New Digital Tool Helps Teachers Locate STEAM-Related Materials

Common Sense Education has launched a digital search tool designed to help teachers find science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) resources for their science and math classes. Called the NGSS Explorer, the tool is designed to identify materials that are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

NGSS Explorer is a companion tool to Common Sense Education's Graphite digital rating platform designed to help educators locate resources across a wide variety of subjects and areas.

Teachers can use NGSS Explorer to search for materials by grade, topic and a Performance Expectation measure determined by Graphite editors. In addition to the tagged materials, Graphite reviewers — current and former math, science and engineering teachers — provide editorial reviews of each app, game or Web site in the collection, amounting to more than 2,500 reviews. Editors also have curated "top picks" to help teachers find the best of STEAM and NGSS-identified products.

The NGSS standards were developed in 2013 to create benchmarks for the science- and math-based skills students in the United States should acquire before they finish school.

"Digital technology is a great way to introduce the investigative, practice-based learning the NGSS standards inspire," said Danny Wagner, manager of STEM content at Common Sense Education, in a prepared statement. "As educators, we encourage kids to match their technique to the discipline they're learning. Just as scientists use technology to do their jobs, we are helping teachers leverage real-life engineering and scientific best practices with their students."

NGSS Explorer was developed with the help of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation.

About the Author

Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.

Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.