Orlando Oser Communications Group Tuesday, February 1, 2011 The education market is a key focus for SP Controls of San Francisco, Calif. Gary Arcudi, SP Controls’ Director of Marketing, says attendees at FETC will see a revolutionary suite of products designed to give the instructor the freedom to teach and interact with all their technology tools anywhere in the classroom from an iPad. ESD: SP Controls is well known for its educator-friendly audio-visual control systems―what’s new for FETC 2011? GA: We are really excited about this year’s show. We think that our new product offering will truly revolutionize and unify how teachers work with various technologies in the Further advancing collaboration in the classroom, DLP’s new dual-pen and 3D interactive projector bring added opportunities for collabora- tion between teachers and their stu- dents as well as between students and their classmates. One example of this is DLP’s interactive projector, allowing teachers and students to manipulate projected images on any surface with the touch of a pen or from a distance without the need for calibration. Using a special interactive pen that functions similarly to a wireless mouse, teachers and students can interact with an image on the screen from up to 7 meters away by simply rolling, pointing, clicking, scrolling, navigating and writing. With new dual-pen capabilities classrooms can have two students interacting with the projected image at the By Melanie Pritchett, Director of Education Policy, CompassLearning In an era characterized by an indis- putable crisis in American education, few topics generate more excitement and diverse opinions than that of 21st century skill development. Proponents herald it as the necessary step to recovering American stu- dents’ global academic competitiveness. Critics fear posi- tive steps toward accountability and academic rigor will be replaced with “fuzzy” pedagogy and vague standards. In 2008, only 74.9 percent of American high school seniors received their diplomas*; the figures are even bleaker for students in poverty and students of color. In addition, the gap is widening between what colleges An interview with Nancy Knowlton, CEO of SMART Technologies. ESD: What new products is SMART showing at FETC? NK: The featured product will be our new SMART Board 800 series inter- active whiteboard. We’re calling it a new class of inter- active whiteboard because it enhances collaboration by supporting multiuser writing and common multi-touch gestures. It offers features such as freestyle interactions, touch gestures and full object awareness, meaning that the whiteboard recognizes whether a user interacts using a finger, fist, pen or an eraser and responds accordingly. This series includes the 880 and 880i models, and the AVI-SPL Vice President of Sales– Education, Rob Moss, reflects on where the education market is headed, and the role his company has to play. ESD: What is your perspective on the current state of the education market? RM: I’ve seen in real time the changes occur right in front of me. We’re at a tipping point, where leaders in education have to invest in getting their staffs trained to utilize the available technology, in turn allowing them to make more informed decisions. It’s just as simple as that. We want to avoid scenarios in which too much gear is purchased, or it’s purchased and not used as effectively as it can be. These are just a few of Continued on Page 20 Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 17 Angela Brotherton, ESL Teacher at Pittsburg Primary School, Texas, talks about PolyVision. ESD: How can you best describe Pittsburgh Primary? AB: Pittsburg Primary is located in a small town in Northeast Texas. Our school is comprised of over 400 pre-kindergarten through first grade stu- dents. With several bilingual classrooms and four English as a Second Language [ESL] classrooms, the population at Pittsburg Primary is representative of our community’s diversity. ESD: What type of technology is employed in your school? Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 17 Continued on Page 17 SP CONTROLS’ NEW PRODUCT LINE WILL CHANGE THE WAY THE CLASSROOM WORKS TI DLP SHOWCASES INTERACTIVE 3D PROJECTOR TECH & DUAL-PEN FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE WITH ENO BY POLYVISION COMPASSLEARNING BRINGS 21ST CENTURY SKILLS TO THE CLASSROOM SMART TECHNOLOGIES DISPLAYS NEW SMART BOARD AT FETC 2011 WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AVI-SPL FOCUSES ON ‘THE TOTAL SOLUTION’ -
Transcript
OrlandoOser Communicat ions GroupTuesday, February 1, 2011
The education market is a key focusfor SP Controls of San Francisco,Calif. Gary Arcudi, SP Controls’Director of Marketing, says attendeesat FETC will see a revolutionary suiteof products designed to give theinstructor the freedom to teach andinteract with all their technology toolsanywhere in the classroom from an iPad.
ESD: SP Controls is well known for its educator-friendlyaudio-visual control systems―what’s new for FETC 2011?
GA:We are really excited about this year’s show. We thinkthat our new product offering will truly revolutionize andunify how teachers work with various technologies in the
Further advancing collaboration inthe classroom, DLP’s new dual-penand 3D interactive projector bringadded opportunities for collabora-tion between teachers and their stu-dents as well as between students and their classmates.
One example of this is DLP’s interactive projector,allowing teachers and students to manipulate projectedimages on any surface with the touch of a pen or from adistance without the need for calibration. Using a specialinteractive pen that functions similarly to a wirelessmouse, teachers and students can interact with an imageon the screen from up to 7 meters away by simply rolling,pointing, clicking, scrolling, navigating and writing.
With new dual-pen capabilities classrooms can havetwo students interacting with the projected image at the
By Melanie Pritchett, Director ofEducation Policy, CompassLearning
In an era characterized by an indis-putable crisis in American education,few topics generate more excitementand diverse opinions than that of 21stcentury skill development. Proponentsherald it as the necessary step to recovering American stu-dents’ global academic competitiveness. Critics fear posi-tive steps toward accountability and academic rigor willbe replaced with “fuzzy” pedagogy and vague standards.
In 2008, only 74.9 percent of American high schoolseniors received their diplomas*; the figures are evenbleaker for students in poverty and students of color. Inaddition, the gap is widening between what colleges
An interview with Nancy Knowlton,CEO of SMART Technologies.
ESD: What new products is SMARTshowing at FETC?
NK: The featured product will be ournew SMART Board 800 series inter-active whiteboard. We’re calling it a new class of inter-active whiteboard because it enhances collaboration bysupporting multiuser writing and common multi-touchgestures. It offers features such as freestyle interactions,touch gestures and full object awareness, meaning thatthe whiteboard recognizes whether a user interacts usinga finger, fist, pen or an eraser and responds accordingly.This series includes the 880 and 880i models, and the
AVI-SPL Vice President of Sales–Education, Rob Moss, reflects onwhere the education market is headed,and the role his company has to play.
ESD: What is your perspective on thecurrent state of the education market?
RM: I’ve seen in real time the changes occur right infront of me. We’re at a tipping point, where leaders ineducation have to invest in getting their staffs trainedto utilize the available technology, in turn allowingthem to make more informed decisions. It’s just assimple as that. We want to avoid scenarios in whichtoo much gear is purchased, or it’s purchased and notused as effectively as it can be. These are just a few of
Continued on Page 20 Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 17
AB: Pittsburg Primary is located in asmall town in Northeast Texas. Our school is comprisedof over 400 pre-kindergarten through first grade stu-dents. With several bilingual classrooms and fourEnglish as a Second Language [ESL] classrooms, thepopulation at Pittsburg Primary is representative of ourcommunity’s diversity.
