MIDAS

Social Studies Techbook - United States History (Prehistory-Progressive Era)

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Core Code Alignment

Social Studies
History
09050000030: U.S. History I

Recommendation

Recommended Limited

Evaluation

The Discovery Education Techbook provides a good overview of information about the topics in Utah State Standards for U.S. History I and II, many good extension activities, many professional development resources, some engaging classroom activities, a solid reference encyclopedia, Spanish translations of assessments, and a good number of written test prompts. The text generally appears to lack depth, however, and the resource offers only limited assessment options. In addition, the software can be a bit unfriendly to navigate. These observations make this resource a solid supplemental classroom resource, but probably insubstantial for primary use.

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Rubric : Generic

Content

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Alignment	The content of this resource aligns with appropriate grade-level core standards and is current, well-researched and referenced from reliable sources.	The content of this resource aligns with most grade-level core standards but will need supplementary materials to ensure coverage of all the objectives for this course.	The content of this resource aligns with a few grade-level core standards for a portion of the course.	The content of this resource does not align with standards and objectives for this course.
The text covers in adequate detail the Utah Core Standards. It is unclear if the software license comes with both halves of the US History textbook. While the name implies that it includes both, the actual textbook is divided into two halves: pre-history to Reconstruction, and the Civil War to Present. The Chapters in the first version align with U.S. History I, in the later version of the textbook are split into chapters very similar to that of the core U.S. History II standards. The textbook has Utah’s core standards pre-loaded, and includes a section that shows the connection of resources and activities to the Utah standards. Clicking on each leads to activities, videos, lessons, etc. for that standard. However, certain standards were not able to be clicked, and others did not link to correct activities and lessons for that standard. Additionally, it only separates by subject, so it is not clear to the instructor specifically what course the standards are referring to.
Scaffolding	Scaffolding supports for these materials are complex and challenging, engage learners from various skill levels, assist all students in enhancing conceptual understanding, and offer opportunities for students to share evidence and research.	Scaffolding supports for these materials engage learners from various skill levels and assist students in enhancing conceptual understanding.	Scaffolding supports for these materials engage learners from various skill levels.	Scaffolding supports for these materials do not engage learners.
This resources provides a logical progression of ideas as well as many good extension ideas. Each section of the textbook is divided into five sections: engage (introductory “hook”), explore (content), explain (activities), elaborate (extension activities and information), and evaluate (review and practice assessment). There is a lack of ESL supports, but more on this later.
Navigation	Students can navigate the material independently. Instructions are clear and understandable.	The material contains instructions that are understandable and easy to navigate. Students may need educator support to navigate material.	The material may be used with direct educator support but lacks clear instructions.	The instructions in this material are unclear, and navigation is difficult.
This resource features an adequate user interface, but certain things could be confusing for students. For example, the Techbook widget is small and other features appear larger, creating distractions for students if you want them primarily to use that resource. In addition, some things load somewhat slowly and some features can be hard to find.

Accessibility

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Physical Characteristics	The design of the material is ADA-compliant and can be utilized by all students. In physical terms, this material is durable, interactive, and provides high-quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for all users. The material contains modern, up-to-date, and relatable visuals, including diverse groups of people.	In physical terms, this material is durable, interactive, and provides high-quality audio-visual and tactile experiences for all users.	In physical terms, this material is fragile in construction, and provides limited tactile experiences for students.	In physical terms, this material is designed to be disposable and temporary.
This resource provides a good amount of engaging resources, though some videos are a bit old. It provides many reading activities.
Technical Standards	The material goes above and beyond meeting all the technical standards, ensures student data privacy is safeguarded, and can be easily installed or accessed without technical assistance. Licensing information is clearly stated in the description.	The material meets all the requirements of federal and state laws, along with the accepted technical standards (ISTE Standards and VPAT Compliance). Additional technical specifications and limitations, including hardware requirements, bandwidth demands, student data privacy, and software/ web access restrictions, are adequately noted in the description. The design of the material allows for error-free installation or access without purchasing additional components.	The material is limited by specifications requiring additional materials, technical assistance, hardware, software, or infrastructure. Student data privacy could be at risk. Resources within the material end after a trial period.	Student data privacy is at risk.
The software generally runs smoothly, but it utilizes many pop-ups , which are generally somewhat slow to load.
Adaptability	The material is currently relevant and adaptable for teacher and student use in individualized or group instructional settings across multiple content areas. The material can be customized for the needs of diverse learners.	The material is currently adaptable for a teacher or student to use in a limited instructional setting across a few content areas. The material can be utilized by diverse learners (not customizable).	The material has some features adaptable for students in at least one content area. The material has limited options to address the needs of diverse learners.	The material is not adaptable or easily incorporated into various educational settings or with various diverse learners.
The text provides robust reference guides throughout in the form of supplemental appendices. When clicked, rather than just providing a definition, students are guided through fairly detailed contextual information and dialogue about the word referenced rather than the normal glossary. The text provides some ELL activities, about one per topic. In the teacher view, teachers can assign two Lexile levels of English as well as a Spanish translation of core content. Many resources are PDFs, however, and as a result cannot be edited.

