Here is an update on the implementation of my TechQuest. We have come across some challenges and some good surprises. Overall, we are happy with the success we have made. Listen to the podcast for more details.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Internet Research for TechQuest Project
This site provides great ideas on how to implement Study Island in the classroom. It is a blog entry completed by a Study Island representative for Kentucky schools. They give great ideas on how to track student progress and ideas for where to place computers in the classroom. They highlight the fact that computer access is a huge component of implementing Study Island successfully. A computer lab in the school is the absolute bare minimum required in order to use Study Island.
This provides a pdf of a case study that focuses on the effects of Study Island in various Ohio school districts. This was conducted by a professional research team- Magnolia Consulting. It highlights the gains of 3 different school districts. Each school has had significant success with Study Island. I was pleased to see that each school district represents a different demographic- suburban, urban and rural. Within each school district, they include graphs to indicate the impact Study Island use has made.
ABC news conducted a story on Study Island and how local schools were implementing it in order to improve test scores. It gives a basic layout as to how the program works, and provides some great screen shots of the site.
This site provides a great segment on how Study Island supports ideas of No Child Left Behind. NCLB is research driven, and dependent of data. Study Island runs of os similar values, as highlighted in this article.
I also referred to the actual Study Island website for information. They offer pricing tables, and specifics on their program for each state. The offer training tips, success stories, and video tutorials specific for the state of Ohio.
What I Learned Through This Search Process
I began my search by referring to the article on Study Island in the current issue of Tech & Learning. This article didn't necessarily provide information that I could use in my project, but it was a great first step. I dropped the names of researchers that have studied Study Island, which was a great help. I then googled the name of the lady that conducted a study and found a great article. This is how I stumbled across Magnolia Consulting. They offer case study results for most of the states that utilize Study Island. I was happy to have found that so quickly. From there I continued to wander off of links that I visited, hoping they would lead me to more resources. I have not practiced this technique in the past, but I found it very valuable. Being able to hop from one page to links that they had provided was great. I trusted many of the sites I went to, and in return trusted the reliability of the links they provided on their page. The "hopping from link to link" strategy really worked for me.
Being able to use names and cases from an actual article gave me some direction as to where to look. I was able to search with a purpose instead of wandering the internet blind. Using key words is also hard to master. I looked to include words such as "implementation" and "case study" in my searches in hopes it would narrow my results.
It is often frustrating to look for quality research. I was lucky to have found what I did so easily. I am a bit embarrassed to admit I used google for my search. I often tell my students to shy away from that, as it is a daunting task to weed through and find something reliable within the list of search results. Yet, I used it myself. Thanks to Tammy, I was referred to the Tech & Learning article. If I had not started with that site, I would have rather began with an article database such as EBSCO or Academic Search Complete. Unlike the internet, I can trust that they provide articles from professional journals, books and magazines. I know they are reliable sources.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
CEP812 Project Description
Overview
Implementing a technology based program such as Study Island may help improve students’ study skills and habits, as well as their test scores.
The Problem of Practice
The big push in school systems today is passing the state achievement tests. As a result, having students pass the achievement test is a top priority at Fostoria Community Schools. According to the Ohio Department of Education’s 2008-2009 School Year Report Card for Riley Elementary School, the school has been designated as showing “Continuous Improvement” (reportcard.ohio.gov). In order to reflect academic excellence and earn a higher designation, at least 75% of Riley Elementary students tested must score proficient or higher on the test. Currently, only 60% of all tested students at Riley Elementary scored proficient on the achievement test for this past school year.
In efforts to improve student success, practice achievement tests are administered every week, rotating in subject. This was done to give students another opportunity to practice answering questions formatted similar to the ones on the state test. We have found that many students are not properly prepared for the test. Therefore, on test day they panic and start to doubt their abilities. Giving students more exposure to the format of the multiple choice questions on the test will hopefully lessen the anxiety students experience on test day. This way they know exactly what to expect, and how to handle it.
Lesson plans and curriculum maps are designed to align with state standards, and therefore content on the achievement test. Much time and effort goes into guiding each student to success. However, we have to remember that each student is different in their educational needs. Students learn at different paces and with different depths of understanding. Implementing a program such as Study Island would help provide students with the individualized support they need in order to maximize success.
Study Island is an innovative website focused on providing instruction, practice and assessment based on state standards (www.studyisland.com). This is a website that is made available to administrators, teachers, parents and students. Study Island focuses all of their materials off of state standards in order to provide authentic resources for each state. Students begin the Study Island program by completing a pre-test to determine what level they will begin at. From there, they can complete lessons and practice sessions based off of the state standards. Sessions are broken down by standard, and then furthermore by indicator. Students can complete a set of practice problems within each indicator, take a review over multiple indicators, and even play games based off of content within individual standards. Teachers can then track students’ progress, as can parents.
