A CCELERATED R EADER 2015: A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR R EADING & T ECHNOLOGY S UCCESS James Allen ITEC 7445 Multimedia & Web Design Professor Jane Roberts Summer Semester 2014

T HE PURPOSE OF A CCELERATED R EADER The purpose of Accelerated Reader is to enable powerful practice for reading success. It does this by: providing data that helps monitor and personalize reading and writing practice; encouraging substantial amount of practice and creativity; making practice fun for students; personalizing reading practice according (according to or based on) on research findings.

A CCELERATED R EADER Accelerated Reader is designed to be part of a comprehensive language arts program. It does not replace a reading series or instructional materials. Instead, it supports and enhances them. One of the primary benefits of Accelerated Reader is that it is a vehicle for this essential learning transfer. (What essential learning transfer?) Accelerated Reader provides other research proven benefits that promote wide reading which is effective for vocabulary building and writing.

D EKALB C OUNTY S CHOOLS ’ T ECHNOLOGY V ISION & M ISSION The vision for Dekalb County Schools will be acknowledged as one of the high ‐ performing large school districts in the United States in preparing students to lead and succeed in a rapidly changing world. Technology is one of the support systems that will foster a culture and learning environment in which teachers and students will be able to perform at high levels, as well as support (using “new” here is redundant – innovations are automatically new) innovations.

D EKALB C OUNTY S CHOOLS ’ T ECHNOLOGY V ISION & M ISSION ( CONT ’ D ) The mission for Dekalb County Schools is to prepare 21st Century students to thrive and succeed in a diverse and ever ‐ changing world through a partnership of homes, schools and communities. The DeKalb Schools 21st Century student will demonstrate: Flexibility and adaptability Initiative and self ‐ direction Social and cross ‐ cultural interaction Productivity and accountability Leadership and responsibility Information and technology literacy Critical thinking and problem solving Creativity and innovation

A CCELERATED R EADER AND DCSD’ S (Y OU NEED TO PUT THIS DCSD IN PARENTHESES SOMEPLACE CLOSE BEFORE THIS SO THE READER KNOWS WHAT IT STANDS FOR ) V ISION Accelerated Reader will help students utilize technology in order for them to make gains in the area of Reading/English Language Arts. This program will also help students prepare for the state reading exam.

C OLLEGE C AREER AND C OMMON CORE Accelerated Reader™ (AR™) (Should you have indicated that this is trademarked on an earlier slide? And then use the AR abbreviation. I don’t know if you need to put the TM each time you use AR – can you check somehow?) data can be used to monitor College and Career Readiness by comparing reading practice data with expectations, defined by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Anchor Standard 10 of the CCSS is particularly relevant to AR because it requires students to “Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.”

O BJECTIVES Students will have the opportunity to utilize reading books assessments in an electronic format. (would it be better to say “assessments of reading books?” Teachers will access student achievement data on-line in order to develop student profiles, diagnose learning problems, and prescribe appropriate interventions to correct identified achievement deficiencies. Students will demonstrate skills relative to information retrieval, management, and synthesis from a variety of sources.

K EY BENEFITS Students will be able to read stories at their leisure Students will take an assessment after reading the story. Students will have ample time to take the assessment. New assessment questions and learning activities are added on the AR program to help students to write a short response and create projects.

P OPULATION (T ARGETED )( Y OU DON ’ T NEED THE PARENTHESES HERE ) The AR program is targeted for all students in grades kindergarten through twelve grade. This program can be utilized for students with disabilities, English language learners, and foreign languages learners. A fair method of equitable access should be implemented in all schools using the AR program. ( Do you need to mention what that might be?)

E QUIPMENT AND S OFTWARE To utilize the Accelerated Reading program, each computer must have Internet access. (Headphones will be needed for students with disabilities and English Language Learners) Wireless Internet must be used when accessing the AR program on laptops, iPads, and tablets

T ECHNICAL SUPPORT Teachers, Principals, and Parents can receive technical support through an online chat box located on the AR website. Dekalb County School District will send Computer Technical Support Specialists (CTSS) to provide assistance for any hardware issues dealing with AR. AR representatives will come and support any major issues with the computer program

L IMITATIONS Accelerated Reading Program is an internet based program that can be utilize on any computer technology device. Word to sound more like limitations? Students can access the AR program using a link through an internet connection at their homes.

