Today Maria Vasquez presented to the DoIT the amazing results from the research on using Promethean whiteboard technology in the classroom. Here’s an excerpt:
3rd Grade TAKS Reading Performance
The impact of the Digital Learning Classroom technology on ELL academic achievement was subtle .
The ELL Digital Learning Classroom students’ TAKS pass rate was 77.8% as compared to 84.6.0% pass
rate of the control group of ELL students in classrooms not using the technology. However, the percentage
of ELL Digital Learning Classroom students who achieved at the TAKS Commended level was 10%
higher than that of those in the control group of ELL non-Digital Learning classrooms.
The average assessment results of mainstream low-income students in the experimental and control
groups were within ±5% of each other. The mainstream non-Digital Learning Classrooms achieved a
TAKS pass rate of 95.1% compared to 90.9.% for those in the Digital Learning Classroom classes.
However, again, the percentage of students achieving “TAKS Commended” score levels was 10%
higher for those in the Digital Learning Classrooms than those in the control group of comparable classrooms
without the technology.
The district worked intensely with the SIOP model. All professional development with the new technology was layered upon that. The results are amazing!
- Incorporate ELL students’ prior knowledge, culture, interests, and experiences in new learning (BECTA, 2003; Burden, 2002; Miller & Glover, 2002).
- Provide opportunities for ELL student-interactions in a more socially supportive classroom setting (BECTA, 2003; Beeland, 2002; Bell, 2002; Burden, 2002; Edwards et al., 2002; Kennewell, 2001; Levy, 2002; Miller & Glover, 2002; Thomas, 2003).
- Integrate ELL strategies in different contexts, thereby supporting learning for students with diverse learning styles and needs (Bell, 2002; Billard, 2002; Burden, 2002).
- Contextualize instruction and use such strategies like graphic organizers that support ELL students’ development of higher-order thinking skills (Butler-Pascoe & Wiburg, 2003; Walker-Tileston, 2004).
- Incorporate short-cycle assessments into the lesson plan to provide ELL students with feedback on their progress (Miller & Glover, 2002; Richardson, 2002).