ESD: What type of technology is employed in your school?Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 17 Continued on Page 17
SP CONTROLS’ NEW PRODUCTLINE WILL CHANGE THE WAYTHE CLASSROOM WORKS
TI DLP SHOWCASES INTERACTIVE3D PROJECTOR TECH & DUAL-PENFOR HANDS-ON LEARNING
TEACHING ENGLISHAS A SECOND LANGUAGEWITH ENO BY POLYVISION
COMPASSLEARNING BRINGS21ST CENTURY SKILLS TOTHE CLASSROOM
SMART TECHNOLOGIESDISPLAYS NEW SMART BOARDAT FETC 2011
WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATIONALTECHNOLOGY, AVI-SPL FOCUSESON ‘THE TOTAL SOLUTION’
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EdTech Show Dai lyTuesday, February 1, 20114
George Washington,President, ASC Direct Inc.,talks about what lies aheadfor his company.
ESD: What does ASC Directmarket?
GW: ASC Direct marketseducational language toolsused for global language train-ing, ESL, ASL and languagecourseware produced in 130-plus languages by the world’s No. 1supplier, EuroTalk.
ESD: What types of language tools doyou offer?
GW: We have several options, such asour ReLANpro for use on desktopcomputers, MAC or PC, a turnkeycart-based Voyager lab which operatesindependently of the school’s wirelessinfrastructure, an Internet-basedReLANpro.NET language lab whichoperates from any PC connected to theInternet, and even an iPhone app forcomplete mobility and flexibility.
ESD: What type of language learningcourseware do you offer?
GW: We offer EuroTalkprograms in over 130languages. Many com-monly taught languagesoffer six or seven levelsin each language, so ifyou want your studentsto learn Spanish, Chineseor Arabic [modern orclassical] we have setsof disks, or if you wantless commonly taughtlanguages such as Latin,
Esperanto or Icelandic we have disks forthose, too.
ESD: Are language labs still a usefuladdition to a school’s equipment range?
GW: Yes, language labs are still beingused to improve student’s aural and oralcomprehension, a deeper understandingof the target language and culture of thecountry of study and improved commu-nicative [spoken] skills. Language labsoffer Advanced Placement™? Testing,allowing the teachers to test students andforward student tests to the CollegeBoard for grading.
ESD: How has the Internet affected theuse and development of language labs?
GW: ASC has pioneered the develop-ment of the ReLANpro Mobile appwhich can be used on an iPhone or iPad.The app allows students to learn lan-guages ‘on the go’ 24/7 with theapproved content the teacher hasuploaded to our secure online server. Theapp is a fully functioning, dual track lan-guage lab player recorder that allows‘comparative’ playback and recording[students can listen to the teacher’s les-son and record their oral responses to aseparate ‘track’].
ESD: What was the intention whendeveloping the Voyager?
GW: To solve many of the problemsencountered in schools such as comput-er lab scheduling conflicts, inadequate,slow networks and insufficient sharedtechnology resources. Voyager is acompletely self-contained languageteaching solution ‘on wheels.’Teachers are fully cognizant of ‘cow’s’[computers on wheels] but the Voyagerdiffers in as much as it operates com-pletely free of the school’s wireless andserver infrastructure. The student net-books are draft-N based, allowing themto communicate with the cart’s internalN-based access point at speeds sixtimes that of a G-based network, allow-ing seamless video and audio transmis-sion to the student netbooks. Voyager isalso AP Testing compliant, allowingteachers to use the cart for testing.
In our ultramodern, 24/7/365 world, oneancient skill still matters. Whetherwords are presented on a whiteboard ora billboard, an iPad or a memo pad, acomputer screen or in a magazine,understanding what those words mean isabsolutely essential.
That’s one explanation for the suc-cess of Weekly Reader Connect. Lessthan a year since it launched, this online
reading-comprehension program for stu-dents in grades K–6 is already being usedin hundreds of schools across 44 states. Ithas been named one of the Top 100 prod-ucts of 2010 by District Administrationmagazine. The Massachusetts InnovationTechnology Exchange proclaimed the dig-ital editions one of the “most innovative,effective and compelling achievements inthe development and implementation of
nonfiction; exciting multimedia; andengaging, curriculum-rich lessons,” saidIra Wolfman, Senior Vice President ofWeekly Reader. “WR Connect enablesschools to integrate technology seamless-ly into the classroom and reach today’stech-savvy kids directly where they live.”
WR Connect requires no additionalsoftware or tech expertise. Developed byWeekly Reader—the innovative, 108-year-old educational publishing companythat virtually invented current-eventscoverage in the classroom—Weekly
ASC DIRECT OFFERSEDUCATIONAL TOOLS FORGLOBAL LANGUAGE TRAINING
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH FETC
HOW SCHOOLWIRES HELPED ONEELEMENTARY SCHOOL
When the Dalai Lama comes for a visit,public attention follows. The spiritualleader of Tibet was scheduled to visitCostano Elementary School, part of theRavenswood City School District, onOct. 13, 2010, to engage in a public con-versation with children who reside inEast Palo Alto before an audience ofmore than 400 students and specialguests. Knowing that the eyes of theworld would be on them, school officialswanted to implement a new website thatwould better reflect the high-quality edu-cational opportunities that the districtprovides for students and their families.However, there was one problem: HisHoliness was arriving in eight days.
For most districts, migrating contentto a new content management system andlaunching a new district website often
takes months. With the support of theSchoolwires services team, the newRavenswood City School District web-site went live within five days.
“We really had eight business daysbefore the visit, but we set a deadline forgoing live within five days to becertain that we met the district’s require-ments,” said Diego Rodriguez, SalesConsultant for Schoolwires. Migration,Development, and Implementationstarted on a Monday. By that Friday,Ravenswood’s new website (http://ravenswood.schoolwires.net), built withSchoolwires Centricity, launched tothe public.
“It really wasn’t anything too differ-ent than what we normally do,” recalledPeter Weyandt, Manager of ActivationServices with Schoolwires, who played
an integral role in this pivotal districtimplementation and launch. “We justgave it a bit of extra attention to makesure that it was done really quickly.”
Centricity is a strategic website andcommunity management platform thatbrings together robust and flexible websitemanagement, community managementand web 2.0/social network capabilities ina single, user-centric solution.
“Not every district can implement infive business days,” said Jeff Windsor,the Product Manager for Centricity. “Butwe really try to go out of our way to meetthe needs of our clients, even if they may
not seem possible at the time.”The Schoolwires services team has
successfully implemented the Centricityplatform at nearly 1,200 districts nation-wide. The tech-savvy SchoolwiresImplementation Specialists draw upontheir expertise and broad situational expe-rience to meet the schedule and budget ofindividual districts so that they can go livequickly and begin to strengthen their con-nections with their communities.
Schoolwires believes that districtsshould not have to compromise on func-tionality, price or delivery date. “We havecreated very effective tools and processesto help districts go live very quickly,whether the implementation is complex orstraightforward,” said Weyandt. “We rec-ognize that an effective website has signif-icant impact on district and student success,and we want to deliver these benefits toschool districts as quickly as possible.”
