ARobinon+CaseStudy


 * __Overview__**

**__ Integrating Personalized Learning through Technology __** This case study focuses on how technology effects personalized learning. The case study took place during the 2nd trimester of school beginning January 15th through April 9th, 2010. The case study took place at City Charter High School located in Pittsburgh, Pa where Aisha S. Robinson worked with Marshall Kohnen (11th grade math teacher) to develop a PSSA Preparatory elective class for students.

City Charter High School (City High) has approximately 532 students it services in grades 9-12. City High loops its students and teachers to track student achievement and teacher effectiveness. This technique gives the school the ability to appropriately develop and enhance its learning environment. There are teaching teams for every grade level that follow the students through graduation. Students in the 11th grade team were given the opportunity to take a PSSA Preparatory elective to review the eligible content materials being tested in the PSSA Assessment, which would be taken in March. This elective was open to all students, but teachers encouraged students, whose previous PSSA scores were considered on the “bubble,” to consider taking this course. This course specifically focused on the Mathematics eligible content, and broke up the curriculum into 5 core concepts: Numbers and Operation, Measurement, Geometry, Algebraic Concepts, Data Analysis and Probability. A total of 30 students took this elective course and were included in this case study.

The focus of this case study addressed the essential question: **In what ways can technology enhance personalized learning?** To answer this question, technologies and techniques were put into the curriculum as well as supports and supplements to enhance the students’ personal learning. The technologies incorporated were: technology enhanced curriculums, online tutorials and videos, worked-out examples, consistent email access to the instructor, online interactive calendar, and online surveys. Students were informed and taught to use these tools, and were encouraged to use them to reach their desired success in the course and on the PSSA Assessment. Since all students received the same instruction, there was no control group. Quantitative results were found by evaluating the end of unit exit exams of the core concepts. Students had to reach an exam score of at least 80% to be seen as proficient on the unit's concepts. This case study assessed how many students reached proficient on the first exit exam of each unit. Qualitative results were found by analyzing student surveys that were taken three times throughout the course. Results were reflective of the students’ opinions of the technologies used and their abilities to better prepare for the tests.

**__Proposal__** School: City Charter High School Focus: Personalizing Learning

I. **Synopsis**: After earning a National Award for being identified as one of the twenty-one top performing Charter Schools in the country, City Charter High School has begun a post-secondary research study that will focus on student preparation for post-secondary schools. Within this research, the study showed that former students found it to be very valuable to have personalized learning in high school to prepare them for the personalized learning atmosphere in college. Most alumni student’s stated that they had experienced some forms of personalized learning at City Charter High School, yet the experience levels varied. This case study will begin by researching how the school is designed to focus on personalized learning, and how technology is used to implement this style of learning. Then, it will take a closer look at how the math department utilizes technology to enhance personalize learning. Finally, the case study will look at an 11th grade PSSA Preparatory class to see how technology enhanced personalized learning in the classroom. II. **Contents**: 1. __Time Context__: · The initial research will look over the 2008-2009 school year to evaluate how particular grades apply personalized learning (individualized learning) methods and correlate these practices used to the practices used in the 2009-2010 school year of instruction. · The research will then be disaggregated to focus on how the math department utilizes technology to enhance personal learning · The case study will then look at an 11th grade PSSA Preparatory class to see how technology enhanced personalized learning in the classroom within the trimester. The case study took place from January 15th - April 9th, 2010. 2. __Case Viewpoint__ : · Research: AIsha Robinson and Marshall Kohnen (11th grade Math Teacher) · Case Study: Student progress and student survey responses 3. __Statement of Problem__: · How has City High Charter High School effectively implemented thechnologies to ehance personalized learning? 4. __Statement of Objectives__: · Analyze personalized learning technology and techniques used to implement effect personalized learning. · To determine how technology enhances the effectiveness of personalized learning 5. __Statement of Areas of Considerations (Exemplars)__: · All core teachers cycle with their students from 9th-12th grade. · Students may only be exposed to one particular way of personalize learning within a curriculum. This is dependent on the teaching team, implementation styles, knowledge of available technologies, and professional development. · Within the mathematics department, this case study will solely focus on the math PSSA Preparation course. 6. __Statement of Alternative Courses of Action__: · Since there is strength in student accessibilities in technology, the case study will focus more on the implementation/application of personalized learning through technology. 7. __Statement of Conclusion__ Conclusions will be made by evaluating the students progress in the math PSSA Preparation Course using exit exam results and student surveys.