Providing students with timely and detailed feedback is essential to mastering skills. Giving feedback helps students identify their mistakes and further develop mastery. As noted by Jere Brophy in his research article titled Teaching he states “To be useful, practice must involve opportunities not only to apply skills but also to receive timely feedback” (p. 22). While students are completing segments on Study Island they are given direct feedback on their progress. When students answer a question incorrectly, Study Island gives students a hint as to how to obtain the correct answer; therefore, guiding them to success. In a study section on fractions, students are referred to a help page in order to guide them through a practice problem correctly.Also, students receive updates on their progress after completing a segment. Students must score a specified percentage in order to progress on to the next section. All of these results are available for teachers to access as well. Teachers can pull up a class report in order to see how students are doing, and where they are in the program. This data is also available to parents so they can track their student’s progress as well.
This feedback helps determine the success each student is having with the program. Essentially showing if it is effective for the students or not. To further determine the usefulness, staff could go back and compare results on Study Island to results on the achievement test. For example, if a student struggled with passing the mathematics portion on geometry and spatial sense, we could go back and review their progress on that standard in Study Island. If this was a section they struggled with during the school year, it would make sense that they struggled with it on the actual achievement test. On the other hand, if students are showing monumental success and this success is shown on their achievement test as well there may be a connection.
The Setting
There are many components necessary in order to make this program an asset to learning. First and foremost is the cooperation of the teacher. The teacher needs to make it a priority to find time to fit Study Island into the school day. It is important that students are given ample time to use the program to their benefit. In order for students to be enthusiastic about learning it is important that the teacher shares the same outlook. Having a positive attitude towards the benefits of Study Island and sharing that with students will help draw in their attention to the program. Teachers also need to have the training in order to maximize the use of the program. This includes attending training on how to use each component of the program, how to access student reports, and what the results on the student reports mean and how to utilize the results in order to achieve mastery in these standards.
Students need to have a positive outlook on learning. By providing them with a non-traditional, internet based approach they may be more intrigued to participate. Brophy also mentions that “Research on learning tasks suggests that activities and assignments should be sufficiently varied and interesting to motivate student engagement,” (Teaching, p. 23). Study Island features a variety of ways to learn including lessons, practice sessions, interactive games and practice tests. These options provide students with variety as well as a chance to have fun with learning by playing the games that are included in the program.
The next necessary component is the subject matter. Study Island focuses on all of the standards recognized in each individual state. The program is broken down by state, then by grad and then by subject area. For example, in alignment with Ohio standards for fourth grade, Study Island provides practice in math, reading, writing, science and social studies. The subjects are then broken down by standard and furthermore by indicators within each standard. The image to the right shows the breakdown for fourth grade science topics.
The final component to success is the actual classroom setting. In order for Study Island to be used to its fullest, there needs to be ample access to computers and the internet. Ideally, this would be available in each classroom. Nearly every classroom at Riley has 4 computers with internet connection. These would be available for individual Study Island sessions in the classroom. However, a school computer lab would also work. In order to further advance student achievement, access at home would be encouraged. This would allow students to log in at home and continue to practice for homework.
Technology-Integrated Solution
In order to raise the overall rating of Riley Elementary and showcase academic excellence in the students, test scores must be raised. Incorporating Study Island into the classrooms will help raise student success rates. Study Island is an innovative website focused on providing students with standards-based instruction, practice and assessment. By incorporating this program into our classrooms, teachers will be able to provide students with authentic practice that directly correlates to the state achievement test.
To begin, the school district will need to purchase enough software for their students. This would mean providing each student with their own account and access. Teachers will need to be trained on the program and learn how to utilize features created just for teachers. The school will need to be equipped in order for students to have daily access to the internet. A computer lab will work, however computers in each classroom would be most effective. Teachers will need to implement a schedule for using Study Island. This practice should be incorporated into the week’s lessons and activities and be introduced to students in the beginning of the school year. Students will be able to track their progress not only through their school work and grades, but through their success on Study Island as well.
The program is designed to match the state standards. Therefore, teachers will be able to directly link their lessons with the sections on Study Island. For those districts that are fortunate enough, practice on Study Island could be given as homework. However, this is only possible if all students have internet access outside of school.
In the article, Computer-based instruction’s (CBI) rediscovered role in K-12: An evaluation case study of one high school’s use of CBI to improve pass rates on high-stakes test by Robert Hannafin and Wellesley Foshay, it is stated that “students involved in a technology environment demonstrated increased achievement. Students also reported more favorable attitudes towards subjects when instruction involved the computer” (p. 148). By implementing Study Island in the classroom, it is hoped that students will take a more active role in their education. This program and the associated technology will be able to provide a new energy and spark in our students and in our classrooms, as well as a refreshing boost to achievement test scores.
Implementation
Spring 2010: Purchase enough software for the school. Confirm computer access in each classroom. Begin training each teacher on Study Island. Develop lessons and a school-wide Study Island schedule.
Summer 2010: Analyze results from achievement tests. Look for areas of strength and weakness in student scores. Identify areas of focus for lessons and practice in Study Island for the grade levels. Finalize Study Island schedule for the classroom.
Fall 2010: Launch Study Island at Riley. Provide parents/students with access codes. Begin to incorporate Study Island into weekly lessons.
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