Pedagogy

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Instructional Support	The material provides multiple examples and strong support to educators of ways to deliver instruction. These may include: -Scaffolding Lesson Plans, Personalized/Differentiated Instruction, Experiential Learning, Concept Mapping, Questioning Techniques, or Family Involvement. Furthermore, this material has content that can be problem/project-based, with incorporated skills and concepts that are integrated with all disciplines equally to support student sense-making. (Transdisciplinary/ Interdisciplinary Content Integration)	The material provides some examples to educators of ways to deliver instruction. It contains a few of the following: Scaffolding Lesson Plans, Personalized/Differentiated Instruction, Experiential Learning, Concept Mapping, Questioning Techniques, or Family Involvement.	The material contains limited instructional support on using the material with diverse groups of students, various skill levels, and student needs.	The material does not provide instructional support or examples for the educator.
This resource provides adequate instructional support in some areas. While there is Spanish translation, there is little to help ELL students besides a few simple KWL-type graphic organizers. Most learning resources are identified as being for 6-8 grade, while U.S. History II is an eleventh grade course. ELL resources, for example, employ untranslated instructions at a lower grade level, while non-marked ELL assignments are leveled 6-8 and 9-12. All resources for activities, etc. are embedded in pdf through a document reader. Activities marked as “PDF Activity” do not appear to be submitted or edited by students via the resource, and resources are instead provided as printable PDF’s. Only ones that are not marked as this can be submitted, and it appears about ⅓ to ¼ can be submitted online. Activities include both a lesson plan and student worksheets. One of the best benefits may be that each topic section includes a “Model Lesson,” essentially a unit lesson plan with vocabulary (and definitions), objectives, activities, and resources. There is also an assessment builder and quiz section.
Supplemental Resources	The material provides a wide variety of supplemental resources that are evidence-based and are linked to real-world circumstances and current events.	The material references numerous available supplemental resources.	The material references some available supplemental resources.	The material does not refer to any supplemental resources.
The textbook provides a variety of supplemental resources for students that could be used as extension activities, such as the impressive index described above that encourages further exploration. Teachers also are given “Just for You” curriculum suggestions for further reading for educators. It also includes additional professional development from Discovery Education, including “Social-Emotional Learning,” “Dissent, Equity, and Inspiring Change,” and others. There are also professional developments for current events, such as Red Ribbon Week and Halloween.
Assessments	The material contains a variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with Utah Core Standards, Personalized Competency-Based Learning, and Universal Design for Learning. It provides appropriate intervention strategies that lead to observable performance and real-world experiences for students. The assessments are ADA-compliant.	The material contains summative assessments aligned with Utah Core Standards with few interventions and is ADA-compliant.	The material contains a limited number of assessments without intervention strategies but is ADA-compliant.	The material does not provide assessment materials.
The resource offers few assessment capabilities, with only fairly simple formative quizzes and a collection of basic essay prompts for each chapter. Some activities seem a bit on the busy-work side.

Culture of Learning and Belonging

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Bias Free	This material is free from bias and is in compliance with all relevant federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, as listed in the next “2-Adequate” section for this item. Furthermore, this material focuses on shared identity and includes the unique characteristics & cultural differences of students in Utah. (53E-4-204.1) This material supports civic and character education. (53G-10-204)	This material is neutral and is in compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations below: -It can be used by all students regardless of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or membership in any other protected class, such as ethnicity, or disability, as described in (R277-328). -This material supports educators to be in compliance with (53G-10-202.4), where they may not use their positions to endorse, promote, or disparage a particular religious, denominational, sectarian, agnostic, or atheistic belief or viewpoint. -The material is free from discrimination and does not support stereotyping of character traits, including hard work ethic. (53G-10-206) -It is free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest and is in compliance with the law and community standards.	This material may be interpreted as biased. Or promoting advertising, e-commerce, or political interest. Or maybe considered to regard or treat some groups unfairly.	This material does not comply with federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. This material is biased and favors a point of view that may be distracting to the educational experience of students.
This text generally treats issues in a sensitive way, but sometimes the treatment is too short or lacks appropriate nuance. For example, the text includes some questionable representations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: one is that the Church growing "wealthy" from Gold Rush-related tithing, and another is the cloudy sentence about the Mountain Meadows Massacre listed below. While each contains truth, these statements appear a bit too imprecise. There is also no mention of the Bear River Massacre, continuing this historical problem. “Over time, however, the Mormons began to have conflicts with the government. In 1857 the Mountain Meadows Massacre took place, in which Mormons killed more than 100 people passing through southwestern Utah.”
Cultural Awareness	This item has not been graded.

Inclusive Components	This item has not been graded.

Shared Values and Character Traits	This item has not been graded.

UTAH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

250 East 500 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3204

Phone: 801.538.7807