8. __Statement of Recommendation__ Recommendations include: i. Activities: Upperclass student developed stategies on how to effectively use technolgy as a tool for personalized learning. ii. Task Force: Assigned Persons on each team including students, teachers and paraprofessionals to progress monitor which tools are most effective to personalize learning iii. Continuous Research : Profeesional Development will be utilized to aid teachers in using current and new technologies in the classroom as both instructional tools as well as support tools utilized specifically for persoal learning.
 * Plan of Action**: Implementing a “Universal Personalize Learning Standard” known as the "Individualized Learning Plan" that focuses on the objectives set forth by the grade level teams of City Charter High School.

__**Research**__

In January 2010, the content area teams at City High were asked to provide feedback regarding what they are currently doing in terms of personalized learning, and how these current actions match up with the plans made as part of the Middle States process. The following is feedback shared by City High faculty and staff. Originally, personalized learning was implemented to meet up with the Middle States Requirements for independent learning. The school then developed a plan to go beyond the Middle States requirements to meet the needs of its students and better prepare twenty-first century students for success. Therefore, specific graduation requirements afford the students the option to decide how learning takes place and is displayed. For example, students are required to have an online senior portfolio that displays growth in their academic products over the years. Moreover, students work independently to receive Microsoft (MCAS) certifications and are taught strategies for web design. Technology based curriculums are implemented. The school wide curriculums are designed to incorporate technology and online simulations that can be utilized to enhance learning. In short, the school has created an “Independent Learning Rubric” for the 9th – 11th grades. These rubrics will help both the students and teachers focus on the core concepts being taught, while allowing the students to manufacture products that demonstrate mastery level comprehension in their own individualized manner.

The following are some ways in which specific teams demonstrates personalized learning: Technology Team: ** Science Team: ** Research Team: **
 * 
 * The tech team’s final class, 11th grade electronic portfolio class, is structured so that students are given a rubric at the start of the class and are required to complete the portfolio by the end of the trimester independently. The department builds personalized learning skills starting in lower grades, where students work independently on technologies needed to create their personal portfolio in future years.
 * 
 * The science department has started to move beyond the goals of middles states which focused on helping students develop the ability to design, carry out, and analyze their own experiments. They have, and will continue to develop a program that scaffolds abilities in those efforts through actual experiments, simulations, online research explorations, and “gizmos” that allow students to virtually explore and analyze science.
 * 
 * The research department is responsible for implementing the graduation project. It is the culminating product that is developed to display, through research and presentation skills, that students capitalize on personal learning experience. It includes independent research, personalized scheduling, presentation that utilizes multiple-medias, and constant self-reflection and evaluation. The team is committed providing experiences throughout a student’s movement through the research program that scaffold and support development of this capacity.

**11th Grade Math Team:**
 * The math department has started moving beyond the Middle State goals that now include Problem of the Week (POW) assignments that utilized technologies like Geometer Sketchpad, Microsoft Excel and Word. In previous years, teachers instructed students on their expectations for the POW’s. By 11th grade, students are given the POW’s to work on independently, and are expected to produce a product that answers the problem in student selected variations that illustrate and explain their answers. The math team also included self-selected (student) honors courses. Students are given the opportunity to place themselves in honors course to strengthen their skills, and utilize multiple technologies more frequently to ehnace learning.

__**Case Study**__  Focusing on the 11th grade team became important because of the PSSA Assessments. City High has emphasized the importance of the PSSA Assessments to its students and has encouraged its students to take an active role and responsibility in preparing for the assessment. While all 11th grade students are required to take the PSSA Assessment, 30 students selected to take a PSSA Preparation Elective to enhance their competencies with respect to the eligible content. City High teachers were particularly interested in how students would personally prepare for the PSSA assessment using supplemental technologies along with the preparation course.

