New catalog simplifies your search

We've created an online professional development catalog to simplify your search for the right learning opportunity. Here you will find schedules and detailed information about workshops, continuing education credit options, and courses.

You may search by:

• Content area
• Provider
• Credit
• Grade level

You'll also find a wealth of articles on effective teaching and learning practices from respected sources such as Teacher Quality Digest and New Horizons for Learning.

Other DLC Supports

DLC-sponsored professional development conferences, free of charge to our members, are an ongoing benefit of your subscription. Learn more about our school support services, such as the Innovative Practices for Student Achievement Conference, our Teacher2Teacher program and our Train the Trainer workshops.

Are you planning to use ClassTools this summer?

Here are some things that you should know about ClassTools content updates:

• In order to access the new content, teachers will need to enroll students in newly created classrooms on or after July 1, 2008.
• Actively-used classrooms created prior to July 1, 2008 will remain available after July 1, but will not reflect any updates in content and features.
• In order to encourage the use of the updated material, all ClassTools classrooms and enrollments created prior to July 1, 2008 will be expired on August 1, 2008.
• Student and teacher accounts, and student progress reports, will remain intact and available after the August 1, 2008 expiration date.

New trainings for ClassTools users

The DLC now requires completion of a two-part training in order to create a new ClassTools account. The first 30-45 minute training provides an overview of the content and use of the resource; the second 90-120 minute training will guide users through best practices in classroom creation, student enrollment, content customization, and report tracking. Go to ClassTools Accounts to participate in a ClassTools training. Existing account holders are encouraged to participate but are not required to do so.

If you have any questions about ClassTools, trainings, or about the rollover time lines and conditions, please contact the DLC at dlcinfo@learningcommons.org or 206.616.9940.

Comprehensive review

These short vignettes, formulated by math teachers, are based on typical problems your students will encounter on the WASL. You can assign review work by searching through more than 40 standards-based problems in eight categories:

• Number sense
• Measurement
• Geometric sense
• Probability and statistics
• Algebraic sense
• Problem solving and reasoning
• Mathematical communications
• Making mathematical connections

Mathcasts, which align with the Washington State 9th and 10th grade math standards, embed the applicable standards into each screencast. This saves you time and effort. See an example here.

Two skill-building tools

When you pair Mathcasts with ALP WASL Prep, you've given your students an engaging combination of online tools for success beyond the WASL math exam. Within the ALP WASL Prep, you'll find test-taking tips and strategies for multiple-choice, short-answer, and extended-response questions—skills your students will need as they progress through high school math and beyond.

New features include a more comprehensive, intuitive search engine, a dynamic look, and the addition of resources tailored to parents, students and afterschool programs. You can reach Thinkfinity directly or through the DLC's Teaching Resources.

Some highlights of the new site:

• New look and navigation
  A vibrant design, carefully crafted for ease-of-use, is fun to navigate and speeds up your research.
• Additional sections
  Children need the support of parents and afterschool educators to succeed academically and in life. These new sections speak to the ways parents and others can get involved and make a difference.
• A growing list of standard alignments by state
  You can seek resources on Thinkfinity that align to Washington State standards.
• Search for information provided by nine content partners
  Nine content providers partner with the Verizon Foundation, including Science NetLinks and Smithsonian's History Explorer, to offer 55,000 free K-12 lesson plans, interactives, reference materials, media, and assessment tools.
• My Thinkfinity
  Now you can sign up for a user account that enhances your capacities, such as the ability to save searches, bookmark and tag resources, share resources with fellow users and create your own content.

These great features, along with professional development opportunities and free training, all add up to a high level of support for educators and families. The Verizon Foundation truly lives it's commitment to improve lives "by sparking literacy, lifelong learning and success for the 21st century."

We meet the needs of every student, from those in need of AP and honors courses to those preparing for the WASL. 2008-09 membership is $6 per student for public schools. All of the details about membership, as well as the online membership form, can be found here: www.learningcommons.org/join/

By becoming a member of the DLC, you can:

• Boost student achievement.
• Expand resources and courses.
• Encourage individualized learning.

What's new for the coming school year?

ExploreLearning Gizmos
A new teaching resource for grades 6–12, is included in membership at no additional cost. These award-winning modules bring complex math and science concepts to life through interactive lessons.

