LOS ALAMITOS–Oak Middle School has seen a significant jump in its state test scores since the introduction of a new learning technology that forces students to participate in classroom lessons and helps teachers better tailor their lectures, officials said.

Students in Oak Middle School's Todd Schmidt's 8th grade U.S. History class use Quizdom technology to participate in class. Los Alamitos School District is one of the larger users of of the Qwizdom program in Orange County. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

Social Studies teacher Todd Schmidt acted as the guinea pig for the Los Alamitos Unified School District in using a hand-held, question-and-answer program called Qwizdom that he says helps students better learn and retain information.

“There’s this lofty goal that sounds unattainable, but (we can) actually achieve it: to get every student to answer every question, every time,” he said.

Teacher Todd Schmidt engages his eighth-graders in U. S. History with the Qwizdom Student Response System. "It's a tool that assesses and engages. It does not replace the teacher," said Schmidt. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

The technology allows the teacher to ask a question related to the lesson, then students plug in the answer on a hand-held remote. The teacher can see who has answered and who hasn’t.

Answers are projected onto a computer screen that uses kid-friendly graphs and games to keep students engaged.

Oak Middle School teacher Todd Schmidt lobbied to bring the Quizdom Student Response System to Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos. " The retention is so much better with these because every one of them is engaged," said Schmidt. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

Schmidt said Qwizdom specifically benefits students who are shy or not confident to answer questions out loud in the classroom because it allows them to participate anonymously.

“It is non-threatening,” he said. “I have proof that shows these kids are definitely getting it.”

And that proof comes in the form of better standardized state test scores, he said.

Eliot Bland, 13, center, responds to a question with the Qwizdom remote at Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos. Teacher Todd Schmidt tested the Qwizdom Student Response System on a couple of classes and noted a 15% increase in CST test scores. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

“We had a 20-point jump in Social Studies in the California State Test,” Schmidt said. “Los Alamitos is 75 percent proficient, which is three times the state average. Last year, we went up to 84 percent because we’ve been using these. I think next year our scores are going to be even higher.”

The program also lets teachers better mold their lesson plans because they can see what students are grasping or what concepts may need more attention.

“Now, I know exactly what to hit,” Schmidt said. “It has impacted my teaching so dramatically… because I know they’re understanding and retaining the material.”

The program started in Schmidt’s classroom last year and this spring the district has been incorporating the hand-held devices into more classrooms and a variety of subjects including math, language arts and science, he said.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com

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Eight-grader Tailynn Carlton, left, shows McGaugh Elementary School assistant principal Bill Mac Donald, center, and Los Alamitos School District Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin, how to use the Qwizdom remote in class. Los Alamitos School District personnel and parents visited teacher Todd Schmidt's class to learn about Qwizdom. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

Oak Middle School teacher Todd Schmidt uses the Qwizdom Q7 presenter's tablet. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

A student uses the Qwizdom student remote at Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

Natalie Landis, 13, gives her response with the Qwizdom remote in a U.S. History class at Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos. Photo Credit: Ana Venegas, OC Register

As data is displayed on a wall screen via a digital projector, participants sitting at tables provide input using wireless, hand-held devices. Nearby are racks of net books, available for projects or research. The leader is using a wireless pad to control the flow of information appearing on the screen.

You might think you’re in a high-tech corporate boardroom, but in fact this is just another day in Marianne Shibly’s 4th to 6th grade English Language Learners (ELL) classroom at Gregory Heights Elementary School right here in Burien.

On Thursday, April 29th, Gregory Heights principal Phil Robinson and teacher Marianne Shibly hosted an open house to demonstrate what is being called the “21st Century Classroom.” The purpose of the event was to share with representatives from other Highline School District schools, parents and members of the press how technology is being used to support teaching in a multi-language classroom.

The students in Mrs. Shibly’s classroom come from a variety of cultures, but are united by the fact that English is not their first language. In some cases, they also lack grounding in basic learning skills that would also put them at a disadvantage in a regular classroom setting. In the ELL class they receive the teaching they need to ultimately transition into classes with their peers at Gregory Heights.

The technology is a fundamental part of the learning experience for these students. Funding through several special grants has allowed this classroom to be equipped with a digital video projector, net books for each student and a Student Response System (SRS) that allows each student to interact with a central classroom computer using a small, hand-held “clicker.”

