I don't know how many states use the ITBS...I know it's a lot, so your idea would be useful as well. But in California, we have the STAR testing system which is written specifically to fit California state standards. My guess is that there are many states that have their own testing systems as well, and that those would be the states that really focus heavily on standards.
As for the enormity of the task of linking each state's standards to LL games, I really don't think it would be *that* huge of a task. It will definitely take time...don't get me wrong. I would estimate about 60 hours of work initially. But after that, it's just a matter of keeping up as states change their standards. If most states are like California, then the standards change every several years. So let's assume as many as 15 or 20 states will need updating per year. Since we'll already have the template and know what we're looking for, that might
mean another 10 hours or so of updating per year. So, yes, that's a lot of work, but marketing-wise you'd get a lot of bang for your buck. Even if you had to pay someone to do it at, say, $10 an hour, you're talking $600 start-up and $100 a year after that for the thing that will probably most sell school administrators on LL products. Make the brochure of ideas to sell the teachers. Make the link to standards to sell the administrators. Get out and play the games with teachers at teacher's conventions, and you should do some pretty brisk sales. :o)
That all said, I would be interested in helping out with some of that this summer...either with the standards, the brochure, the conventions, or all of the above. If you'd like my help, then send me a private e-mail and we can set up the details. :o)
Laurie
Carol Townsend <carol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In some ways, it's just a huge task to FIND the standards for each
state. I've found (www.edstandards.org ) and it seems to be a pretty
good, up-to-date site... or at least as up-to-date as the associated
links are. But yes... this would be huge task.
Let me ask: how many states use things like the Iowa Test of Basic
Skills? Having grown up in Iowa, I know what they're like, having
graduated from HS in New York, I know they're given all the way out
there and having taught in MN and IL, I know they're here too. So,
are they pretty ubiquitous? Do many states use them? Are there other
tests that are more widely used?
Benchmarks for the ITBS are here:
http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/nclb/doc/ccsb.html . Would it be
good to use these instead of national standards since many schools use
tests - and therefore if our games help reach
test benchmarks they're
going to help in classes?
Am I just beating around the same bush?
Carol
On 5/30/06, Pat Fuge - Gnome Games wrote:
>
>
> I agree with Laurie - each game should have a way to relate to every
> specific state that there are standards for so that teachers can grab and
> play and ensure the games meet their state standards, allow them to improve
> their students benchmark performance etc.
>
> But this is a monumental task - 49 states per game with ever-changing
> verbage can be more than a full time job. (Iowa doesn't have standards yet
> as that is a local government responsibility)
>
> Perhaps there is a way that someone in each state can work backwards to LL
> to help you guys out? I know we do lesson plans for many of the games
> already but they are WI specific.
>
>
>
> Pat
Fuge
>
> Gnome Games
>
> (920) 499-4263
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
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