0sing Teaching Softwaie in Alteinative Classiooms: A Closei Look at PLAT0 Couisewaie In February of 2013, I began a 20 hour observation at a local alternative school as part of my teaching program at Purdue University. My placement was in a middle school alternative classroom at LSC Alternative School. The alternative program is run by L.E.A.P., a local educational program that specializes in classrooms such as this. LSC Alternative School is a very small urban school in Lafayette, Indiana. The program is housed in an elementary school and is made up of two classrooms separated by a partition. The students are split into two classes: the morning class and the afternoon class. The morning class runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the afternoon class runs from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The class is staffed with one supervising teacher and two aids. Unlike a traditional classroom, the students are made up of various grades and skill levels. Though there is a teacher in the room, he is there more to keep the students on task and deal with behavioral issues than to actually teach. The teaching is done, for the most part, by a computer program called PLATO. The School, Environment, and Implementation of PLATO Courseware The students enrolled in LSC Alternative School are what their teacher, Mr. Cross, calls last chance students. These are students that have, for reasons such as drugs, violence, and general behavior issues, been kicked out of previous general education classrooms. The school acts as a rehabilitation program, giving the students one more chance to get on track before moving up or returning to their previous schools. The program used in the classroom is PLATO Courseware, an educational computer program tailored to each student. PLATO is owned by Edmentum, a company which !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 5
specializes in creating curriculum and instructional management tools. PLATO Courseware began in the 1960s at the University of Illinois. The program was created out of a need for more readily available access to quality education. Initially funded by grants, PLATO became the first computer-assisted learning system (PLATO Learning, 2010). PLATO is often used in schools such as LSC Alternative as a credit recovery program. At a high school level, PLATO offers instructional programs in subjects such as English, Geometry, Algebra, US History, Government, Economics, and Biology. For middle school students, PLATO offers 7 th and 8 th grade Mathematics, Reading, Language Arts, and Middle School Science (Plato k-12 learning, 2004). At LSC Alternative, the students time in the classroom is divided among three subjects: Reading, Mathematics, and Language Arts. Each subject receives one hour of work. If the students finish their work, they work on projects. During my time at LSC Alternative School, I was able to observe and work with students in both the morning and afternoon sessions. My role in the classroom, at first, was one of an aid. I sat beside students, working with them on their lessons and helping them with any questions they had. During this period in my assignment, I became increasingly interested in the PLATO program and how it worked. As my interests began to change, my role in the classroom altered as well. I became more of an observer, often sitting behind a student instead of beside them. Though I still helped the students with questions they had or offered helpful suggestions, I wanted to see how they utilized the program they were working with. I wanted to see how the program worked, but I wanted to discover if the PLATO tutorials effectively teach the skills and subjects they claim to? 6 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
Toward the end of my placement, having gathered a plethora of notes, data, and program observations and opinions, I began to explore how the students responded to the program. While working with the students, I heard a lot of their opinions, both good and bad, about the program and what it was like being in a classroom like this. I began informally interviewing the students while working with them, investigating questions such as: Do the students like the program? How does it compare to working with a teacher in a general education classroom? Do they feel is it easier or more difficult than working with a teacher? What were their main complaints about the program? The question of how PLATO worked and how the students responded and utilized the program shaped my overall research. Literature Review Paper 1 Title: PLATO Elementary Math Software, Fairview Elementary, Dayton, Ohio. Preliminary Study. PLATO Evaluation Series. Author(s): David W. Quinn, Ed. D., Nancy W. Quinn, M.S.