Visit Schoolwires at booth 1138or www.schoolwires.com or [email protected].
interactive technologies.”Weekly Reader Connect is a superb
tool for teaching children to understandwhat they read. It presents hundreds ofhigh-interest nonfiction stories—enriched with meaningful multimediathat deepens students’ understanding.WR Connect complements those storieswith 129 onscreen lessons that teachreading comprehension in a clear, con-cise and consistent way.
“Weekly Reader Connect bringstogether elements that teachers have toldus are crucial: easy-to-use 21st centurytechnology; compelling, newsworthy
All rights reserved.Executive and editorial offices at:
1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300
www.oser.com / www.edtechshowdaily.com
European offices located atLungarno Benvenuto
Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.
EdTech Show Dai ly 9Tuesday, February 1, 2011
What will handhelds look like in class-rooms this year? Are they powerfullearning devices for learning, or justfancy entertainment distractions thatmay drive classrooms into chaos fromtexting and surfing? Brainchild’s Kineo7-inch tablet device preserves the bene-fits of mobile technology while elimi-nating potential problems.
“With 15 years of manufacturingdevices exclusively for school improve-ment, we’ve learned how to maximize theeffectiveness of the individualized instruc-tion they can provide. To hand out handheld
devices in a school without first providingan action plan is very distracting.
First we look at the educational out-come. Then we design the technology,not the other way around,” said JeffCameron, President. “Our Kineo tabletputs educators in control. Kineo does notlet students message, take pictures, visitunauthorized websites, or add or deleteapplications. Brainchild provides award-winning, standards-based software forschool improvement. For implementa-tion, teachers can call on Brainchild’sexperienced customer service team.”
Kineo utilizes Achiever!,Brainchild’s award-winning, standards-based assessment and instruction pro-gram. Achiever! automates data-driveninstruction with pre-tests and post-tests,multimedia instruction, and a “Study”mode for self-paced learning. Data fromthe program can be shared betweenteachers, administrators and parents sothey can monitor student progress andprovide intervention and differentiatedinstruction as needed.
Kineo addresses specific schoolneeds. Significant features includeAdministrator control of Web access andloading of applications, a huge batteryfor long operating times, and a flash
player for multimedia. Physical buttonsfor commonly used functions augmentthe touchscreen, making Kineo an assis-tive technology device for SpecialEducation. Teachers are also able to usethe Kineo’s HDMI output with white-boards or LCD projectors for groupinstruction. Designed with students inmind, Kineo boasts a high quality 7-inchtouchscreen, eBook reader and a sturdycase to fully protect the product.
For a hands-on demonstration ofKineo, visit Brainchild at FETC booth231. You may also visit their websiteat www.brainchild.com, [email protected], or call800-811-2724.
would teach and motivate digitalnatives. The term “digital native,” alongwith “digital immigrant,” is being moreand more used to explain the differ-ences between those born after the“tech movement” and those born beforeit. It doesn’t necessarily mean that“natives” are technically expert buttheir thinking is different.
A study of kindergarten and first
grade students in Texas, New York andNew Jersey coordinated by Dr. CathyCollins Block, Professor of Education atTexas Christian University, reviewedoutcomes based on the use of AWARDReading and control subjects using stan-dard basal reading programs. Resultsshowed that after only 20 weeks, theAWARD program significantly improvedsubjects’ abilities in phonics, continuousreading and attitudes toward reading.Increases in positive attitudes towardreading were especially profound withAfrican American students (48 percentincrease) and Hispanics (15 percent). Thestudents showed more enthusiasm forreading, and they engaged positively
with the animated and interactive textsand activities.
AWARD Reading significantlyimproves reading abilities in the criticalearly school years, in particular withELLs, students with disabilities, thosefrom low socio-economic backgroundsand students who benefit from accelerat-ed learning opportunities. Published bythe balanced literacy publisher that firstbrought big books and guided readerssuch as Mrs. Wishy Washy to U.S. class-rooms, AWARD Reading offers teachersand students an opportunity to interactwith technology in new ways to create
INTRODUCING THE KINEO
Florida schools have chosen AWARDReading as an electronic textbook pro-gram to be used for digital learning in theclassroom. As schools move forward toembrace new learning resources in thisdigital age, there is an increasing demandfor online programs that have provenresearch results.
AWARD Reading was creativelydeveloped for electronic instruction that
RESULTS SHOW WHY AWARDCHOSEN BY FLORIDA SCHOOLSFOR ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS
Continued on Page 25
Continued on Page 20
BRITANNICA IMAGE QUEST GIVESSTUDENTS, TEACHERS PHOTOSTHEY CAN USE
Students and teachers who need photosand other images for research and specialprojects can now find them easily inBritannica Image Quest, a new onlineresource from Britannica DigitalLearning. Unlike other image collec-tions, this collection automatically grantsuse for academic purposes, to helpschools avoid copyright violations.
Image Quest provides images frommore than 60 of the best collections in theworld, including Dorling Kindersley,Getty, the Granger Collection, the National
Portrait Gallery of London, the NationalGeographic Society and Oxford Scientific.These photos and illustrations are notavailable elsewhere on the public Internet.
The collection contains more than amillion images with more added eachmonth. Suppliers of content come fromthe U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom,France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Australiaand New Zealand―“a truly global rep-resentation of the finest historical, finearts and contemporary images,” accord-ing to Michael Ross, a Senior Vice
President at Encyclopaedia Britannica,Inc., and General Manager ofBritannica Digital Learning.
Image Quest provides easy accessto high-quality photos and illustrationsfrom trustworthy sources for students ofall ages on a wide range of topics.Images are organized by subject matter,and the site is fully searchable. Eachimage, which is cleared for educationaluse, includes a caption, citation, copy-right information, etc. With all theimages in one convenient place, it sim-plifies the search for photos becauseresearchers don’t have to comb throughmultiple websites or worry about per-mission to use them.
The product has many uses. Studentscan turn to Image Quest for homeworkassignments and course projects, and
teachers can use the images in lessonplans and classroom activities. It’s idealfor whiteboards, school websites,newsletters, newspapers and bulletins.
“Students today don’t just writereports; they produce rich expositionsthat combine research and relevant illus-trations,” said Ross. “But it can be hardto find the right images, to identifywhat’s in them and to know if you’reallowed to use them. We’ve made all ofthat a lot easier.”
Britannica Image Quest is producedin collaboration with the UniversalImages Group. Schools, universities andlibraries interested in Britannica ImageQuest can call 800-621-3900 or go tohttp://info.eb.com/ for more informationor trial subscriptions. Visit them inOrlando at FETC booth 1337.
Students from Audubon ParkElementary School in Orlando, Fla.,were moving content with their fingersand then an ActivPen to complete arecent geography lesson on thePromethean ActivBoard 500. This nextgeneration interactive whiteboardengaged the students in multi-touch,iPad-like gestures that allowed them towork together in teams to identify con-tents and other significant landmarks.
The new interactive whiteboardintroduces, for the first time, leading-edge technology that allows students to
work on the ActivBoard simultaneouslyby both pen and ‘gesture’ touch.
