Reasoning Mind, Inc

Reasoning Mind, Inc.

Using Technology to Close the Using Technology to Close the Achievement GapAchievement Gap

www.reasoningmind.org

Presenters: Betty Baitland and Julie Fry

Leadership for Equity and Excellence Forum

Feb 16th, 2010

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Framing QuestionFraming Question

How do the realities of 21st century technology affect a

teaching model that was designed for the 19th century?

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Discussion QuestionDiscussion Question

What challenges do teachers in urban schools face in

differentiating lessons for students at various levels of ability and

motivation?

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Technology in the Classroom Today:Technology in the Classroom Today:

•5th graders report using computers just 24 minutes a week in school

•8th graders report using computers just 38 minutes a week in school

“Teachers use computers to supplement and reinforce the existing teaching model. As such,

computers add cost, while failing to revolutionize the classroom experience”

– US Dept. of Education Report on Technology

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Theory of Change:Theory of Change:

Incorporating Technology into the Classroom in the 21st Century:

Previously:•Computer programs available are merely on-screen textbooks.

•Programs do not adapt to student inputs; all students see the same thing, regardless of answers given.

•Non-customizable – all students take the same path through the program.

Today:•Animated, interactive programs that engage student interest.

•Programs adapt to student inputs – what each child sees varies, depending on the inputs given.

•Highly customizable – each students takes an individual path through the program, at their own pace.

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New Role of Teacher:New Role of Teacher:

Traditional Classroom: With Technology:1. Teachers give the same

lecture to the whole class.

2. Teachers use planning time to create one-size-fits-all lessons

3. The majority of a teacher’s time is spent creating assignments and assessments, and then grading those assignments and assessments.

1. Teachers use class time to work one-on-one with students.

2. Teachers use planning time to create customized intervention plans.

3. Teachers can devote their time to a detailed analysis of each student’s performance through automated reports.

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New Student Experience:New Student Experience:

•Students become active participants in their own learning.

•Students receive instant feedback to their answers.

•The program diagnoses and remedies gaps in prior knowledge.•Students enjoy a flexible and varied path of study.

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Proven Benefits to Students:Proven Benefits to Students:

Increased Time on Task:

Studies have shown that time on task in a classroom where students are engaged in computer-based learning is much higher than in a traditional classroom

Source: Worthen, Van Dusen, & Sailor, 1994

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Improved Student Attitudes Towards Learning:

After using Reasoning Mind, an online mathematics

curriculum, over 70% of the students indicated they

either liked math a whole lot more or more than they did

previously before the program.

Source: Waxman & Houston, 2008

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Increased Face-to-Face Interaction:80% of a typical teacher’s time is spent preparing to teach, teaching, and testing.

Freed from routine tasks, teachers can create individualized intervention plans, increasing the timeliness and frequency of direct instruction for the students who need it most.

Source: Christensen, 2008

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High Quality Curriculum in Every Classroom:

Administrators using a web-based curriculum can be assured that a program of study will be delivered in a consistent manner across all classrooms, with appropriate content and pedagogies. Source: Christensen, 2008

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A Classroom that Meets Every Student’s Needs:

Technology that adjusts the path of learning for each

student and provides multiple learning modes to practice

skills has been shown to dramatically boost student

achievement. Sources: Schacter, 2001; Sivin-Kachala, 1998;

Wenglinsky, 1998

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Case Study Case Study

VIDEO:

Reasoning Mind: A tool for closing the US mathematics achievement gap

Teachers and administrators talk about the dramatic impact of adopting Reasoning Mind in their schools.

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Reasoning Mind:Reasoning Mind:Our missionOur mission

•Reasoning Mind is a non-profit that is changing the instructional paradigm in early math education in schools across the US.

•Reasoning Mind offers a combination of online learning programs for students and professional development to teachers.

•Reasoning Mind has emerged as a leader in dramatically improving the math achievement of students from disadvantaged communities.

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What Is Reasoning Mind?What Is Reasoning Mind?

• Proven curriculum of the highest quality

• An effective teacher professional development program

• A powerful teacher tool

• An engaging student environment

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Reasoning Mind: A Math Class Reasoning Mind: A Math Class of the Technology Ageof the Technology Age

Students get help from online tutors, who mentor students and set up virtual classrooms to aid the learning process

The RM Web-Based Educational CommunityThe RM Web-Based Educational Community

Teachers control and coordinate the learning process, interacting with students, tutors and the system

The Genie selects the path and pace of learning, tailored to the individual characteristics of each student

Hi, I’m the Genie, an automated

tutor who guides students through the RM system.