In 2001, David W. Quinn and Nancy W. Quinn published their research on PLATO Learning through the Department of Education. Their paper, PLATO Elementary Math software, Fairview Elementary, Dayton, Ohio. Preliminary Study. PLATO Evaluation Series, explores how PLATO software was used in an Ohio Elementary School and the progress of the students during this time. Fairview !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 7
Elementary School, on of fifty schools in the Dayton School District, had an enrollment of 414 students (1999-2000 school year). According to the district, over half of Fairviews students were eligible for free or reduced lunches. The students were primarily black with the largest minority being white. The students studied were 5 th , 4 th , and 3 rd graders, with the largest percentage coming from the 4 th grade class. Fairview Elementary School had been using PLATO software for the last 3 years when Quinn and Quinn began their research. According to Mary Clark, the Title I teacher at Fairview Elementary School, the system was a key part of her instruction. Clark combined the software with teacher instruction. The students logged about 3-5 hours a week on the program. Through their research, Quinn and Quinn came to the conclusion that the implementation of the PLATO system over the three-year period had been an overall success. The average test score on the pretest were 190.8. By the post-test, the average score had jumped to 201.2. Eighty-one percent of the students had higher post-test scores. According to Quinn and Quinn (2001), The use of the PLATO system provided the opportunity to provide greater individualization for those students who most needed the teachers attention students enrolled in the Title I class generally experienced meaningful growth in math proficiency scores (p. 11). Paper 2 Title: Web-Based Education: A Reality Check Author(s): Rob Foshay, Corrie Bergeron In their article, Web-Based Education: A Reality Check, Rob Foshay and Corrie Bergeron argue that, while web based education has its perks it is not perfect. As 8 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
Foshay and Bergeron (2000) put it, Putting content on a web page is no guarantee of learning. The web may be a great way to distribute information, but can you really teach with it?(p.16). According to Foshay, there is a big difference between information and instruction. This principle holds true for the internet as well. In short, principles that we apply in the classroom should still apply to the web. Foshay and Bergeron argue that, when it comes to Internet instruction and courseware, attention to detail is key. Aspects such as correct placement are crucial for success. Take PLATO on the Internet for example. PLATO on the Internet is designed for mainly adults and young adults, as mainly online education programs and community colleges use it. Because of the age of its users, PLATO on the Internet has been designed to be mainly self-instructional. This means that it is crucial that users are placed on the correct module. If a new learner is placed on too hard a module, he or she is likely to conclude that learning by computer is too hard and become discouraged (Foshay & Bergeron, 2000). Foshay and Bergeron explain that, likewise, if a learner is placed in a module that is too easy, he is likely to believe that learning by computer is too easy. This would likely lead the learner to become bored. In conclusion, Foshay and Bergeron argue that cookie cutter, off-the-shelf technologies offer only partial solutions. Online learning requires both seamless software and instructional expertise. Just putting information on a webpage is not enough to ensure learning. Though online education and educational software is far from perfect, it enables both educators and students to go beyond traditional classroom walla and create a more accessible education. Paper 3 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 9
Title: Technology in the Classroom Author(s): Doris Bergen The article, Technology in the Classroom, examines the excitement teachers feel about incorporating technology into the classroom as well as the concerns felt by many. Many teachers share the concern of how integrating technology into the classroom will influence classroom practices and learning. Bergens article attempts to explain ways to enhance learning through technology and how to preserve the developmentally sound instructional approaches you value and practice (Bergen, 1999). Each section of the article includes and example of how technology is being used in the classroom and a discussion of the impact it may have. One section tells the story of a thirteen-year-old computer expert. Kristen began using computers when she was four. By pre-school she could use game programs. At that time, computers were used mainly as a free time activity. By the time Kristen was in the fourth grade she as using computers at school. Programs like Math Blaster were used on a weekly basis. Eventually, the Internet made computer lab time a project staple. When asked what she learned from her time with computers, Kristen said it taught her how to find things on the web that she simply could not find in the library. Computers are a much more common practice in classrooms today. In fact, there is practically no way around them. Because of this, teachers have to find a balance among individual computer-related learning activities, social/interactive experiences, and whole- group, more direct teaching experiences. According to Bergen (1999) If some types of learning can be done more effectively, and customized better on the computer for individual students, should that affect traditional classroom practices? (p.117). Bergen : !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
suggests that in order for teachers to wisely implement technology in the classroom, they should spend more time exploring the technology and taking risks.
Data Collection The data collection conducted during my research was all rather informal. I initially attempted to approach my research in a more formal fashion by handing out a questionnaire to the students. I gave the students ten minutes to complete the survey. Out of the ten students surveyed: 4 filled out the survey completely 1 , 2 did not fill out anything 2 , 3 checked I dont know for every question, and 1 checked I dont know for every question and left a rather colorful response in the discussion box 3 . In addition to the survey failure, I also tried to take the students away from the computers to talk to them about the program. I only tried this with two students because they seemed so uncomfortable that I could not get any valuable information out of them. They simply sat hunched in their chairs, refusing to look up from their hands except to occasionally glance at the aid to make sure they were not going to be in trouble. It became clear to me that more formal assessments, like surveys and interviews, were not going to work. In the end, I chose to throw out all observable assessment and simply talk to them. I would sit with a student for a few visits in a row, occasionally asking a yes or no question or making small talk when they would allow for it, until they began to grow more comfortable. Once the pressure was off, the students were much more willing to talk to me about the program and voice their complaints. I made an effort to work the questions addressed above in with every student. Again, those questions were:
1 See Appendix A1 2 See Appendix A2 3 See Appendix A3 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" ;
Do the students like the program? How does it compare to working with a teacher in a general education classroom? Do they feel is it easier or more difficult than working with a teacher? What were their main complaints about the program? One girl enjoyed the talks so much that she allowed me to take photos of her screen while she used the program. While I sat with the students, I would casually take notes. I made sure each student knew that I was taking notes on the program, not them. My notes on the program, the photos, and the informal interviews and discussions with the students made up my data collection. Data Analysis Notes Every day that I came into the classroom I made sure to bring a notebook with me. I began my notes by writing the day and giving the student I was working with an alias. My notes focused on the program, the students use of the program, and occasionally the teachers and aids in the classroom. My goal was simply to write down everything I could take in. My reason for doing this instead of simply focusing on the program was because I wanted to make sure the data I was collecting was actually reflecting the program itself and was not being changed by outside influences. For example 4 , the teacher and aids in the room would often have discussions about students or personal information rather loudly while the students were working. During this time, it would not be fair to assume that Student K was not staying on task for any other reason than his assumed distraction by these conversations.
