you may have Marco Polo or special groups of content that has been requested by your school or district.

To return to the Search screen, click on the back to Matrix Search on the upper right side of your screen

3) a. Search By Keyword in Standards
If you type in a keyword and have checked the Standards box, the results will display on the View all Standards page. The system will search for every occurrence of that string of characters for any standard in that grade level and subject. Once you have clicked Find It, the results page with all the standards will display. The number of results will be indicated at the top of the page i.e. “There are 2 occurrences of this keyword search”. The search term will be highlighted in red and be bold in the text of the standards. You may click on the standard to view the associated Achievement Tools.

3) b. Search By Keyword in Achievement Tools
If you type in a keyword and have checked the Achievement Tools box, the Matrix will search for every occurrence of that string of characters in the title and description of every title and description for a lesson, assessment or resource link. Lesson results will display first (yellow tab). You need to click on the Assessment tab (green) or Resources tab (blue) to see if you have any results for those categories.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

For more information about using the Curriculum Matrix, customers may email EdGate Customer Care at customercare@edgate.com

GLOSSARY
Achievement Tools: Lessons, assessments and resources, which relate directly to a specific standard on the Curriculum Matrix.

Assessment: An instrument to evaluate learning such as a test, portfolio or teacher-generated essay.

Browser: Short for Web browser; this is the software that allows you to view Web pages and surf the World Wide Web. The most popular Web browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Keyword: A meaningful word or phrase that can be used to search the Curriculum Matrix.

Lesson: A set of procedures to teach a specific unit of study. Generally a lesson will include step-by-step procedures, assessment, materials and teacher notes.

Resource: A link to a Web site, which will help you meet a specific standard.