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RM Teacher Training and SupportRM Teacher Training and Support

• RM teachers take a 5-day qualification course in the summer and a 100-hour ongoing course in their first year teaching RM.

• These courses develop teachers’ math content and pedagogy knowledge

• Teachers are provided with ongoing support from qualified intervention specialists who visit classrooms bi-weekly.

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2008 RM vs. Control TAKS Data2008 RM vs. Control TAKS Data

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Students Are EngagedStudents Are Engaged

Are taught at Are taught at theirtheir pace and level of ability pace and level of ability

Have their weaknesses diagnosed and Have their weaknesses diagnosed and remedied remedied automaticallyautomatically

CollaborateCollaborate and and competecompete with each other with each other Enjoy Enjoy prizesprizes, , math gamesmath games, and the Genie, and the Genie

As a result, students become As a result, students become engagedengaged in learning math and in learning math and develop confidencedevelop confidence in their abilities. in their abilities.

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Students Get Excited About Math:Students Get Excited About Math:

Students Say…Students Say…

Liked learning math in RM 92%

Like math more than before after using RM 76%

Would consider a job that uses math after RM 81%

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Students Say…Students Say…

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Percentage of teachers who thought RM increased the following:Percentage of teachers who thought RM increased the following:

Teachers Say…Teachers Say…

Reading comprehension 76%

Independence in learning 91%

Reasoning skills 94%

Non-standard thinking abilities 100%

Enjoyment of mathematics 93%

Confidence in mathematical ability 91%

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Teachers Love RMTeachers Love RM

Percentage of teachers who were Percentage of teachers who were satisfied or extremely satisfied with satisfied or extremely satisfied with their overall RM experiencetheir overall RM experience

96%96%

Percentage of teachers who were Percentage of teachers who were satisfied or extremely satisfied with satisfied or extremely satisfied with the professional development RM providesthe professional development RM provides

Percentage of teachers who were Percentage of teachers who were satisfied or extremely satisfied with satisfied or extremely satisfied with the support RM providedthe support RM provided

95%95%

100%100%

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RM: The Classroom of the FutureRM: The Classroom of the Future

The student-centric The student-centric classroom is the classroom is the future of educationfuture of education

Technology Technology facilitates transition facilitates transition to student-centric to student-centric teachingteaching

Future teachers will Future teachers will need the skills to need the skills to work one-on-one work one-on-one with different types with different types of learnersof learners

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RM Endorsed by NCTQRM Endorsed by NCTQ

• RM was endorsed in a 2008 report RM was endorsed in a 2008 report of the National Council on Teacher of the National Council on Teacher Quality.Quality.

• RM’s training was RM’s training was one of only threeone of only three programs that the report said “show programs that the report said “show promise for dramatically increasing promise for dramatically increasing the mathematical competence of the mathematical competence of their graduates.”their graduates.”

• According to the report, “sustained According to the report, “sustained inservice training… is essential to inservice training… is essential to imbue the practice of [teachers] imbue the practice of [teachers] with a with a deeper conceptual deeper conceptual understandingunderstanding.”.”

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RM Endorsed by TAMESTRM Endorsed by TAMEST

• The Academy of Medicine, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas – Engineering & Science of Texas – whose membership includes ten whose membership includes ten Nobel laureates – endorsed RM in Nobel laureates – endorsed RM in its 2008 report.its 2008 report.

• RM was in the list of ten “RM was in the list of ten “A+ A+ ProgramsPrograms.” It was the .” It was the onlyonly math math curriculum program in the list.curriculum program in the list.

• The report said of RM, “Due to its The report said of RM, “Due to its student-centric approachstudent-centric approach, the , the program benefits a broad spectrum program benefits a broad spectrum of students, from special-need to of students, from special-need to gifted and talented.”gifted and talented.”

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RM Endorsed by RM Endorsed by Philanthropy RoundtablePhilanthropy Roundtable

• Reasoning Mind was profiled by Reasoning Mind was profiled by the Philanthropy Roundtable in a the Philanthropy Roundtable in a 2008 guidebook for donors.2008 guidebook for donors.

• The guidebook concludes with The guidebook concludes with Ten Ten Big Ideas in Need of SupportBig Ideas in Need of Support..

• RM was theRM was the onlyonly program featured program featured under “Idea 10: Maximize under “Idea 10: Maximize Strategic Use of Technology in the Strategic Use of Technology in the Classroom.”Classroom.”

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Question and Answer15 mins

Documents

Reasoning Mind, Inc