Facts on File's Issues and Controversies in American History
Along with an improved web design for easier use, Facts on File's American History database encourages students to cross reference and research news articles by subject, by era and by issue.

DLC Tutors offer free, real-time homework help online
As a natural evolution of our current tutoring service, your students can access live assistance from our top-notch tutors, Monday—Thursday evenings.

We've also continued to work with our course providers to lower the cost of online courses. The average price of a course for next year is $255.

Learn all about membership resources, pricing, joining dates, and more. Visit www.learningcommons.org/membership.

Number2.com

Number2.com is a free tutorial that tracks student progress with immediate feedback on your work. It adapts to your skill level and even pings you to clarify what’s next on your study list. Check out your personal online tutor and try a demonstration.

Let’s face it: prepping for a test is not as much fun as other spring activities. Number2.com allows you to pick a trusted ally as your SAT Coach—a parent, sibling or counselor—to help you stay on track and work through the levels together.

Princeton Review SAT Test Prep

Princeton Review is now offering DLC’s membership a 50 percent savings on the SAT ExpressOnline preparation course. This accelerated, two-three week course includes:

• self-paced online lessons
• 2 full-length practice tests and online drills
• personalized diagnostic score reports
• email and phone support
• feedback on essay

Sign up today and save $50 per course when you provide the following promotion code: DLXWDLCSATE. To learn more, call 1-800-2Review.

Princeton Review also offers SAT Online, a comprehensive 30-hour course that provides the support of instructors and an online coach.

Not sure when the tests are held?

College Board provides test dates and locations for domestic and international test centers. Be sure you are registered in advance!

With the help of resources such as these, you are sure to feel confident when the test day arrives.

Facts on File

This comprehensive news resource has a fresh look, but don’t be thrown by the changes. You’ll find additional content and a robust search engine, but the website’s familiar content categories, including Today’s Science and Issues and Controversies, remain. You’ll find them under Available Resources.

SIRS

SIRS’s Curriculum Pathfinders: building 21st Century Skills provides a new option for navigating magazine and periodical resources on their website. Students and teachers benefit from fast access to curriculum support and homework tools—articles, math tools, research ideas and interactive activities—including those that are aligned with Washington State standards.

netTrekker d.i.

This highly flexible database has moved to a menu format, allowing you to greatly refine your search to include multiple criteria from multiple menus across student readability levels. Save time and improve results with these teacher-reviewed and rated K-12 web resources.

To expedite your research, the DLC provides a helpful guide that matches our online resources to subject areas.

Apply by February 15 to get the money you need for college before it runs out. Fill out the FAFSA if you are applying to (or even just thinking of applying to):

• Universities and four-year colleges
• Community colleges
• Vocational and technical schools

Here are some resources you can use to find money for college and to fill out the FAFSA correctly.

Free online financial aid resources through the DLC

FinAid is a great resource for finding money for college that you can't get through the FAFSA. Here are some quick links into specific sections of the FinAid site:

• Scholarships
• Military Student Aid
• Financial Aid Applications

Free in-person help completing the FAFSA in Washington State

Washington State is holding its second annual College Goal Sunday on January 27. College Goal Sunday is a free, on-site program that can help you and your family complete the FAFSA.

• Learn more about College Goal Sunday.
• Find a College Goal Sunday site near you.

More support for schools

Check out our Customized Training & Workshops. We now offer the following types of training:

• Resource Training
• Implementation Consultations
• DLC Demos
• Workshops

Professional development conferences

You may have attended one of our conferences already. Click on DLC Conferences to learn more about the conferences in general and upcoming dates.

We encourage you to take advantage of School Support this school year. It's part of your membership and one of the best ways to take full advantage of DLC resources.

Features not to be missed

Be sure students work through the introductory lessons first, found in Getting Started, which include discussions on the following:

• Math myths
• Math anxiety
• Test-taking tips
• Problem-solving strategies

Strands 2.0 through 8.0 include an assessment, which includes a review of the lessons within the strand. The multiple choice section of the assessments are computer scored.

Learn how to use the tool

For guidance in using ALP Math, see our User's Guide. It includes an overview of this tool, plus in-depth information about rubrics and assessments.

Watch screencasts of the Bookmarks tool

Sit back with a handful of popcorn (the screencasts are short!) and learn more about Bookmarks. Make sure your sound is on.

