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Title: Technology Counts: K-12 Seeks a Custom Fit: Schools Test Individualized Digital Learning
Date: Thursday March 24, 2011Time: 3:00PM EDT
As schools and districts turn to digital tools to personalize teaching and learning based on students' strengths and weaknesses, many are finding that this approach requires quite a bit of trial-and-error to determine what works best. And they say that the more innovative use of digital devices and curricula needs to be balanced by a strong commitment to maintaining academic rigor. Our guests will discuss the approaches they are using and how they are working to find that perfect balance between innovation and accountability.
Guests:
Penny Bishop, the director of the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education at the University of Vermont
Brent Truchon, social studies teacher, Edmunds Middle School, Burlington, Vt.
Kevin Bushweller, executive project editor, Technology Counts 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011, 2 p.m. EDT
Response to intervention involves early identification of students’ learning problems and the use of focused lessons, or interventions, to address those problems before they became entrenched. Though primarily linked with special education and early reading, the method is now used at all levels of schooling and in a variety of subject areas. Educators use “tiered intervention” models—of which RTI is one type—to improve school discipline. RTI models are also used to improve instruction for English-language learners, with preschoolers, and as a lever for districtwide improvement. In a time of constrained resources, response-to-intervention materials are one of the few areas where school districts are increasing spending. Ask questions of practitioners and researchers about how RTI works and its effects.
Guests:
David Putnam Jr., Ph.D., director, Oregon Response to Intervention, Tigard-Tualatin School District
Darren Woodruff, Ph.D., co-director, National Center on Response to Intervention
Kathryn Tackett, Ph.D., coordinator of state technical assistance, National Center on Response to Intervention
