Minnesota Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum

Minnesota Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum

From the MPCC website.

A grassroots initiative among Minnesota school districts to create comprehensive open education resources (OER) through the Minnesota Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum is underway. Over 200 districts have committed to fund the inaugural phase of the initiative by contributing approximately one dollar per ADM. The goal of the inaugural phase is to create course work in a digital format in the four core subject areas for grades 3-12. In the continuing phases, materials will be developed for other grade levels and subject areas.

The benefits to all districts include:

• Access to high quality curriculum aligned to standards and available at minimal cost.
• Local control over the curriculum to edit, remove, add, or customize elements of the content.
• Improving capacity for personalized learning.
• Training opportunities for teachers to develop digital content and become skilled in delivering personalized learning through digital content.
• Involvement of outside organizations that are offering to provide content and support (Humanities Center, DNR, U of M LT Lab, local authors);
• Enhanced multi-media, interdisciplinary units, and data collection tools;
• Support for advancing the curriculum adoption process to digital content;
• Teacher networks connecting all those who are using the materials.

This initiative is an extension of collaborative efforts by the Minnesota Learning Commons, and the MDE OER Commons initiative. Minnesota Department of Education staff have been involved in updates about the project.

Further details can be found in the Continuing Organizational Plan, which contains details on the organization and outcomes, along with an Agreement Request Form to indicate an interest in joining. Additionally, the website at http://mncollaborativecurriculum.org includes examples of projects already launched and the process for sponsoring projects.

As of January 2016, thirty courses are in the process of being completed or piloted. The creation of the remaining courses in the inaugural phase will be developed by writers from partner districts this year. Teacher training continues for writing digital curriculum and for preparing and supporting teachers using digital resources in the classroom.

Communications to districts throughout the state will continue to ensure all districts are aware of the opportunity to join.

For more information or to join the partnership contact:

Jon Voss, Director of Teaching & Learning, jwvoss@district287.org

Jessica Wiley, Program Manager, jesswiley@comcast.net