The ActivBoard 500 will enable theuse of new and emerging multi-touchfunctionality similar to that used inApple and Microsoft (Windows 7)applications. This flexibility allowsteachers to reach students in a variety ofways or modes, supporting a widerrange of learning types. Users will havethe ability to easily move and scaleobjects with finger-touch using naturalhand movements, in conjunction withthe precision of the “pen” for tasks such
as writing or drawing. This offers amore intuitive and efficient way of per-forming tasks and allows for more col-laborative classroom activities.
“We believe the ActivBoard 500represents the most significant advancein interactive whiteboard technologysince it was first introduced in schools,”said Jean-Yves Charlier, ChiefExecutive Officer at Promethean. “Theintuitive pen and touch capabilitiesdeliver engaging and collaborativeteaching and learning opportunities, forboth teachers and students.
“Expectations and usability of tech-nology have changed with developmentsin consumer electronics, and with it anew set of actions has emerged—the tapof a screen has replaced the click of abutton. These digital behaviors are nowsecond nature to most technology usersand can now be used in the classroom tooperate our new generation of interactive
whiteboards. Feedback from pilotschools has confirmed that we have cre-ated a ‘best of breed’ solution that offersa collaborative, immersive and inclusivedigital experience.”
“The pen and touch capability ofthe ActivBoard 500 offers the best ofboth worlds and provides a more intu-itive and fluid way of working. Ourteachers used the pen to write and theirfinger to resize or move images aroundthe screen simultaneously,” explainedTrevor Honohan, Principal at AudubonPark Elementary, Orange CountyPublic Schools, Orlando, Fla. “Thisconstant, natural movement minimizesthe need for breaks during instruction.As you might imagine, students arequite comfortable using the touch tech-nologies because of all the iPad-typetechnologies in their day-to-day lives.
STUDENTS AT AUDUBON PARKELEMENTARY LEARN ONPROMETHEAN’S NEXT GENERATIONPEN AND ‘TOUCHBOARD’
EdTech Show Dai lyTuesday, Februar y 1, 201112
Districts are using this new technologyto better manage and gauge the results ofassessments, and to make it easier forteachers to focus on teaching their stu-dents. By eliminating bubble sheets,which need to be manually scored byteachers, and then sent to be scanned andanalyzed by the school system, this newtechnology allows for an immediateresponse to improve student achievement.
AssessTrax is available to anyschool district which utilizes benchmark
test scores, standardized test scores, sur-veys, etc., to gauge student performance.EduTrax stores the data, offers analysisoptions, and produces easily understoodreports and graphs suitable for the schooldistrict, school or teacher use.
Because AssessTrax is a Web-basedtool, test results are instantly available toteachers and staff, allowing for theimmediate development of interventionstrategies. AssessTrax aims to target theneeds of each individual student by pin-pointing proficiency levels across a rangeof subject areas.
With AssessTrax, school systemscan monitor student performance onstandards-based benchmark and unit
tests; target instruction to address anyneeds prior to state and federal assess-ments; and test as desired (benchmark,unit, or pre-/post-test).
EDCO efforts focus on partneringwith school systems to plan and imple-ment solutions that will improve studentachievement. Whether implementing acomprehensive assessment plan, manag-ing district benchmark testing or provid-ing a wide range of data analysis pro-grams, EDCO along with EduTrax iscommitted to helping school systemsimprove student achievement.
Please visit EDCO at booth 966 orvisit www.edcousa.biz to learn moreabout assessment solutions.
EDCO (Education ConsultantSpecialists) has partnered with EduTraxto provide a better management solutionfor assessing and measuring student/teacher progress. AssessTrax is a Web-based, flexible test management solutionused to monitor student performance onstandards-based benchmark and unitassessments. Test results are instantlyavailable to teachers and staff allowingfor the immediate development ofintervention strategies.
TRACK BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTSWITH ASSESSTRAX AND EDCO
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURTACQUIRES THE LEADERSHIPAND LEARNING CENTER
Global education leader HoughtonMifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) EducationalConsulting Services group has acquiredThe Leadership and Learning Center, aworld-class professional developmentresearch and solutions provider, toexpand its core capabilities with experi-enced professionals and proven practicesthat provide measurable and sustainableschool improvement and studentachievement gains.
“By investing in groundbreakingpractices and technologies, HoughtonMifflin Harcourt has been the trustedname in educational leadership,” saidBarry O’Callaghan, Chief Executive
Officer of HMH. “This breakthroughpartnership with The Leadership andLearning Center is a significant invest-ment into revolutionizing how teachersteach and students learn.”
The HMH Educational ConsultingServices group offers professional devel-opment training, comprehensive servicesand school turnaround solutions underthe banner Insight into Action: anInformed Approach to TransformingEducation. HMH’s partnership with TheLeadership and Learning Center offersunique integrated solutions that combinethe best learning resources availabletoday with services that support deep
implementation. These include learningresources that are supported with effec-tive professional development in class-room assessment, teacher effectivenessand high impact leadership, which are allproven to have a measurable and sustain-able impact on student achievement.
“One of HMH Education Group’skey strategic imperatives is to extend itsvalue proposition beyond providingworld-class curriculum, assessment andtechnology solutions through consultingservices that position HMH as a partnerwith school districts in a shared goal ofincreased accountability for improve-ment,” said Mike Lavelle, President,HMH Education Group. “Partnering withThe Leadership and Learning Centerenables the HMH EducationalConsulting Services group to providedeep implementation of professionaldevelopment services that become part ofthat shared accountability model.”
The Leadership and Learning Centerhas devoted the last 15 years to buildinga suite of outstanding services, uniqueresearch and successful solutions. TheCenter’s Professional DevelopmentAssociates comprise experienced super-intendants, principals, administrators andeducators who address standards, assess-ment, accountability, data analysis, col-laboration, leadership and schoolimprovement with their clients.
“Together, HMH EducationalConsulting Services and The Leadershipand Learning Center can satisfy schooldistricts’ unprecedented demand for criti-cal service and training capabilities,” saidDave West, Senior Vice President, HMHEducational Consulting Services. “Byaligning our respective strengths, HMHand The Leadership and Learning Centercan support school districts as they
Continued on Page 25
require and graduating high school sen-iors’ proficiency. College professorsacross the country say high school doesnot prepare students for college and indi-cate that most of their students requiresome form of remediation after admission.
In his exploration of educationalinconsistencies, Harvard researcherTony Wagner identified “Seven SurvivalSkills for the 21st Century.” Based onWagner’s conversations with corporateCEOs about the skills and competenciesthey seek in new employees, Wagneroutlined the following as critical for21st century learning:• Critical thinking and problem solving.• Collaboration across networks andleading by influence.• Agility and adaptability.• Initiative and entrepreneurialism.• Effective oral and writtencommunication.• Accessing and analyzing information.
• Curiosity and imagination.
In addition to Wagner’s ChangeLeadership Group at the HarvardGraduate School of Education, thePartnership for 21st Century Skills andthe Metiri Group are among the organi-zations defining 21st century learning.However, in addition to strong guidelinesdefining 21st century skills, educatorsmust learn how to transform education tofollow those guidelines. How do wemake the major changes to assessmentand instruction and the philosophicalshift necessary to ensure that America’sstudents are both college- and career-ready? The following five recommenda-tions provide direction to schools anddistricts wondering where to start.