I also recorded any conversations I had with my supervising teacher 5 . My goal for this section of my notes was to write down as much of what he said verbatim, along with my own reflection on the discussion. My notes were also a chance to write myself reminders and pose questions for later thought 6 . When I left the classroom, I would some time to reread my notes and add any after thoughts or conclusions I had come to. Photos All photos collected were done so with verbal permission from the student under the agreement that no personal information would be included in the images. The photos I collected were taken on an iPhone 4 while sitting next to the students. I gathered images from Reading, Mathematics, and Language Arts lessons, in addition to images of the menu page. Notes were saved for each image, along with personal thoughts for reflection 7 . Interviews My informal interviews 8 with the students were recorded in my notes. Again, no names will be released. This was arguably the most influential and important data I collected. Though I was interested in how the program worked on a superficial level, I would not know how well it worked for the students without their opinions. Throughout these interviews, I looked for patterns among student responses, as well as similarities and differences. How many students felt the same about the program? What complaints or praises did I hear most often?
5 See Appendix B2 6 See Appendix B3 7 See Appendix C 8 See Appendix D !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 33
Findings PLATO Courseware: Reading PLATOs reading section attempts to instruct students on how to affectively real and analyze a text. Students are given tutorials and tests to help them first practice then assess their knowledge of the subject. Instead of using a novel or textbook, the program enlists the help of short stories, short nonfiction articles 9 , and letters. For all of the topic exercises, the student must first read the textual aid. After they have read the text, the program will ask them to highlight, type, or select answers that help them understand the goal of the exercise. Example 1 When completing the Tutorial on summarizing a passage, Student D was given a passage on recycling. After reading the passage, Student D had to type the details she felt were important. The program then gave her its answers 10 as clarification. During the Application section of the lesson, PLATO gave Student D a strategy alert. Strategy alerts are tips to help the students better understand the steps required to complete lessons. For example, the PLATO breaks down the steps required to successfully summarize a passage 11 . After the tutorial was completed, Student D went on to the mastery test. The mastery test is the main form of assessment for each lesson. For this question, Student D was given a passage on tsunamis. She was required to read the passage, then click the summary 12 she fest best fit the passage.
9 See Appenuix E1 1u See Appenuix E2 11 See Appenuix ES 12 See Appenuix E4 34 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
Example 2 To help teach students about visualizing 13 what you read, the PLATO tutorial uses instructional passages to help illustrate the steps. In this example, PLATO uses an article about useless machines made for fun. Student D reads the passage and then PLATO highlights sections and includes illustrations of how the machines work. PLATO also includes a Readers Write 14 section. The idea behind this section is that questions are presented to the student in the form of a letter from a student, then the program explains how to fix their problemkind of a Dear Abby approach to reading instruction. In this example, a reader has written in with a question about how to correctly use the strategies presented in the lesson to summarize a passage. The program then responds by illustrating the techniques. Praise for PLATO: Reading Through my observations, I believe that the PLATO Reading lessons cover an appropriate range of topics and reading strategies. I observed lessons on summarizing, determining appropriate titles, finding main ideas, how to read text books, and taking notes, just to name a few. PLATO also includes a wide range of topics for students to read about. I also appreciate that PLATO breaks lessons into three steps: Tutorial, Application, and Mastery Test. Students must complete a certain number of questions correctly before they can receive credit for the test. Criticism of PLATO: Reading One of the complaints I heard the most when working with the students was how random some of the reading topics were. Although I included the wide range of reading
13 See Appendix E5 14 See Appendix E6 and E7 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 35
topics as something to be praised in the previous section, many of the students felt that the things they were reading about simply didnt hold their interest. When speaking with Student K about this subject, she said, It is just so boring. I wish we could read about more interesting stuff. My mind falls asleep. How am I supposed to remember anything with my mind all sleepy and what not? I mean, I can still learn to summarize something interesting, you know? Many of the students reported feeling that topics more relevant to their daily lives would make the work more enjoyable and felt their scores would improve. While I understand wanting students to learn about a wide range of topics, I do agree with the students to a certain extent. Several times during my visits, I would find it hard to keep my eyes open while reading some of the topics the kids were forced to read. In one visit, I read about: Tsunamis Garlic Cholesterol Food Allergies The Endangered Species Act of 1973 Tenzing Norgay Buying a Bike Helmet Polishing Shoes If we want students to be engaged in what they are learning, could we not at least try to give them something mildly closer to their interest range every once and awhile? PLATO Courseware: Mathematics 36 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