**Technologies used in this case study were: __During Teacher Instruction__:** Technology enriched curriculum that utilized: ¡ Elmo ¡ LCD Projectors ¡ Edline attendance and Grading : Online tool for students and the instructors (//Similar to Dashboard)// __**Personalizing the Learning**__: Edline was used as the key technology tool for personalizing the learning. The following were made available to the students: ¡ **Online Surveys **: Used for Personal Assessments ¡ **Online Tutorials **: Written explanations, worked out examples, and practice problems ¡ **Online Videos **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: Streamed videos of teachers instructing the mathematical concepts that are being taught in there course. ¡ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Student **Grade Monitoring** ¡ **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Easy Access **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">to Instructor Email: utilized 24hr a day; 7 days a week ¡ **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Interactive Calendar **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: Allowed students to stay up on and stay ahead of their learning
 * //Materials//**


 * //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Procedures //**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students were instructed using a technology enriched curriculum.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Supplemental materials were added to the course for personalized enrichments.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students were assessed to determine how they used these techniques and technologies to implement effective personalized learning strategies.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students were analyzed through 5 End of Unit exit exams scores and 3 identical surveys where given throughout the course to determine what technologies and techniques were used that could be attributed to the student’s success.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To replicate the PSSA Assessment, students where allowed to retake the End of Unit exit exam until they reached a proficient score of 80%.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Data was collected with respect to the number of students who received proficient on the End of Unit exit exam **after the 1st attempt**.
 * 7) Data was collected through the 3 surveys to assess the students' responses on how effective the supplemental technologies were that aided to their academic success within the class.


 * __Analysis__**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">At the end of the trimester, I compiled the entire test scores collected from the End of Unit exit exams. All students who began the initial case study remained in the class through the end of the course. All students reflected on the technologies used throughout the course in the survey response. The following graph illustrates the outcome of the End of Unit exit exams of students who recieved 80% or better on the first attempt:

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A survey was given 3 times, to students, throughout the course to evaluate the student’s opinion. Questions were created t <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">o determine how technology enhances the effectiveness of personalized learning.
 * Student surveys were asked the following questions and the results are highlighted in red:**

1. Overall effectiveness in preparing for the PSSA? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 27 out of 30 students commented “Yes” to this question. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 2. What technologies did you use to personalize your learning? (email, online tutorials, videos, etc.)


 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Tutorials **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: 20 out of 30 students
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Videos **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: 30 out of 30 students
 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Student **Grade Monitoring:** 30 out of 30 students
 * <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">**Online Surveys**: 30 out of 30 students
 * **<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Interactive Calendar **<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: 30 out of 30 students

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">3. Which technology was most effective? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Videos, Grade monitoring, and online interactive calendar were most effective. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 4. How effective was it to offer the technologies to enrich your personal learning? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This question was broken down by very effective, effective, somewhat effective, and not effective. 19 out of 30 students stated “very effective”, 5 out of 30 students stated “effective”, 4 out of 30 stated “somewhat effective”, and 2 out of 30 students stated “not effective”.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">5. In your opinion, do you believe that the technologies helped you be successful in this class? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">24 out of 30 students answered “Yes”.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">6. Are there any technologies not used, that would help you be successful? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Only 1 student comment: “Pre-Assessments before each unit would help us know what we already know.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">7. Within the last 5 units, did you use the personalized learning technologies more than 15 times? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">17 out of 30 students used the technologies more than 15 times

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">8. Within the last 5 units, did you use the personalized learning technologies between 10-14 times in this unit? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">8 out of 30 students used the technologies between 10-14 times

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">9. Within the last 5 units, did you use the personalized learning technologies between 5-9 times in this unit? <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">4 out of 30 students used the technologies between 5-9 times

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">10. Within the last 5 units, did you use the personalized learning technologies less then5 times in this unit? <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">1 out of 30 students used technologies less then 5 times


 * __Other Studies that were reflective of City Charter High School's findings__**