1. Elevate the quality of teachingand learning―aligning with 21st centuryskills and competencies―through a bal-anced assessment program, includingformative and summative assessmentmeasures to inform instruction and
CompassLearning (Con’t. from p. 1) professional development.2. Implement instructional pro-
grams that are based on world-class aca-demic standards; provide relevant,engaging curriculum based on currentand confirmed research and best prac-tices; and ensure instructional delivery instate-of-the-art learning environments.
3. Cultivate digital-expert educa-tors who can translate realistic collegeand workforce expectations into mean-ingful, substantive learning activities thatmirror life experiences beyond highschool graduation.
4. Provide rigorous instruction forstudents who have fallen behind theirgrade-level peers―and options for stu-dents whose lifestyles or circumstancesare not aligned with the traditionalschool day―that build deep understand-ing of the critical skills and conceptsrequired for success in college and 21stcentury careers.
5. Develop meaningful ways forstudents to feel connected to their
school communities, concentrating onrelationship building with students whohave no significant personal or educa-tional ties to adults.
There is no magic bullet. Student successrequires a strong commitment from stu-dents, parents, educators and community.One step is to implement instructionalprograms and materials, such asCompassLearning Odyssey®, that ensuremastery of critical academic content―andensure these programs are implementedwith fidelity. CompassLearning supportsthe goal of providing every child with aworld-class education. To do less wouldignore one of our most basic civic andmoral responsibilities.
*Statistics Source: U.S. Department ofEducation National Center for EducationStatistics, June 2010
Visit us at booth 508 and at www.compasslearning.com.
Reader Connect brings the following ele-ments to all subscribing schools:• Exclusive interactive Weekly Readerdigital editions, presenting timely, high-interest and grade-specific nonfictioncontent that has been carefully crafted toalign to state curricula.• Downloadable companion Teacher’sGuides that incorporate wide-ranging back-ground information, informal assessments
Weekly Reader Connect is built onthe Concepts of Comprehension, a
Weekly Reader Connect (Con’t. from p. 4) research-based framework of 21 infer-ential thinking skills developed by thenonprofit Urban Education Exchange.This framework enables students toexpand their reading skills from year toyear, and uses proven methods thatteach kids to read for understanding.
Ease of use is another outstandingfeature of WR Connect. Subscribingschools just log on to www.wrconnect.com for full access to the pro-gram. Teachers can project the content
onto a screen or use an interactive white-board for group instruction. The programis also appropriate for individualized useon a single computer. With a simple pass-word, instructors can also provide off-premises access to all students.
Want to know more? If you’re aprincipal, school district leader, mediaor technology specialist, or classroomteacher, visit www.wrconnect.com andget a preview at Learning Servicesbooth 1225.
EdTech Show Dai ly 17Tuesday, February 1, 2011
same time. DLP dual-pen interactive pro-jectors also work in conjunction with 3D tocreate interactive 3D teaching opportuni-ties. Imagine multiple students racing eachother to solve math equations projected onthe ceiling or students viewing Earth in 3Dand taking turns using the pen to breakapart the earth into layers, all from wher-ever they are sitting in the classroom.
3D technology for the classroom isproviding a rich interactive experience andbeing aggressively adopted worldwidewith more than 1 million 3D-enabled
projectors on the market today. TI DLP isdriving 3D adoption through unique tech-nological capabilities such as these:• Serving both passive and active 3Dsolutions and a variety of light sources.• Acting as the sole technology able toprovide 3D through a single-projectorsolution.• Enabling 3D-ready and interactiveprojectors to also function as standardsystems, essentially future-proofingclassrooms by allowing for self-pacedtechnology adoption.• Offering lamp-free projector solutions tosave time, money and energy consumption.
TI DLP (Con’t. from p. 1) TI DLP 3D Worldwide Pilot ProgramTI DLP has driven further adoptionthrough the success of its 3D pilot schoolprograms taking place in the UnitedStates, Europe, India and rolling out inLatin America later this year.
Among the 30 U.S. classrooms pilot-ing DLP 3D technology is Florida’s ownOcoee Middle School. Known for teach-ing with the latest technological innova-tions, Ocoee is teaching with 3D in mathand science classes across a variety ofgrade levels. Ocoee will be showcasingtheir use of 3D learning to all interestedduring the school tour offered in part
with FETC on Thursday, Feb. 3.To experience this technology first-
hand, be sure to check out TexasInstruments in booth 401 and visit DLPprojector manufacturers’ exhibitsthroughout the show floor.
To access the latest news, images andother digital content for DLP products fromTexas Instruments, check out the onlinepress kit at www.dlp.com/fetc2011. You canalso follow DLP on Twitter at @TI_DLP,and view videos on DLP’s YouTube page,www.youtube.com/dlptechnology.
For more information on DLP prod-ucts, please visit www.dlp.com.
classroom. This new suite of products willallow them to present lessons by takingcontrol of the classroom computer, anno-tate―similar to the functions of an interac-tive whiteboard, and control the AV gear inthe classroom from anywhere in the room.
To give you some more detail, we areusing the Apple iPad as the user interfaceto the system. We’ve created an app thatcontrols the classroom computer, allow-ing the teacher to navigate seamlesslyamong all the digital resources at hand,whether they’re on the classroomcomputer or DVD, software-based orWeb-based. Our app gives the teacher theflexibility to stand anywhere in the room,
interact with the students, annotate thelesson, control software-based curricu-lum, and do free-form note-taking, allthrough a ‘what you see is what you get’interface from the iPad.
ESD: What are you calling this newproduct?
GA: We are calling it Doceri™, which isLatin for ‘to be taught or shown.’
ESD: Sounds like SP Controls is mak-ing the use of technologies in the class-room much simpler—no more multipleremotes!
GA: Our goal is to unify the classroomtechnology experience into one user
SP Controls (Con’t. from p. 1) interface, with the iPad controlling themany other things that are used in thetypical classroom: DVD players, audiosystems, projectors, etc. We have madecost-effective products to control thesedevices for the past 13 years, and ourexperience was incorporated into thedevelopment of the Doceri system. Whenused with our Networked RoomControllers, Doceri allows the teacher tocontrol all of the AV gear in the roomeffortlessly through the iPad interface.The ‘Networked’ part means that theNRC sits on the network so it can be cen-trally maintained and managed by theschool’s IT/AV staff.
ESD: Are there cost advantages to theDoceri system?
GA: It’s surprisingly inexpensive. Likeother SP Controls products, this system ispriced so school districts can afford to putthem into every classroom, not just one ortwo specialized AV rooms. Also, becauseDoceri can easily integrate with yourexisting technologies, there is no need tobuy expensive new ‘all in one’ solutionsthat can cost several thousand dollars perroom. Doceri from SP Controls brings itall together, giving the instructor mobileand intuitive access to the technology intheir classroom. Easier to use and control,these devices now become a seamlessresource to connect with students and cre-atively integrate into lessons.
