WCS to Create Open-Resource Science Curriculum

Published March 30, 2017

The following is the first in a four part series written by WCS Assistant Superintendent of Teaching Learning and Assessment Tim Gaddis.

In anticipation of new Tennessee science standards taking effect in 2018-19, Williamson County Schools will join the growing number of districts across the nation that are adopting open education resources instead of traditional textbooks. Open education resources come from universities, government agencies, museums, professional organizations and a wide array of education-focused providers. Through careful vetting, a team of WCS educators will choose resources that directly support our district’s curriculum scope and sequences.

Why should WCS make the shift from traditional textbooks to open education resources?

One important consideration is that we will be able to align our curricular units and support materials directly with our state’s standards. Commercial texts are never perfectly aligned, and teachers often scramble to fill in the gaps. Further, in today’s world, science knowledge is growing rapidly, and textbooks can quickly become outdated. By creating our own materials drawn from open resources, WCS will be able to keep pace with scientific developments in real time. In addition, we will be able to draw upon the expertise of our WCS teachers, who have consistently led our students to the top science performance in Tennessee. Finally, the district will realize significant cost savings, making it possible to maintain our commitment to providing the resources for rich, hands-on science learning.