Alignment tags are used to indicate how a resource is aligned to a particular teaching standard or framework. These attribute tags can be added to resources on SHMS so that other educators can search for standard-aligned content. These standards are currently available on the site: Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards Math, Common Core State Standards Language Arts, UNESCO ICT CFW.
Application Programming Interface (API)
A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. An API specifies how software components should interact and APIs are used when programming graphical user interface components. APIs are used on the site to communicate resource data between learning management systems and between content providers and the SHMS library.
SHMS has a variety of tools where members can create educational resources using text, graphics, video and other digital media. Tools used to create resources include: Open Author, Lesson Builder, and Module Builder.
Curated collections are sets of educational materials organized arround a single topic, theme, or resource provider. Each resource is carefully described and indexed.
Common Core State Standards
A US-based set of academic standards in Mathematics and English language arts/literacy. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from secondary school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless of where they live.
This initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers in the US. it seeks to establish consistent educational standards across the United States as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or to enter the workforce.
Common Core State Standards English Language Arts
The English Language Arts standards include History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects.Because students must learn to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, the standards promote the literacy skills and concepts required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines.
Common Core State Standards Math
The Mathematics standards include content standards and mathematical practices. They outline what each student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. They describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on processes and proficiencies with longstanding importance in mathematics education.
A copyright license is an authorization by the copyright owner to enable another party to engage in behavior that would otherwise be the exclusive right of the copyright owner, but without transferring title in those rights. This permission can be granted for the copyright itself. See also, Usage Rights.
Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that works to increase the amount of creativity (cultural, educational, and scientific content) available in “the commons” — the body of work that is available to the public for free and legal sharing, use, repurposing, and remixing. Learn more about the different types of licenses at Creative Commons.
The lessons and academic content taught in a school or in a specific course or program.
Groups are created by SHMS members to collaborate and share educational resources. Once a group is created, members can comment, add, and share resources within the group environment.
Education outside of a standard school setting. Informal Education is the wise, respectful, and spontaneous process of cultivating learning. It works through conversation, and the exploration and enlargement of experience.
A Hub is a custom resource center on SHMS where a network of users can create and share collections, administer groups, and share news and events associated with a project or organization.
The three domains of learning include: cognitive domain (acquisition of knowledge), affective (growth in feelings or attitudes), and psychomotor (development of manual or physical skills).
Learning Management System (LMS)
A software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of electronic educational technology courses or training programs. Canvas, Blackboard, EdX, Schoology, Moodle are popular examples of learning management systems.
Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI)
A standard created by the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
Its primary purpose is to connect learning systems such as Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, Schoology, and OpenEdx with external service tools in a standard way. SHMS provides LTI access for these and other Learning Management Systems.
The Lesson Builder is a tool that allows authors to create both student and teacher facing content views. Authors can include overviews, pedagogical supporting text, and instructions for both students and other users of the resource. The Lesson consists of sequenced tasks, which can incorporate a step-by-step approach to learning. Each task can have associated resources available for download.
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards are based on the Common Core Standard Initiative. Content areas focus on: Arts, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Physical Education.
The Module Builder is a tool that allows authors to create both student and instructor facing content views. Authors can include overviews, pedagogical supporting text, and instructions for both students and other users of the resource. The Module can consist of sequenced tasks, which can incorporate a step-by-step approach to learning. Each task can have associated resources available for download.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
An educational initiative in the United States that details K–12 science content standards. Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students.
A goal for developing the NGSS was to create a set of research-based, up-to-date K–12 science standards. These standards give local educators the flexibility to design classroom learning experiences that stimulate students’ interests in science and prepares them for college, careers, and citizenship.
New Hampshire State Science Standards
The Frameworks for Science Literacy includes Grade Span Expectations that break down the content into specific grade spans (K-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12). Each span lists proficiencies which indicate what all students should know and be able to do by the end of that grade span. Science is divided into three content domains (Earth Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science) and one Science Process Skills domain.
A software tool that allows users to build and create courses, lessons, activities, and presentations for students or other educators. With this tool, users can write and upload links and media to create, license, and publish resources on SHMS.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
OER are teaching and learning materials that are freely available online for everyone to use, whether you are an instructor, student or self-learner. Examples of OER include: full courses, course modules, syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the world.
Pass the torch
The act of passing responsibility for the group administrator role of a group in SHMS to another member of the group.
Specialized training, formal education, or advanced professional learning intended to help administrators, teachers, and other educators improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness.
Adapting, reorganizing, and remaking existing resources to create something new.
Texts, videos, software, and other materials that teachers use to assist students to meet the expectations for learning.
Providers are trusted organizations that provide educational resources for teaching and learning on SHMS. You can search for resources not only by subject matter, but browse by trusted content providers as well.
Share-alike is a copyright licensing term, used by the Creative Commons project, to describe works or licences that require copies or adaptations of the work to be released under the same or similar licence as the original.
Teaching Bundle (download)
Open Author resources, metadata, and all of their related media files, may be exported using the ‘download teaching bundle’ feature. This allows you to use Open Author resources in other environments, such as for presentations or in a local content management system.
Usage rights define the way teaching, learning, and resource materials found on SHMS have been released. Typically, OER is protected under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. See also, Usage Rights.