Rachel Minton, Author at Learning K-12 Digital Literacy & Computer Science Solutions Sun, 21 Jul 2024 21:23:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.learning.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-BoFBQaU2_400x400-150x150.jpg Rachel Minton, Author at Learning 32 32 CIPA Compliance Made Easy with Learning.com https://www.learning.com/blog/cipa-compliance-made-easy-with-learning-com/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:44:29 +0000 https://www.learning.com/?p=3564 The post CIPA Compliance Made Easy with Learning.com appeared first on Learning.

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The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), enacted by Congress in 2000, addresses concerns about children’s access to harmful online content. It specifically applies to schools and libraries that receive discounts for Internet access through the E-rate program (E-rate is a program that provides discounts to schools and libraries across the United States to help them with affordable Internet access).

CIPA Compliance Requirements

Internet Safety Policy: Schools and libraries must have an Internet safety policy that includes technology protection measures. These measures block or filter access to obscene, child pornography, or harmful content for minors.

Monitoring Online Activities: Schools must monitor minors’ online activities.

Educating Minors: Schools must educate students about appropriate online behavior, including social networking and cyberbullying awareness.

Who is best equipped to help schools meet CIPA Compliance?

We know that Librarians wear many hats throughout the craziness of a school year. Still, in many ways, they are a great fit for helping schools meet CIPA requirements and bring digital citizenship education to students. The AASL standards include digital citizenship as an important component. So, if you can work to align district or school E-Rate goals with your standards and curriculum, it can be beneficial for saving time and creating organization.

Plus, Librarians are information and media literacy experts! They have the knowledge and skills to evaluate the credibility and reliability of resources, navigate digital information landscapes, and critically analyze media messages. This expertise allows them to guide students in developing the necessary skills to be discerning and responsible consumers of digital content.

Tips for Success:

Planning

The most effective model is to ensure everyone in the school or district is aware of the plan to avoid confusion. Some districts file E-Rate through E-Rate coordinators or Technology Directors. My suggestion for librarians or library teams, is to select a curriculum for each grade level, ensuring that it meets the CIPA for E-Rate requirements and coordinate the plan with the person responsible for filing for E-Rate funds.

Implementation

Ensure that you or the educators leading the curriculum have familiarized themselves with the lesson plans and student expectations. Print out any posters or resources you plan on using in the classroom.

Documentation

This is one of the most important steps in CIPA Compliance for E-Rate. It’s important to stay organized and document your process. You will want to have all of your documentation in case of an audit.

For a comprehensive list of all documentation required for E-rate, the USAC website has an Auditor’s Checklist: https://www.usac.org/e-rate/

How Learning.com Helps Schools Meet CIPA Compliance

Comprehensive Curriculum

Learning.com offers a K-12 digital literacy curriculum that aligns with CIPA requirements. Educators can seamlessly integrate lessons on internet safety, responsible online behavior, and cybersecurity.

Engaging Content

Our interactive modules keep students engaged while building essential digital skills. From multimedia presentations to understanding cybersecurity, Learning.com provides dynamic learning experiences.

Professional Development 

We support educators too! Learning.com offers professional development resources to keep teachers informed about the latest trends in digital literacy. From on-demand training to webinars and blogs, our Online Training Center has a ton of resources for educators.

Unlock State Funding with Ease

By ensuring CIPA compliance through Learning.com, schools can confidently access state funding. Our user-friendly platform simplifies the process, empowering educators to create a safe digital environment for students.

Remember, CIPA compliance isn’t just a requirement—it’s a way for schools and libraries to demonstrate their commitment to creating a safer online environment for students and library users!

Rachel Minton

Rachel Minton

Customer Success Manager

Rachel Minton is a senior customer success manager for Learning.com, based in Texas. She’s been with the company since 2009, and is passionate about creating success for her customers and their students.

Further Reading

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]]> Leveling Up with TA-TEKS: Computational Thinking, Coding and Python https://www.learning.com/blog/leveling-up-with-ta-teks-computational-thinking-coding-and-python/ Thu, 30 Mar 2023 16:00:15 +0000 https://www.learning.com/?p=2530 The post Leveling Up with TA-TEKS: Computational Thinking, Coding and Python appeared first on Learning.

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One of the significant shifts in the updated Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, or TA-TEKS, is a focus on teaching computer science skills. In fact, the revised TA-TEKS require foundational computational thinking skills to be taught as early as kindergarten.

This focus on computer science isn’t unique to us here in Texas. Already, 42 states have adopted computer science education standards, and 27 states including Texas require high schools to offer computer science to students. 

“Across the country, there’s a growing movement to provide computer science education to every student, in every school, at every grade level,” says Keith Oelrich, CEO of Learning.com. 

Focus on Computational Thinking & Coding

Within the revised TA-TEKS, Computational Thinking is a new strand. You may be left wondering, what exactly is computational thinking, and why is it important for students? 

Computational thinking encompasses skills such as pattern recognition, decomposition, abstraction and algorithmic thinking, all of which are powerful tools for real-world problem solving as well as foundational skills for coding.