Be sure to visit our booth 756 for ademonstration.
the critical areas where the educationteam at AVI-SPL can help.
ESD: Tell us, why should education cus-tomers turn to AVI-SPL?
RM: I think the difference betweenAVI-SPL and our competitors lies inour level of certifications. We can helpeducators do everything, from planningto finding a unique solution for theirschool and students.
We’re truly interested in providing oureducators with technology that makes abeneficial impact on them and theirstudents. With us, hands-on training is aspecialty. Our team’s expertise and goal-oriented approach allow for the bestcustomer service experience possible.
Our breadth of understanding is also sig-nificantly extensive, and we embrace acomprehensive scope of expertise. Weare Cisco-certified, and can provideeverything from inter-connect capabili-ties in the classroom to simple Internetconnections, wiring, cabling—all theway to communications and safety struc-ture. This includes bells, clocks and inter-com sound systems.
ESD: What is AVI-SPL’s approach whenit comes to the education market?
RM: We’d like to focus less on theequipment and more on the total solution.I think you’ll hear us talk more about theoutcomes that the districts are lookingfor, with a stronger focus on their overallinfrastructure needs.
One area we’re strongly focused on is
AVI-SPL (Con’t. from p. 1) professional development. We want tomake sure that educators know how toapply technology so that it makes sense,and helps increase test scores and stu-dent motivation. Overall, we’d like tocontinue to build better long-term rela-tionships, and strengthen the bonds oftrust with our educators.
ESD: Are there any trends that we shouldbe aware of?
RM: One of the intriguing emergingtechnologies is 3D. There are almost lim-itless possibilities with this technology,such as having elements of an image floatinto the middle of a classroom, and beable to be rotated and dissected in midair.I think you’ll see many applications fortechnology in the classroom, everythingfrom turning a page in a book to puttingthat book under a document camera.
ESD: In your opinion, where is the futureof technology in education heading?
RM: At some point, a superintendent willbe at their desk, and probably throughsomething that looks like an iPad, be ableto check any of his schools. This will bean up-to-the-minute, real-time experi-ence, where they’ll quickly have the abil-ity to compare their schools’ test scoresagainst state standards. We’re not thereyet, but I think we will be in about 10 or15 years from now. I believe that’s wherewe’re headed, and it’s going to be interac-tive technology that gets us there.
While at FETC, please be sure to visitAVI-SPL at booth 1413 to learn moreabout their comprehensive technologysolutions for education. You can alsocontact AVI-SPL by calling 866-559-8197 or visiting www.avispl.com.
DON’T FEAR THE DATAHow Fort Osage School Districtachieved a guaranteed, viable curricu-lum and satisfied teachers throughstandards-based grading.
It goes without saying that transitioningto a standards-based approach to studentperformance involves much more thanimplementing technology and newprocesses: there are also training and cul-tural considerations. Teachers in particu-lar often have legitimate concerns aboutsuch transitions, from how will it affectthe way they teach, to will it create extrawork, or will it actually result inimproved student achievement.
Fort Osage School District inIndependence, Mo., is an example of aschool district that successfully made the
transition and not only achievedimproved student performance district-wide, but also has seen a positiveresponse among teachers.
Administrators at Ft. Osage SchoolDistrict set out to alter their curriculumso that it could be taught adequately inthe time allotted for instruction. Theywanted to ensure that each teacher knewexactly what content their studentsshould learn, and that they had the toolsto monitor and assess their students on adaily basis.
With more than 5,000 students to over-see, a team of administrators began thesearch to find the right technology to sup-port their district’s unique and ambitiousstandards-based approach to assessment.
“First and foremost, we were looking
for a tool that would help us link ourassessment to our curriculum,” said JeffWhite, former Assistant Superintendentfor Educational Services, of the FortOsage School District.
After reviewing several tools, thecommittee selected Pinnacle developedby GlobalScholar.
“To begin implementing Pinnaclein our district we agreed to ‘think bigand start small,’” said White. “Westarted with a pilot program in one ofour elementary schools, led by a
technology-savvy principal who waswilling to use performance data toinform future decision-making.”
After administrators from the ele-mentary school shared their first-yearresults, other schools in the districtjumped at the chance to implement thesolution the following year. In rolling theprogram out across the district, adminis-trators focused on and were able to devel-op a model that supported the strengthsof each individual teacher, allowing forcreativity and a level of independence inthe classroom. In other words, teachershave the authority to differentiate instruc-tion for each of their students, but in theend, their students will have learned thesame content as all other students in thesame grade level.
Fort Osage School District has now
Continued on Page 20
EdTech Show Dai lyTuesday, February 1, 201120
widescreen 885, 885i and 885ix models.The fact that two people can work any-where on the 800 series interactive white-board at the same time will help teachersmake effective use of class time, engagein meaningful collaboration and motivateall types of learners.
Another product that will be shown is theSMART Table interactive learning center.Although not new, it continues to garnerconsiderable interest from educators andbe very popular. We are excited and thinkour customers will be too about our recent-ly announced addition of more than 250activity packs which can be downloaded atno charge via the SMART Exchange web-site [exchange.smarttech.com]. These newresources mean teachers now have accessto thousands of multitouch, multiuserSMART Table activities.
There will be many other exciting prod-ucts at our booth so I encourage people todrop by for a visit.
ESD: Your company recently went pub-lic. How is that affecting how SMARToperates, and how has it affected the wayyou offer your education solutions?
NK: It was an interesting step forSMART, but also just another along thegrowth path of our company. It meanssome changes for the way we do thingsinternally–but what hasn’t changed is ourcommitment to our customers. Weremain passionate about providing ourcustomers with education solutions thatwill enable them to better engage andmotivate students.
ESD: There have been recent reports inthe media about SMART products andother classroom technology being usedmore as a fad rather than having posi-tive results for students. What is yourtake on that?
NK: Some articles in the media tend to
talk about our products and other class-room technology products in isolation. AtSMART, we have consistently said thatsimply putting our products in the class-room is not the answer–it’s how they areput to use. We believe SMART productsare a valuable tool that, when combinedwith effective teaching and appropriatepedagogy can help transform the learningexperience. There is a considerable bodyof research posted on our website fromnational and international sources indicat-ing that our products, when properly used,can increase student motivation andengagement and improve learning out-comes and teacher effectiveness.
ESD: Beyond products, tell us whatSMART offers?
NK: SMART is committed to providinga wealth of resources and support forteachers to fully utilize SMART productsand create dynamic learning activities forstudents. For example, SMARTExchange, an online community thathelps educators share information on var-ious topics, now has almost 50,000classroom-ready resources. Teachers arealso able to connect with educatorsaround the world to exchange ideas.We’ve announced a new, free member-ship program to SMART Exchange thatwill mean even more exciting features forusers. SMART also believes strongly insupporting our customers after their pur-chase. So we offer a variety of onlinetraining options, certification and profes-sional development opportunities.
ESD: Any final thoughts on SMARTin 2011?