PLATOs mathematics section is organized similarly to the reading and language arts sections, incorporating tutorials, applications, and mastery tests to help teach and assess students. The tutorials make the students complete and answer problems step by step-by-step. This is the programs version of showing your work. Though the students have calculators on their computers, few seem to use them, as the program breaks the answer down into so many steps that it would feel a little pointless. The program gives the instructions and examples on the step at a time (words/ explanation on the left, problems on the right). The tutorial enlists the help of images 15 , colorful backgrounds, and simple animation. Mastery tests are designed much more simply, with fewer distractions. Example 1 Like reading, the math tutorials are quite personalized. They even address the learner by nameHere is a challenge for you, Rebecca! The tutorials and applications even break down the answers down to the tens place. For example, if a student has the answer 29, the computer will first ask, What number goes in the tens place? The mastery test is multiple choice. There is no entering of tens or ones, no broken down answers. It is straightforward and simple. In this example, the computer is asking for the name of the figure highlighted in blue 16 . There are no steps to be completed, just a right or wrong answer. Praise for PLATO: Mathematics When I first began observing students math lessons, I found the practice of entering answers step-by-step to be tedious. In fact, so do the students. When I asked one
15 See Appendix E8 16 See Appendix E9 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 37
student why she thought PLATO made her enter the answers step-by-step, she said, I dont know because you can see the answer. It is stupid. I asked her if it could be to keep kids from just using a calculator, to which she responded, I dont know, maybe. But I dont do that because it is lazy. I used to, but it was too much work and I kept putting the wrong answer in. It is easier not to. As someone who grew up during the golden age of the calculator, I am constantly impressed by the number of students who do not use their calculators while using the PLATO program. The program has made it easier to do the work without one. Students do this for so long that by the time they move on to harder problems, I watched them still attempt to work it out in their heads. I cannot say the same for students in a general education classroom. Criticism of PLATO: Mathematics One problem I have noticed with the PLATO program carries beyond Math, but seems to cause the most problems in this area. There is a definite lack of note taking among the students using PLATO. Many of them simply click from question to question without writing down a single thing. If they get the questions correct, this is not too big of a problem. The trouble begins when they get a question wrong. I dont know how many times I have heard a student say, Well, I know it isnt C because I guessed that one last time. Many of the questions in the PLATO lessons repeat themselves when they have not been answered correctly. Likewise, often questions from the tutorial will carry over into the mastery test. If students would take notes on the problems and tutorial lessons as they completed them, they would not have to result to guessing when they could not remember an answer. However, in my time at LSC Alternative, I counted two instances where a student actually took notes. Be this as it may, it must be said that practices like 38 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
note taking are very difficult to manage with a computer program like PLATO. This is something that would need to be handled by the teacher; however, I do believe that it is a step that students would greatly benefit from if required. PLATO Courseware: Language Arts Language Arts in the PLATO Courseware system relies heavily on modeling what the students are taught. There is much more multiple choice answering in this section than any of the others. During the tutorials, however, there is quite a bit of breaking down sentences piece by piece in an effort to explain how the parts of the sentence work. This said, the grammar lessons seemed to be one of the more difficult lessons for the students to complete. The Language Arts section is quite broad and covers the majority of topics and lessons you would find in a traditional classroom. The Language Arts content 17 page lists all of the lessons that need to be completed. The green circles and stars show the status of each lesson and what needs to be completed. Example 1 In this lesson, Student B was working on nouns and the different roles they can play in a sentence. The tutorial before gave an example of each of the different kinds of nouns being discussed, along with a step-by-step illustration of how and why they played that role. The mastery test, as with the other mastery tests, was entirely multiple choice 18 . The mastery test consists of ten questions and several of them came straight from the tutorial. Praise for PLATO: Language Arts
17 See Appendix E10 18 See Appendix E11 !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 39
