Halton/Bridges Research ProjectKurzweil Professional Development

Anne Hill - ahill@fanshawec.caMarian Thorpe - thorpem@hdsb.ca

Agenda

• Process of Doing Research - Invaluable –

• Introduction to the Project by Marian Thorpe: Halton Coordinator of Special Education

• Brief Overview of Research Findings to date

• Sharing from Stacey’s Class –data on student learning & teaching/learning strategies

Research Project Title

Do comprehensive models of professional development for teachers, educational assistants, parents & students help improve comfort with & use of assistive technology?

Does using Kurzweil help improve student reading comprehension ?

History

• HDSB agreed to participate in research as it fit with our own mandate to improve PD

• Extensively invested in AT and realized need to develop effective PD for staff, students and parents

Current Situation

• Many competing demands on teachers - changes in curriculum, focus on improving provincial scores, more record keeping

• Overall buy-in to use AT – where we really see the difference AT can make is where the teacher leaders embrace

Specific Research Measurements• Due to small response rates

Unable to do formal statistical analyses therefore we will provide descriptive analyses

• Comfort and Use Survey

Some mean scores show an improvement over time

Other measures pre- and post- data is almost identical, whereas mid scores tend to decrease – interesting to hypothesize reasons

Overall feeling of knowledge of specific resources

Self – report: written and interview data descriptive summary

1. Many challenges outlined – 1. Most frequent was more PD needed for teachers, EA’s

and families & Time 2. Speed of setting up systems and tech support issues

2. Many positive comments about PD received3. Many Suggestions – Implemented

1. Evening training2. Bridges provided Memory Sticks with “How To”

Posters & Videos – On-Line Collaboration- Knowledge Forum Database

On - Line Collaboration

Self Evaluation Tools• Kurzweil Usage Log

• Self evaluation rubrics

MAZE Assessments – AIMS Web Passages: Improvement over time

Kurzweil in the Classroom: Stacey and the Tech Dudes

Further Research?• Research issues/questions you would like to

see addressed?• Attend Dr. Karen Erickson’s Session on Action

Research! Saturday: May 15- 8:30 am – 11:00

Creation TapestryJudy Chicago