Students can begin to develop essential computational thinking skills at the earliest grades in school – without even using a computer – and gradually build toward learning the coding and computer programming languages that allow them to create their own projects.

Programming with Python

Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, opening doors to in-demand careers in data analysis, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and app development. Hundreds of thousands of companies, including some of the most well-known brands of our era – Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Etsy, Tesla – are powered by Python.

At Learning.com, we’re very excited about our recent acquisition of Codesters, after years of partnership with the company. With the acquisition, Learning.com can offer even more of Codesters’ popular interactive, web-based Python coding curriculum to schools through our existing comprehensive EasyTech digital literacy curriculum and EasyCode computer programming curriculum. 

Codesters helps students learn key coding principles using Python. In each lesson, students complete a project through a series of activities that include coding challenges, debugging practice, and quizzes. Each lesson ends with an additional coding exercise in which students create their own project applying the skills learned.

Our high-school level offering includes advanced Python lessons, and even prepares students for certifications that can directly lead to jobs.

Join Us

Join us on April 6, 2023 for the TCEA webinar, Breaking Barriers with Python to learn more about this powerful coding language and how you can prepare your students for the new TA-TEKS, and equip them to excel in the digital world. Click here to register.

The post Leveling Up with TA-TEKS: Computational Thinking, Coding and Python appeared first on Learning.

]]> Texas Technology Standards: Big Changes Need Big Solutions https://www.learning.com/blog/ta-teks-standards-change/ Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:45:34 +0000 https://www.learning.com/?p=2222 The post Texas Technology Standards: Big Changes Need Big Solutions appeared first on Learning.

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Texas schools have big changes on the horizon when it comes to digital skills. This year, our Lone Star students will be required to take their statewide assessments online for the first time ever. Then, we’re gearing up to implement revised Technology Application standards, or TA-TEKS, that go into effect in 2024. These shifts are likely to drive some of the conversations at TCEA soon, but at Learning.com, we’re more than just ready, we’re excited for these changes!

More Rigorous TA-TEKS

The changes to TA-TEKS are fairly significant. K-8 students will be required not only to know the basics of how to use technology, but also to develop broad computer science skills including computational thinking, coding, computer programming and online safety. 

“My advice to teachers and school districts is to begin reviewing and studying the standards now so you will be prepared for their implementation in the 2024-2025 school year. These standards will take a much more concerted effort to implement than the ones they are replacing.” 

– Jennifer Bergland, TCEA 

Thankfully, Learning.com already offers robust content in these areas as part of our comprehensive digital literacy curriculum. We’ve long known that for today’s students to succeed in the digital world, they will need to master a broad range of skills that go well beyond the basics of navigating a computer and knowing how to type properly. 

Truth about digital literacy ebook

EasyTech offers a content library of 1,000 lessons, games, videos and practice exercises that cover everything from online safety and digital citizenship to algorithmic thinking and coding, by grade. Because it’s all in one place, it’s a lifesaver for teachers, whether or not they are tech savvy themselves.

For example, Corpus Christi ISD has been using Learning.com’s EasyTech since 2017, when they were looking for a program that would address Technology Application TEKS, E-Rate, and David’s Law. EasyTech turned out to be popular for both students and teachers who had been cobbling together online resources to cover crucial digital skills.

“When Learning.com came along, I was like ‘Hallelujah!’ Learning.com has everything we cover, everything I was searching for online, and more. I love the structure of it, the units, the lesson plans and interactive lessons and discussions.”

–Debra Garcia, technology applications teacher, CCISD

Learning.com’s program was the only one adopted by the state of Texas to meet 100% of current TA-TEKS, and we are committed to maintaining our adoption for the revised standards, as well.

Online Assessments

This spring when Texas students take their state test, STAAR, online for the first time, some may stumble based not on their content knowledge, but on their computer skills. Research has shown that a student’s comfort level with the testing medium can impact their performance. Of course, every teacher wants their students’ content knowledge to shine through on the STAAR.

Here again, Learning.com has schools covered with our Texas Prep for Online Assessment. This series of lessons provides students with the needed digital literacy skills they need to succeed in online tests, including computer fundamentals, typing and word processing. It even includes skills practice, so students experience icons, tools and navigation similar to what they will see in online assessments this spring. Best of all, Prep for Online Assessment is included with our EasyTech curriculum.

Come on by at TCEA

I’ll be at the TCEA Convention in San Antonio Jan. 30-Feb. 2, talking to Texas educators. I hope you’ll stop by our booth #1044 to ask any questions you have about digital literacy and computer science skills for Texas students. There are definitely big changes coming down the pipe for Texas students and teachers, but with 20 years of experience, Learning.com is the perfect partner to help you navigate them like a star!

Rachel Minton

Rachel Minton

Customer Success Manager

Rachel Minton is a senior customer success manager for Learning.com, based in Texas. She’s been with the company since 2009, and is passionate about creating success for her customers and their students.

The post Texas Technology Standards: Big Changes Need Big Solutions appeared first on Learning.

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