NK: Engage with us regularly to learnwhat is new in our product offerings andother materials supporting the use of ourproducts. With more than 400 people onour R&D team, we are and will continueto be very active in new product releasesand upgrades.
has been chosen to interest learners whileproviding them with exposure to a diversearray of topics. The organizational layoutcreates a learner-centered structure forlanguage acquisition via interaction. Bymodifying input and forming questionsand answers, students learn to create withthe target language as they interact withtheir language partners. This curriculumcan be used in both the regular classroomand the virtual global classroom [usingSkype or other VoIP software].
For further information, contact ASCDirect Inc. at 800-613-9554, [email protected] or stop by booth 243.
ASC Direct Inc. (Con’t. from p. 4)
The ActivBoard 500 mirrors ‘gestures’pupils are used to using with othertechnologies making them more confi-dent when using the board.”
The ActivBoard 500 Pro alsoincludes two free multi-touch applica-tions for mind mapping and lessonplanning: NoteBoard and TouchPad.These applications allow teachers to
aggregate ideas, collate learning pointsand use interactive ‘post-it’ notes topromote simple, easy-to-use mind-mapping activities. Supporting theActivBoard 500 is ActivInspire 1.5,Promethean’s award-winning software,available for download viaprometheanplanet.com/activinspire.
To see the new ActivBoard 500 inaction, visit Promethean at FETCbooth 701.
Promethean (Con’t. from p. 9)
been using Pinnacle for several years.“Our teachers constantly tell us
they are now using performance data toidentify where students are doing welland where they may need additionalguidance,” said Carrie Luttrell, who wasthe Director of Curriculum andAssessment for Fort Osage SchoolDistrict spearheading the effort. “It isnow possible to have real, in-depth con-versations about student learning withall the stakeholders.”
Combined with the district’s model,Pinnacle has given administrators andteachers the data they need to engage inconversations about the whole student,including learning patterns, attendanceand discipline records. In addition, par-ents are able to monitor their child’sgrades and attendance in real-time via theInternet, and students can access theirgrades to track their progress.
“Ultimately, the data we can nowaccess demystifies student learning,”White said. “Our teachers don’t fear dataany longer—they’re using it to make better
decisions for their students every day.”Luttrell added, “Our teachers feel
comfortable using the results to ask theircolleagues to share what strategiesthey’ve used to teach a similar subjectand then make changes to their ownmethods of instruction. We are learningso much more about our students andourselves as educators.”
The results of its transition havebeen astonishing. A few years ago,Fort Osage School District scoredbarely high enough to retain its stateaccreditation. Since implementingPinnacle district-wide, Fort OsageSchool District saw scores jump to 92percent, a dramatic improvement.District administrators anticipate thatresults will continue to improve, astheir efforts to provide students withquality instruction—and teachers thetools to make formative assessmentsthroughout the grading period and tolearn from the collected data—continue to prove successful.
For more information, call 800-473-4572, visit www.globalscholar.com orstop by booth 237.
Education City, the leading elementaryonline teaching and learning resource,recently announced the release ofLearn English, an English LanguageLearning module designed to supportthe mainstream teacher and languagespecialist in teaching English andbuilding student confidence.
The new module has been devel-oped for third, fourth and fifth gradeELLs ranging from beginning to inter-mediate. Focusing on language devel-opment and grade-level contentinstruction, the context has beendesigned for use by both the classroomteacher and the language specialist.
Learn English content is organizedaccording to Education City’s EnglishLanguage proficiency standards andincorporates not only English develop-ment, but also math, social studies, sci-ence, and reading and writing.Activities are categorized into themessuch as: My School, My Family, MyNeighborhood, My Planet, OurFriends, and Our Living Things. Allactivities provide feedback and rein-forcement for both correct and incor-rect responses and are supported withteacher notes and interactive work-sheet manipulatives. Learn Englishactivities are compatible withEducation City signature teacher fea-tures such as SuccessTracker, myCity,the Standards Map and Topic Filter.
“In elementary schools, support-ing ELLs means teaching themEnglish,” said Matthew Kwak,President. “It also means, building achild’s confidence and setting them ona path to independence and achieve-ment. Our Learn English programhelps teachers do just that.”
Students at Mary L. WeltyElementary School in Nogales, Ariz.,
have had the opportunity to work on apilot version of Learn English sincemid-April. Principal Claudia Weldensays that the school’s ELL students aremaking great progress with LearnEnglish. “Learn English has been well-received because the program fulfillsstudent expectations according to theirnecessities,” Welden said. “Our stu-dents are making progress and theircomments toward Learn English arepositive and enthusiastic!”
The Learn English module isavailable for $375 for a one-year sub-scription. For more information call800-995-5410.
About Education CityEducation City is an award-winningonline teaching and learning resourcedesigned for PreK-6th grade languagearts, math and science. More than14,000 schools worldwide take advan-tage of Education City’s bright, engag-ing, research-based activities to booststudent achievement and inspire a life-long love of learning. More informa-tion, including pricing for district,school and home subscriptions isavailable at www.educationcity.com.
About Archipelago LearningArchipelago Learning is a leadingsubscription-based online educationcompany that provides standards-based instruction, practice, assessmentsand productivity tools that improve theperformance of educators and studentsvia proprietary Web-based platforms.The Archipelago product line includesStudy Island, Education City andNorthstar Learning. For more informa-tion, please visit www.archipelagolearning.com. Archipelago Learning isheadquartered in Dallas, Texas.
EdTech Show Dai ly 25Tuesday, February 1, 2011
AB: Our district utilized state technologyallotment funds and a Rural Schoolsgrant to purchase ēno™ interactivewhiteboards and ēno mini slates. Allkindergarten and first grade classroomsat Pittsburg Primary are equipped withēno interactive whiteboards.
ESD: Why is PolyVision technology thebest choice for Pittsburgh Primary?
AB: Our school’s principal and severalmembers of our IT staff felt PolyVision ēnointeractive whiteboard’s features and easeof use were important and second to none.
With comparable whiteboards, all of thetechnology resides inside the white-board and the school principal was con-cerned about the long-term costs ofrepairs and replacements. She decidedto move forward with ēno when shelearned that our school can count on theboards for a lifetime, thanks toPolyVision’s Forever Warranty™.
ESD: Before implementing ēno, whatchallenges did you face as anESL teacher?
AB: My ESL class is comprised of 15Spanish-speaking students. I face thesame challenges as other teachers, suchas maintaining student engagement, cre-ating strong lesson content and managingclassroom time efficiently. However, asan ESL teacher, I have to tackle the addi-tional challenge of communicating in away that students and parents can com-prehend. Although my students are intel-ligent and academically motivated, theywere performing poorly on learningassessments because of their limitedunderstanding of the English language.
ESD: How does ēno help you overcomechallenges in your classroom?
AB: My students struggled specificallywith social and academic vocabulary. Ispent years explaining the definitions ofwords and showing pictures to illustrateconcepts, but I knew deep down that mystudents needed visual, auditory andkinesthetic learning experiences tomake memorable connections to theEnglish language.