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Bronx Cheer by Christine Weiser, Managing Editor

March 12, 2010

I’ve been reporting on education for a long time. I’ve been to countless education conferences, reviewed thousands of press releases, and talked to hundreds of educators about how they are changing the lives of young people through the effective use of education technology.

But I don’t get to visit them that often.

That’s why it was a refreshing break from the office to visit the Archimedes Academy for Math, Science, and Technology in the Bronx at the invitation of the principal, Miriam Lazar.

The Web site describes the school as “a 6-12 public school whose mission is to provide a rigorous, innovative, college preparatory education focused on math, science, and technology applications while regularly celebrating the accomplishments of its diverse student body… Our dedicated staff works to improve the abilities and talents of all students through hands-on programs and project based learning.”

When I walked into the Academy building, it was not the urban oasis of cutting-edge tech I expected. The building smelled like most high schools: of paint and sneakers and sweat. Now in the classroom, I was impressed. There was a comfortable atmosphere in the room that buzzed with conversations from the students. Their seventh-grade math teacher was a young man who worked through a math problem on an interactive whiteboard. In front of each student was a math textbook, a notebook, a TI graphing calculator, and a Qwizdom student response system. I had seen these tools demoed plenty of times at conferences, but it just wasn’t the same as seeing them in action. Watch, for example, as these students work through the math problem using their tools:

You can see the kids thinking, using their tools not to solve the problem, but as a means to tap into those higher-order thinking skills so crucial to real learning.

We stopped next at a sixth-grade math class. The atmosphere was slightly more subdued, but the students were still engaged. Every student was participating. If they chatted, it was clear they were talking about the problem that needed solving. This teacher (also a young man) used a traditional whiteboard instead of an interactive whiteboard, combined with a projector and an interactive slate to demonstrate problems in front of the classroom. Again, the class worked through the problem and answered using their clickers. The displayed results were anonymous, but each clicker is linked to a specific student, so the teacher can gather data on the class or individual students who may need support.

We next visited the robotics lab. The school implements project-based learning, partnering with Vision Ed, a company that specializes in bringing emerging technologies to teachers, students, and administrators in high-need areas. The kids demonstrated their complex robot design that they will be entering in April’s Robofest contest:

After the class tour, we returned to a small back room of the library, where I was impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of Principal Lazar…

[There's more! Read the entire story at techlearning.com by clicking on this link]

02.08.2010 – AUSTIN, Texas – Most American educators are familiar with Qwizdom’s interactive classroom technology, but only those attending the Texas Computer Education Association Conference this February will have the unique opportunity to squeeze in hands-on time with the company’s newest hardware release – the Q6 student response system.

Available for pre-order in late march of this year, the Qwizdom Q6 Student Response System is unique in that it offers more opportunity for collaboration than with any previous system, including an easy-to-use keypad similar to a cell phone, text input and a larger LCD screen to view full responses. The small, ergonomic radio frequency remotes allow each student to communicate with the teacher from up to 328 feet away and are durability-tested to withstand the rigors of the classroom.

As the teacher presents questions on a screen, verbally, or by using paper-based activities, pupils enter responses with their remotes. The teacher‘s computer instantly receives the responses and records the results, allowing the freedom to easily manage and control the format and speed of the lesson. The instant response also allows the educator to gauge students’ overall comprehension or to zero in on a struggling pupil. In turn, a student is notified when their response has been received and can silently signal the teacher for help, easing the fear of judgment by peers or falling behind in class.

The device’s 1.8 × 1.5” LCD screen allows for up to 116 character input per transmission. Multiple mark, numeric, sequencing, rating scale, yes/no, fractional/decimal, multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions are all supported by the Q6. Battery life is a year on average.

Software used with Q6 remotes is both PC and Mac-friendly, integrating easily with PowerPoint® and Keynote®. Additionally, Qwizdom Connect software works with hundreds of thousands of pre-made curriculum resource slides.

For more information, visit Qwizdom online at www.qwizdomnews.com.

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About Qwizdom, Inc.

Qwizdom provides integrated education technology solutions for thousands of schools throughout the U.S. and U.K. Striving to make learning both effective and engaging, Qwizdom offers the most advanced radio-frequency classroom response technology (patents pending), a complete software learning system, more than 150 interactive curriculum programs, and a digital learning network. Founded in 1984, Qwizdom has offices in the Seattle area, Cleveland, and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.qwizdomnnews.com.

