[IAEP] Data vs Critical Thinking - Can Sugar give schools both?

[Caroline Meeks]

Hi Subbu,

Not off topic in my opinion.

RTI consists of:

1. *Scientific, Research-Based Instruction- Delivered in Tiers, with
students who are struggling getting more intensive instruction.*
*2. Screening of all students.*
*3. Progress monitoring (about every 2 weeks) for the students getting the
more intensive instruction (the 'intervention').*
*
*
*US based discussions of RTI focus on how it effects the pipeline to special
education.  But in many OLPC contexts I don't think there is a special
education to be referred to. I think if kids can't make it in the general
classroom they drop out.  Thus a system that keeps more kids on track is
valuable.*
*
*
*Discussions of how to improve instruction is very on topic for RTI.  In RTI
terms you could think about it in two ways.  Are the materials part of a
Tier I (all students) instruction or are they for Tier II, for struggling
students.  The great thing about technology, be it a laptop or a mp4 player,
is that it could be used in both ways.  The whole class could use it, and we
could help teachers match up specific weakness in students with specific
learning objects for a Tier II like intervention.*
*
*
*I'm focusing a lot on the screening and progress monitoring pieces of RTI
because, thanks to huge, long, high stakes tests that teachers don't see
results back from for months, assessment has gotten a bad name.
RTI assessment is quick and results are immediate, specific and actionable.
 *
*
*
*Yes, on the cell phones/hand helds for doing the assessments.  In the US
palm pilots are used. I do think setting it up on a cell phone would be far
more economical.*
*
*
*Thanks for responding. :)*
*
*
*Caroline*

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 9:36 AM, K. K. Subramaniam <subbukk at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Tuesday 20 April 2010 06:01:33 am Caroline Meeks wrote:
> > Why can't computers for children both give them the means for creation,
> > independent learning, collaboration etc etc. and give their teacher
> > detailed, nuanced, actionable data on what skills they have mastered and
> > what they are still struggling with?
> Computer-centric vocabulary is becoming obsolete today. Talking about
> computers today is a bit-like talking about DC/Induction motors in our
> homes.
> We don't think of mixers, juicers, grinders, washing machines etc as motor
> machines, do we?  Kids don't think of mobile phones as computers. They
> think
> of them as phones, cameras, voice recorders, mp3/mp4 players etc.
>
> >Problem solvers, groundbreaking pioneers and visionary leaders need to
> know
> >their phonics and their basic math skills.  We have the capability to
> build
> >tools that help teachers know and track which students are struggling with
> >what skills, and provide the collaborative framework for them to collect
> >data and share it to determine what works to teach those skills to all
> >students.
> Just a few weeks back, I had a discussion with village school teachers
> about
> using smart machines to enliven language lessons. The discussion veered
> around
> using mini-speakers with mp3 player in classrooms. The players, about 4"
> cube
> take in 2GB USB flash, SD card or micro-SD cards and play for 5 hours on a
> single charge. They cost about $8-$10 here and 2GB card can easily hold
> about
> four-five years of language lessons. Neither teachers nor 6-9 year olds
> think
> of them as computers.
>
> We could also think of using portable mp4 players (for visual lessons) or
> smartphones (for data collection). These machines don't exclude the use of
> laptops for authoring lessons and give more options for children to learn
> languages, math and science.
>
> [Apologies if this is OT on a RTI thread]
>
> Subbu
>



-- 
Caroline Meeks
Solution Grove
Caroline at SolutionGrove.com

617-500-3488 - Office
505-213-3268 - Fax
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