C OST FOR THE A CCELERATED R EADING P ROGRAM Hosting Fee is $ This is a special website to host the AR Reading Program online. $5.50 per student price for individual accounts. ($5.50 * 372 students = $2, total) $ Activation Fee and Additional Support Total Expenses = $ for 1 year subscription

P OSSIBLE F UNDING SOURCES Race to the Top Funds Title II Funds School Resource Funds Title 1-XIV Funds

D ONATIONS /G RANTS (I F RESOURCES ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE AR P ROGRAM ) Laura Bush Reading Grant Target Educational Grant Wal-Mart School Grant Publix Education Grant Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

H OW CAN T EACHERS USE THIS TECHNOLOGY ? Teachers can use the AR reading program by implementing the program during their reading instructional time as a “center”. Students can take an AR assessments once they have completed a leveled book. Assessments can be taken online using a computer, laptop, iPad, or tablet. Teachers can use the diagnostic reports to ascertain the students’ reading levels. This data can be used to personalized the students’ instruction.

S TUDENTS CAN USE THIS PROGRAM BY : Taking assessments on their reading levels. NEW for 2015, students can read interactive books online and create vocabulary lists. Creatively using the interactive section of AR to write stories in different genres and respond to a blog post on their leveled book.

T HE N EW AR P ROGRAMS MEET ( OR AR P ROGRAM MEETS ?) THE T ECHNOLOGY S TANDARDS (NET-S) 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. 2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: a. plan strategies to guide inquiry. b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. d. process data and report results.

T HE N EW AR P ROGRAMS MEET ( OR PROGRAM MEETS ) THE T ECHNOLOGY S TANDARDS (NET-S) ( CONT ’ D ) 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation. b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions. 6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: a. understand and use technology systems.

S PECIFIC L EARNING G OALS The AR program with the new upgrade allow students to grapple with open ended questions and activities. This involves integrating knowledge and skills to support the use of reading, writing, and listening.

AR CAN BE USED FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ; Students can complete activities/assessments on their? Level. Students can read the new interactive books online. The program can also help students to improve their writing skills.

AR PROMOTES COMMUNICATION BY : F IX IMAGE BELOW ? Communicating results and data to all stakeholders; Effective communication among peers; Parents and families receives academic updates through correspondence.

R ESEARCH E VALUATION There are no data supporting the updates of the Reading Program All data are from the current model of the AR Program. The current model promotes effective reading comprehension by taking assessments on level reading books. The new concept will allow students to construct their understanding in the areas of reading, writing, and responding to open-ended questions.

P ROFESSIONAL L EARNING All teachers will need to be trained on the AR Program Webinars will be available for all of the new concepts and upgrades for the program. Resources will be available online for the new components of the program.

R EFLECTION When I went to the International Society of Technology Education (ISTE) conference, I had the opportunity to talk with Joel, a Renaissance Learning representative, about the Accelerated Reading Program At first, I did not want to hear what he had to say because it uses in my book “basic drill and practice” methods. Joel told me the program is still an assessment program but the new upgrades changed my opinion of the technology resources. The AR Program 2015 features interactive stories for students to listen to and to read. Students will be able to respond to open ended questions about the stories online. Students also have a blog feature

R EFLECTION (C ONT ’ D ) through which they can give feedback to their classmates. This new AR 2015 is an emerging technology for students’ success.

R EFERENCES Holmes, C. T., Brown, C. L., & Algozzine, B. (2006). Promoting academic success for all students. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 10(3), 141–147. Holmes, C. T., & Brown, C. L. (2003). A controlled evaluation of a total school improvement process. School Renaissance (Tech. Rep.). Athens: University of Georgia, Department of Educational Administration.