An Overview of the Curriculum Customization Service

The Curriculum Customization Service (CCS) is a Web-based system built using NSDL’s EduPak tools. CCS delivers digitized, publisher-provided curricular materials - student textbook chapters, assessments, instructional support materials - along with interactive digital library resources and instructor-developed resources in the context of learning goals. Materials are cataloged and managed using the NSDL Collection System, and instructor-contributed content is saved to and retrieved from the Digital Discovery System (DDS). Web service APIs are used to generate rich user interfaces in the CCS. In addition, DDS services are being used to integrate digital resources from DLESE, linked to district learning goals.

The current field trial involves all 120 middle and high school Earth science educators in a large urban school district using the system for planning and delivery of differentiated instruction, a concept at the heart of the CCS system's design. Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching and learning that seeks to customize curriculum to the needs of different populations of students, versus the traditional 'one size fits all' approach. We report on data collected thus far and plans for ongoing evaluation of teacher practice, beliefs, and attitudes about differentiated instruction and teaching with technology.