• Overview of the bookmarking tool
• Sharing bookmarks

Install a toolbar for easy access to Bookmarks and the DLC site

What's a toolbar? It's a bar of links that lives on your Internet browser. Install the DLC toolbar so that you can quickly jump to the DLC, add a DLC bookmark, or go to your DLC bookmarks.

• Learn what other DLC schools in Washington are doing to support student success.
• Explore DLC resources in depth to gain a deeper understanding of how to integrate technology into curricula.
• Learn how specific DLC resources support powerful teaching and student achievement.
• Go home with coaching skills to support the use of DLC resources to enhance technology integration within the teaching and learning processes in your school.

For more information and to register, go to the Conference page. Be sure to pass the word on to staff in your school! This is a wonderful opportunity to gain new skills, network with colleagues, and learn how to use DLC resources to support student achievement.

Blogging to save you time

DLC Tutors blog just about every day. Blog entries include time-saving tips about schoolwork. And the blog also links directly into DLC resources to save you clicks.

Posters to decorate your walls

Need a reminder to go to the DLC for help with schoolwork? Print out a poster to hang on your wall:

• >Apple poster (845kb)
• >Brain poster (4.2mb)
• >Face poster (7.6mb)

Standards searching made easy

We created the DLC Standards Correlations tool to make it easier for you to search for DLC resources that align to Washington State EALRs and GLEs.

You can search DLC Standards Correlations by keyword or choose a subject and then a grade. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!

Update to the popular netTrekker

We upgraded to netTrekker d.i., which features the same great content with the following additions:

• Online resources organized by readability level support differentiated instruction.
• Section for English Language Learners features customized content.
• Read Aloud text-to-speech reads highlighted text to students.

New elementary school resource

We added Amazing Animals of the World to our Grolier encyclopedia collection. Be sure to check out these features:

• Habitats: An easy way for students to browse animals by the habitats they live in.
• Jungle Jumble: Fun visual puzzles that link to kid-friendly articles.
• Feature Creature: Encyclopedia articles, teaching resources, and videos to bring animals to life in the classroom.

Research help for students

First of all we renamed iTutor to researchTutor to clarify what this resource is for. We've also redesigned it so that it's more user friendly for students and links to DLC resources they can use while doing research. Be sure to steer students toward this DLC-made resource.

Quick access to the DLC

We've created a DLC toolbar that you can use for quick access to the DLC website and to our Bookmarks tool. Install the DLC toolbar on your library computers, in the computer lab, or even on your home computer. You have your choice of installing a DLC toolbar for Firefox or for IE.

And as always...

Remember, we're more than the resources on our website. We also offer all kinds of support to schools.

• Check out our Getting Started and Keeping Going toolkits for helpful resources.
• Sign up for an online training session to learn how to dig deeper into a resource.
• Request a training to learn how to tailor resources to your classroom curriculum.

Graduation Rates

Give students more options to earn the credits they need to graduate.

• Expand your school's course offerings and allow for greater scheduling flexibility.
• Meet the needs of every student with online resources in every subject and level, from remedial to AP.
• Individual study plans allow students to work through assignments at their own pace.
• An external evaluation of the DLC's online courses showed that one-third of seniors who took online courses would not have graduated without them.

Remediation and Acceleration

Serve both ends of the bell curve and retain more students.

• Instructor-led online courses give students the flexibility to make up credits without retaking the entire class.
• If you don't have the capacity to offer AP or honors classes, instructor-led online courses are a great option.
• Online resources, such as Math ClassTools and ALPs Math, allow students to focus on the specific skills they need to master.
• Give students with specific interests the opportunity to take classes not offered at school, including college-level classes.
• Diagnostics and reports help teachers quickly and easily get a sense of students' strengths and weaknesses.

Test Scores

Raise test scores with easy-to-use tools and resources.

• Online diagnostic tools and reports make it easy for teachers to assess student knowledge.
• WASL test-prep resources, tutorials, and online courses help students target the skills they need to succeed.
• Online assessment tools mean teachers spend less time grading tests and more time teaching.
• Library databases, such as netTrekker and Grolier, include lesson plans and resources aligned to Washington State standards.
• Web-based test-prep tools can be used in a computer lab or printed out for classroom use.

Give us a call at 800.890.8592 or click here to learn more about membership and how we can help you.