CompassLearning Odyssey
[CompassLearning (512) 478-9600, K-12]

     Some outstanding online curriculum and assessment programs were entered in this year's EDDIE Awards. Perhaps CompassLearning Odyssey was chosen for an award in the Curriculum Solutions category because of its ease of implementation, content, and superb graphics, along with its ability to support differentiated instruction, formative assessment, targeted intervention and enrichment.

     CompassLearning Odyssey excels on the following three levels:
(1) Teachers are equipped with powerful tools for creating, editing and customizing tests (Item Bank, Item Builder, Objective Builder and Test Builder). (2) Students (who may take assessments online or offline, and at their own pace) are given dynamic, interactive assignments enhanced with videos, quizzes and practice, including remediation if an objective is not mastered. (3) School and District Administrators can review school, class, and student achievement data in order to improve educational programs and ensure Adequate Yearly Progress.

     Last, but not least, the program is capable of creating pre- and post-benchmark tests, adding unique test items and objectives, and covers all subject areas. Congratulations to CompassLearning for a fine product.

Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society
[ABC-CLIO (805) 968-1911, Grades 9-12]

     ABC-CLIO has produced numerous high quality social studies websites in recent years. In 2006, we were pleased to award the company for its "United States at War: Understanding Conflict and Society" resource, and included a review.

     This year's entry is no less impressive. Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society offers in-depth examination of how society is shaped by controversy, and includes national and worldwide historical data and expert perspectives from a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Major groupings are: Society, Criminal Justice, Environment, Gender/Ethnicity, Government/Law/Politics, and Science/Technology.

     The user will find the website easy to navigate, as ABC-CLIO uses its trademark links and tabs to provide cross-referencing of materials. There are 150 significant social issues, with 4,000 reference entries. Over 15,000 primary and secondary sources are included, along with government documents, photographs and other works of art, video clips, and historic maps. (Videos require QuickTime, which can be downloaded from the link provided.)

     ABC-CLIO's eight social studies websites are subscription-based, and subscribers, once logged in, can easily switch between the sites (American Government, American History, State Geography, World Geography, World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, World History: The Modern Era, United States at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, and Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society). 

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