Media Contact
Ian Bryan
828.242.1868
ianbryan@sensiblecity.com

When comparing editorial presence across three of our education clients, it popped up that each (eChalk, Qwizdom and PolyVision) have been recently featured in Scholastic Administrator Magazine’s “Best in Tech” section. Here are the summaries:

PolyVision eno

Jim Wolff
Director, Information Technology
Tustin Unified School District
Tustin, California

Response: Our staff has embraced the technology and new tools, developing and sharing best practices.
Learning Curve: The most novice user can interact with the board in less than 20 minutes. Teachers can integrate all classroom resources with a basic understanding of the Crestron control system. PolyVision’s eno has a lifetime warranty and open platform for software.
Usage: It doesn’t require an application to work—it’s driver-based with no cords or cables. The interactivity allows teachers to capture and reuse information, as well as collect and assess that information.

Qwizdom Q4 and Connect

Rob Stratton
Technology Specialist
Gulf Elementary School
Cape Coral, Florida

Goal: To provide every teacher with a system that offers specific, immediate feedback.
Response: The classroom voting system allows assignments, quizzes, and tests to be scored efficiently. Teachers can make real-time decisions that positively affect student achievement.
Learning Curve: Qwizdom provided training that helped us develop in-house training materials.
Usage: All of our classrooms have Qwizdom Q4 remotes. The system delivers content, reinforces basic skills, and aids in assessment.
Future Plans: We will begin introducing Qwizdom Connect, which offers online resources.

eChalk

Dr. Dana T. Bedden
Superintendent
Richmond County (GA) School System
32,000 students

Problem: RCSS needed a way to communicate with parents, students, educators, and the community in a timely manner. We also needed a solution that would allow collaboration between the students, teachers, principals, and other stakeholders. We needed to utilize Web-based tools for our students to stay abreast of trends in technology.

Goal: The mission of the RCSS is to educate students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens. We want our students to be prepared for the future, and the life that they will face when they leave the Richmond County School System. It is important for them to learn how to use e-mail, blog, and use discussion boards within a safe environment.

Response: eChalk is a comprehensive tool that provides websites for districts and schools. There are teacher pages with calendars, announcements, and resources for parents to be kept in the loop of their child’s learning. There is file storage and sharing that all educators can utilize to get needed information. The website provides a public view and a private view. The private view allows us specify exactly which users have rights to things such as special education forms and tribunal information. Our students can also use the e-mail, blog, and discussion areas in a safe network. Finally, we can communicate with the community. We can recognize our sponsors and partners. Through our system homepage, we can show the exciting things going on within the system.

Lesson(s) Learned: As with other software products, eChalk had some quirks in the beginning. The nice thing about this company is the willingness to work through the problems. The customer support is excellent. Each release brings about a resolution to issues and a commitment to honor suggestions.

Usage: eChalk is used daily. Our analytical reports show how much our homepage is utilized. We also know which pages get the most “hits” and we can make changes accordingly. We use the survey tools often—from textbook voting to public opinion. The pages are used for communication and collaboration. We can add audio and video files to the pages. The system supports many formats, such as Flash, Windows Movie Maker files, and Quicktime.

Learning Curve: The support is phenomenal. The training sessions are customized for the needs of the system. eChalk is willing to work with our system to integrate the website with other technologies. There was nothing to install and the pages are very user-friendly and easy to create.

Future: There will be an upcoming release of eChalk, which will allow our users to have more flexibility in design. We are looking forward to the added levels of creativity while keeping a consistency throughout the system.

Cost: Approximately $221,000, but now 94 percent e-rateable.

Bottom line: A powerful web solution.

[READ THE ARTICLES HERE AND HERE]

PGISD Foundation gives grants for classroom projects

Pleasant Grove Education Foundation President Trish Reed and Guaranty Bond Bank President Robert Irwin present a $4,250 grant to Middle School teachers Robyn Hatridge, Lisa Watson and Lisa Hurst to purchase Quizdom software for the classroom. The foundation grant from the Dr. Robbins and Nancy Robbins Endowment is one of nine grants recently presented to various Pleasant Grove campuses and teachers.

Pleasant Grove Independent School District Education Foundation recently gave $20,093.64 to teachers for classroom projects during its “Great Grant Giveaway.”

On Dec. 15, the organization—which was founded in summer 2007— delivered grants to all three PG campuses.

Foundation members and donors loaded a school bus and headed to campuses to award nine grants.

At the high school, grant projects “Keeping the World Green” and “Inspiring the Students with Math” were given in the amounts $730 and $4,196.05 respectively.

“Keeping the World Green..

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