In December 2024, Exploros concluded a six-month workshop conducted in collaboration with the American Institutes for Research® (AIR) and several educational publishers. During this workshop, we analyzed the High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) rubric, evidence guides, and related resources to learn and apply HQIM standards to our materials. Our goal was to ensure that students have the best opportunities to learn and master standards through engaging social studies content.
Members of our team are ensuring that the following is provided in all Exploros experiences:
Standards Alignment
Materials address state standards.
Materials have a clear pathway for educators to prepare, teach, and assess students’ knowledge and skills through curriculum based in the student expectations. Teacher guidance is provided throughout the lesson experiences and materials offered through the Teacher Pack.
Social Studies Practices
Courses provide opportunities for student inquiry through the 5E model so that they can build skills through engaging with primary and secondary sources.
Students are provided lessons based in disciplinary thinking, reading, writing, listening, speaking, and analyzing like scholars in social studies.
Students are given opportunities during experiences to discuss and ask questions about social studies content and build confidence in reasoning based upon drawing conclusions using evidence from various sources.
Students are provided opportunities for students to apply conclusions to identify and act on problems, issues, or needs in their tribal, local, state, nation, and global communities through the Elaborate portion of experiences.
Equity and Inclusion
Materials provide educators with tools to facilitate learning experiences in response to their unique student population to support an equitable and inclusive classroom environment.
Materials center a diversity of perspectives, voices, and narratives on the topic being studied.
Materials challenge students to consider how identity and social position shape people’s perceptions of events through using multiple perspectives when studying topics.
Materials support educators and students in engaging with sensitive topics.
Usability
Pacing is appropriate and is paced for teachers and students to complete topics within a reasonable amount of time.
Materials are user-friendly for teachers and students. Training is provided for both administrators and classroom teachers.
Instructional Support
Scaffolds and extensions are available throughout each experience.
Formative and summative assessments are paced throughout the materials in order to gauge student progress and mastery of content in addition to informing instruction.
Assessment Practices
High-quality formative assessments are paced throughout the experiences.
Summative assessments provide students with an opportunity to show what they know and inform instruction.
TIA pre and post assessments give teachers a way to show student progress throughout the school year and growth from beginning to end.