The PLATO Language Arts section includes a comprehensive program of study. One fear people tend to have about with programs like this the fear that students will not learn the things they would in a general education classroom, taught by a teacher. It is true that programs like this have a tendency to not give students the same one on one attention from a teacher that they may receive in a traditional setting; however, the PLATO Language Arts system provides lessons ranging from correct comma usage to commonly misspelled words. It is my belief that, if used properly, students could learn just as much on the PLATO program than any other program. Criticism of PLATO: Language Arts As previously mentioned, the language arts section of PLATO Courseware seemed to be one of the most difficult for the students of LSC Alternative. Although I approve of the subject being covered, I cannot help but feel that more needs to be done to explain these practices to students. The majority of the students I observed simply guessed on the language arts portion. One student took the same mastery test 12 times because she simply did not understand and, until I came to observe, there was no one there to help her. This may be the most problematic detail of systems such as PLATO. Further Questions The question that plagued me throughout my time at LSC Alternative was one of instruction. These kids were in this room for a reason. Having been kicked out of their previous schools for behavioral issues, they obviously needed a change. Unlike a traditional classroom, the students at LSC sit in almost complete silence. There is no talking, no note taking, and no group activity. The teacher teaches no lessons, hands out no worksheets, and creates no lesson plans. The students sit at their individual computers, 3: !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2"
facing the wall. The teacher sits at the back of the room watching all of them. The only interaction the students receive comes from an aid, who will occasionally tell them to stop resting their head in their hands or answer a question about what subject they should be doing next. In my time there, I never saw the teacher give any kind of instruction that was not disciplinary, nor did I see an aid answer a question that was content related. To someone who has spent the last five years discussing teaching pedagogy and creating lesson plans for some idealistic invisible group of children, this shocked me to the core when I first began visiting. How could students possibly learn anything of substance under these circumstances? However, after with the students and seeing the progress they are making, I have come to appreciate that there is something to this kind of classroom. It is true that the students do not necessarily enjoy their time in the classroom. Of the 14 children I spoke to, all of them unanimously reported that they would much rather be at their old schools or back in a general education classroomand who can blame them? Conducting a classroom in this manner makes school, understandably, quite dull. Dull as it may be, it works. The majority of students finish their work, they stay relatively on task, and they do not get kicked out. Taking away the social aspect of school leaves the students fewer opportunities for disruption. My nagging question is thisare these students receiving enough instruction to learn to their full potential? When the students do not understand a lesson or cannot pass a mastery test, instead of raising their hand and asking for the teacher to show them how to do it, they stop. They close the test and move on to a different lesson. Unfortunately, !"#$% '()*+#$% ",-'.)/( #$ )0'(/$)'#1( *0)""/,,2" 3;
whole class instruction is made virtually impossible in a classroom such as this one due to the different grades and skill levels of the students involved. I would be nice if classrooms like this could couple the use PLATO with regular instruction. If this was done, however, it could potentially bring back the all too familiar problems that put the students in this classroom in the first place. When I spoke with the supervising teacher at LSC Alternative, he admitted that the program was not ideal. He explained that though the program was not the end all solution, the students do make progress and it keeps many of them from falling farther into the system. Perhaps taking programs like this for what they are, a transitional means to an end, and attempting to give students the most help possible is the best we can do until a better solution comes along.
References Bergen, D. B. (1999). Technology in the classroom. Childhood Education, 76(2), 116- 118. Foshay, R. F., & Bergeron, C. B. (2000). Web-based education: A reality check. TechTrends, 44(5), 16-19. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid= f4a7ecd9-9c46-4936-98d2-31b3f213f1d9@sessionmgr114&vid=2&hid=121 (2004). Plato k-12 learning technologies: Course models for credit recovery. U.S.A.: PLATO Learning. Retrieved from http://events.ednet10.net/PCBP.nsf/4e4f33787ffa3e7c86256f8e00772668/$FILE/c redit_recovery.pdf Quinn, D. W. Q., & Quinn, N. W. Q. U.S. Department of Education, (2001). Plato elementary math software. fairview elementary, dayton, ohio. preliminary study. plato evaluation series. . Retrieved from PLATO Learning website: http://cimm.ucr.ac.cr/usodetecnologia/Uso de tecnologia/PDF, Viejos y Nuevos (uso de tecnologia)/Quinn, David.Quinn, Nancy W.pdf
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Appendix B Data Collection: Personal Notes ___________________________________________________________ B1Notes on Student Distraction