All too often we hear stories about low-quality content from the online education resource marketplace TeachersPayTeachers.com (TPT) making their way into students' hands. One study of TPT's top 100 U.S. high school history resources found 70 percent to be of low to moderate quality (Harris et al., 2022). Studies of TPT English language arts, Black history, math, and culturally relevant materials showed similar concerning results (Silver, 2021).
In response, some principals and school districts have banned the use of TPT and similar platforms. But recent research has also shown that these services appear to meet critical needs for teachers, providing places where under-resourced and time-strapped educators connect, exchange ideas, and gain access to needed classroom materials ( Carpenter & Shelton, 2022). So outright bans might not be the best option.
If teachers do use TPT, however, they should be aware of the challenges that can arise when using curriculum that's had limited vetting in open markets (or trying to evaluate TPT resources themselves). As former P–12 educators who research online education resource marketplaces, we have identified four strategies educators should use when seeking out and sharing lesson materials from unvetted online sources.
1. Be Skeptical of Ratings, Tagging, and Popularity Indices
Online marketplaces exist to make money, not necessarily to get the best curriculum into teachers' hands. Don't assume the metrics offered by marketplaces are valid or useful. Although users often rely heavily on TPT buyer reviews (Carpenter & Shelton, 2022), mounting evidence suggests these ratings are almost unanimously high, and therefore uninformative. The credibility of resource tagging has also been questioned—many TPT materials are incorrectly tagged, and over-tagging is widespread. Finally, multiple studies highlight problems with popularity indices, as the most purchased resources are often not high quality (Silver, 2021).
2. Find Trustworthy Sellers and Take Advantage of Online Community
Many teachers value buying material from fellow teachers (Carpenter & Shelton, 2022), but the reality is that many popular TPT sellers operate as small publishing companies. Teachers should investigate content-creators' qualifications, seek out sellers from a diverse array of identities and perspectives, and interrogate sellers' motives and marketing approaches. Ask yourself, "Is there actual pedagogical value in this resource, or am I being swayed by bells and whistles or my desire to keep up with Pinterest-worthy education influencers?" Try using social media to gather recommendations regarding sellers, see examples of how to implement TPT materials, and ask questions of content creators.
3. Look Deeply at Resource Content
When assessing a resource's content, consider coherence and alignment to standards, level of difficulty, copyright, and pedagogical approaches. Work together with your colleagues or department team to collaboratively evaluate material. You might consider the reliability/accuracy of information, the perspectives included (and not included), and opportunities for student agency in the lesson. Avoid assembling a piecemeal curriculum or one that focuses on aesthetics or "engagement."
4. Be Careful with Your Money and Time
Searching for curriculum online can be exhausting and expensive. Ask yourself, "Can I find free (possibly superior) resources elsewhere?" Try exploring vetted, free sources such as Learning for Justice, The New York Times Learning Network, Public Broadcast Station Learning Media, and Smithsonian Learning Lab, among others. Searching among the millions of resources available to teachers demands time and labor, and educators should continually re-evaluate if their methods are worth the effort they require.
A Band-Aid for a Hurting System?
Online education resource marketplaces may in many ways represent a Band-Aid solution for a system in which teachers are too often under-resourced, siloed, overworked, and underpaid. Even experienced teachers may find themselves in moments when using resources from online marketplaces just makes sense. However, when teachers do turn to online curricular sources, they need to exercise caution to make savvy judgements about which resources they use—and how.