With ēno, I can utilize websites andinteractive tools to bring vocabulary
PolyVision (Con’t. from p. 1)
successful learning outcomes.One reason why AWARD has
proven so successful in creating readersand changing attitudes to reading andlearning lies in the richness of the texts.They aren’t e-books. They are animatedand fully voiced for students to hear thewords and understand the instructions.Each text, each grade level, is scaffold-ed to provide a gradual progression andthe more than 900 interactive activitiessupport and extend learning of theessential skills.
The U.S. Department of Educationsparked a national discussion around dig-ital learning with the release in 2010 ofThe National Education Technology
Plan. Transforming American Education:Learning Powered by Technology callsfor applying the advanced technologiesused in daily life to our entire educationsystem to improve student learning,accelerate and scale up the adoption ofeffective practices, and use data andinformation for continuous improve-ment. AWARD’s instructional materialsparallel the recommendations of this planand its principles connected to learning,assessing and teaching.
AWARD Reading was selected asthe innovative educational program to beshowcased on the nationally televised“Today in America.” The TV programprominently featured teachers and stu-dents from Oak Hammock School, St.Lucie County.
AWARD Reading (Con’t. from p. 9)
lessons to life for the entire class to see,hear and touch. I check for progress andunderstanding by passing the ēno minislate around and asking individual stu-dents to circle the word that matches thepicture. Now, my students are masteringnew vocabulary words in minutes ratherthan days!
ESD: How do you use ēno to improveclassroom efficiency?
AB: In our district, ESL teachers arerequired to post daily objectives so thatwhen students arrive to class, they canview the words, math facts or historicalfigures they will learn about. With ēno, Icreate electronic objectives by linking allof the vocabulary pages, websites, songs,etc. that I will use in my lessons into onedocument. I have everything organizedthat I am going to need throughout theday. So, I can move with ease from onetask to the next with a simple click of thestylus. I am absolutely amazed at howmuch content I can teach effectively inone day. This strategy has been so suc-cessful in my classroom that all of thefirst grade teachers at my school areusing the electronic objectives I createdas a template to deliver their lessons.
ESD: How has PolyVision technologyimpacted teaching and learning in yourclassroom?
AB: As soon as ēno was installed in myclassroom, I noticed a change in my stu-dents’ behavior. During lessons, everychild was excited and engaged at a high-er level than ever before. Many of mystudents come from low-income house-holds and they do not have access totechnology outside of school. The high-tech skills and increasing confidencethey are gaining through their interac-tions with 21st century technology willbenefit them throughout their lives.
Just as I was wondering if I had chosenthe right career, ēno transformed myclassroom into a completely differentlearning environment and motivated mystudents and in ways that I never real-ized were possible. With ēno, my class-room has become exactly what I havebeen trying to build for the past fiveyears―a seamless, efficient and funlearning environment!
Meet Angela and experience a day in the lifeof her classroom with ēno at booth 209.
The Center’s founder, educationthought leader Dr. Douglas B. Reeves, isthe author of more than 20 books on edu-cation and an internationally recognizedexpert in teaching, leadership and studentachievement. Commenting on the part-nership with HMH, Reeves said, “Theresearch is clear: improved studentachievement depends upon the bestcombination of teaching, leadership, cur-riculum and technology. This new part-nership will help educational systems dojust that. The time and resources ofschool systems are under unprecedentedpressure right now, and we are going tohelp schools get the greatest value possi-ble to support student achievement.”
Reeves authored the landmark casestudy for The 90/90/90 Schools™, whichexamined the high academic perform-ance of schools where 90 percent or moreof the students were eligible for free andreduced lunch, 90 percent or more of thestudents were members of ethnic minori-ty groups, and 90 percent or more of thestudents met district or state academic
standards in reading or another area. Headded that he is committed to continuinghis active schedule of travel, speaking,research and writing and will maintainpersonal connections with the educationalsystems served by HMH and TheLeadership and Learning Center.
About Houghton Mifflin HarcourtHoughton Mifflin Harcourt is a globaleducation and learning company that isleading the way with innovative solu-tions and approaches to the challengesfacing education today. The world’slargest provider of educationalproducts and solutions for pre-K–12learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourtdevelops and delivers interactive,results-driven learning solutions thatadvance teacher effectiveness and stu-dent achievement. Through curriculaexcellence and technology innovation,Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collabo-rates with school districts, administra-tors, teachers, parents and students.Today, HMH education products andservices are used by 57 million stu-dents throughout all 50 U.S. states and120 countries. With origins dating backto 1832, the company also publishes anextensive line of reference works andaward-winning literature for adults andyoung readers. For more information,visit www.hmhpub.com.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Con’t. from p. 12)
Everyday Mathematics, offered byMcGraw-Hill Education, is one of themost effective and most widespreadelementary school programs in the U.S.Mid-Atlantic states, according to U.S.Department of Education sources includ-ing the U.S. Department of Education‘sWhat Works Clearinghouse (WWC) andthe department-funded Mid-AtlanticRegional Education Lab.
A survey by the regional educationlab tabulated the usage of instructionalmaterials and programs that were evaluat-ed by the WWC, a central governmentsource of scientific evidence for whatworks in education. From March toSeptember 2009, data was collected from90 percent of some 1,113 school districtsin Delaware, the District of Columbia,Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
“Everyday Mathematics’ research-based curriculum actively engages stu-dents as they learn math, resulting insolid performance and progress acrossdistricts nationwide,” said Dan Caton,Executive Vice President of McGraw-Hill’s School Education Group. “ThisDepartment of Education survey high-lights the reach of EverydayMathematics, which is based on 25 yearsof research and development. We areextremely proud to provide this excep-tional program to more than 4 millionstudents nationwide.”
As of March 1, 2010, the WWC hadissued reports on studies of 15 of theinstructional programs that were identi-fied as being used by districts in Mid-Atlantic Region states and that had met
the Clearinghouse’s evidence standardswith or without reservations. In 10 ofthese reports, the curricula were shown tohave positive effects or potentially posi-tive effects. At the time of the surveyconducted by the government’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Education Lab, 256responding districts (26 percent) hadadopted one or more components (i.e., acore text, a workbook, a journal, onlineexercises, or a reference book) of at leastone of these programs, and 17 districts (2percent) had adopted some component oftwo of them. McGraw-Hill’s EverydayMathematics was the only one of all ofthese programs with materials that werewidely adopted and evaluated to be effec-tive. Some 235 districts (24 percent ofthose reporting) adopted some edition ofthe Everyday Mathematics core text orsome supplemental material or bench-mark assessment associated with theMcGraw-Hill curriculum.
Until recently, Mid-Atlantic Regionstate education agencies have historicallyhad little information about what instruc-tional materials districts are adopting. Thesurvey and corresponding report, WhatEnglish Language Arts, Math, andScience Instructional Materials haveDistricts in the Mid-Atlantic RegionStates Adopted?, offer results of a projectto share information on core texts, supple-mental materials, and benchmark assess-ments adopted by Mid-Atlantic Regiondistricts for specific grade levels inEnglish language arts, math, and science.
Additional information is availableat http://www.mheducation.com/.
DOE SOURCES CITE EFFECTIVENESSAND POPULARITY OF MCGRAW-HILLEVERYDAY MATH PROGRAM