Olympia School District; Olympia, Washington

Like City Charter, Olympia School District thought it was necessary to offer classes that will equip students for the twenty-first century. They employed this theory using the necessary technologies and skills needed to be successful in their students’ future. Therefore, Olympia implemented an action plan that would focused on this initiative. Through the school’s Career and Technology Education program (CTE), the school set goals that would teach and apply active learning plans for their students. These active learning plans focused the learning community on the overall goals and expectations set forth by the technology standards. This plan also stated, “ <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 9.5pt;"> Students in CTE classes will use appropriate industry technologies in courses to demonstrate proficiency in foundation and industry specific standards with full implementation of best practices instructional technologies in place by 2010 (Olympia p1).” Such technologies would incorporate technology standards and work produced by students to demonstrate proficiency. This district uses a 3 tier Response to Intervention Model that helps meet individual students’ needs. While all students and teachers within the Olympia School District are expected to meet the standards and requirements, the District has set in place tier 2 and tier 3 models that are catered more toward individual students’ needs. This will focus on “ <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 9.5pt;"> technology based student centered learning opportunities.” These opportunities will allow students to have success in their courses, and subsequently student enrollment and graduation rates will be sustained and will potentially rise. The district also sets goals to improve student achievement in mathematics through technology integration. The plan states, “All math teachers will use classroom technology tools to facilitate student engagement in general instruction, projects, and interdisciplinary tasks.” Modifications were also used to differentiate techniques that would allow students who need tier 3 accommodations to be successful.

Conclusion

This case study demonstrated effective strategies for implementing personalized learning using technology. Overall, students in the PSSA Preparation elective benefited from the technologies used to enhance their learning. While test scores held positive outcomes that could reflect effectiveness, the test scores held too many assumptions, which became hard to gauge its accuracy because there was no control. However, the student surveys were very beneficial to both the study and to the teacher when evaluating the technologies that were most beneficial to the student’s achievement.

The school-wide initiative to personalize learning allowed students to benefit and strengthen their academics while holding each student accountable for their learning. Implementation of strategies in all courses allowed the school to have a universal design for learning with respect to personalized learning. This allowed the school to develop their own Independent Learning Rubric. Similar to the Olympia School District, the idea of a Universal Rubric allows the teachers and the students to focus on the standards and expectations, while allowing room for differentiation.

As a result of this project, the teacher, Mr. Kohnen, plans to continue to use these techniques and technologies in the upcoming PSSA Preparation courses. He also is strongly considering finding opportunities of incorporating such technologies into the core classes as well. Mr. Kohnen cautioned, “The hardest part of implementing technologies into the core classes is the time it takes to find and develop such tools and technologies. There has to be a balance of materials added and materials removed within the curriculum to add value to the core, and relieve stresses from the teachers and students alike.”

Personalizing the learning not only benefits the school's mission for preparing students for the future, it also allows the students to take an active role in their own academic achievement. Through this process, students have learned the academic keys to success, while teaching them the skills of technology needed to open up a world filled with many opportunities.


 * __Resources__**

> Here are some examples of the interactive powerpoints that were used during instruction: > [|PSSA Coach Lesson 14- Geometry.pptx] > [|PSSA Coach Lesson 16-17- Algebraic Concepts.pptx] > [|PSSA Coach Lesson 28- Data and Analysis.pptx] > > Here are some examples of links that where available to the students as the online tutoring component. This portion included both written instruction, worked out examples, practice problems, and videos to illusterate mathematical concepts: > > **Algebra Concepts: Graphing Exponential Functions** > [] > **Algebra Concepts: Graphing Inequalities** > [] > **Algebra Concepts: Solving Equations and Absolute Value Equations** > [] > **Geometry: Alternate Interior and Alternate Exterior Angles** > [] > **Geometry: Distance Formula** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/distance-formula.html**] > **Geometry: Similar Triangles** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/similar-triangles.html**] > **Measurement: Surface Area** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/surface-area.html**] > **Measurement: Geometry-Formulas** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/geometry-formulas.html**] > **Numbers and Operations: Scientific Notation** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/scientific-notation-2.html**] > **Probability and Statistics: Central Tendency** > [|**http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/mode.html**] > **Probability and Statistics: Theoretical and Exponential Probabilty** > **[]** > > Students where also given the option to seek individualize help during lunch daily or twice a week after school to either review learning concepts of advance independently at their own pace. >

> **__References__** > > Wedsites: > Oplymia School District. Oplymia, Washington > [] > Technology in the Classrom > [] > > Articles: >

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