Integrative Capstone Course - Phase 5

Tennille Wilkens EDTC 670.9041 Spring 2015

Integrative Capstone Course: EDTC 670_9041

Spring Semester 2015

Tennille Wilkens

Phase 5: Outcomes and Recommendations

The need for students to have a basic understanding of mathematical facts has been identified in Phase 1. I chose to use various software applications that are befitting for all types of learners and the Rockett Math program to assist with the weekly lessons. Rockett Math is a developmental learning program that has great statistical analysis and has PROVE how it’s worked. There were 10 participating students who completed the analysis. Data on student progress of each student was collected from pre & post assessments, educational activities, and games that were all downloaded via the Rockett Math program. All students demonstrated progress and have shown that the Rockett Math program is a success.

What research says about Rockett Math?

Equals instruction is organized around the five content standards identified by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) which include: (1) Numbers and Operations, (2) Algebra, (3) Geometry, (4) Measurement, and (5) Data Analysis and Probability (NCTM, 2000). The curriculum incorporates the associated NCTM Process Standards which stress real-world connections, communication, multiple representations, reasoning, and problem solving in addition to knowledge of formulae and process.

Equals Mathematics was written to teach students math concepts and problem solving by using an array of tools and applying concepts to real life. The curriculum seeks to focus upon developing student understanding of when and how to use skills and concepts. Equals was designed to provide for students’ unique needs with clear, simple, and singular objectives. These objectives, taken from state math standards across all regions of the United States, were written into the program to provide a sequence of skills to include the necessary prerequisites and fit the pacing and learning needs of students with disabilities, including students with the most significant needs.


Data Summary/Findings

The primary task in developing the Equals assessment was to identify barriers to

performance to understand better what students know and what they were thinking. These

barriers were viewed as cognitive, motor, and language disabilities. The Equals

assessment’s adapted test items are tasks with motor and expressive language

performance removed, with additional support given by way of visuals and manipulatives.

Thus the tasks meet students where they are in their mathematical thinking while also

staying true to the math concept being assessed. In this way, full and/or incremental math

knowledge can be discovered and measured.

Data Summary/Findings (add graphs)

Objective 1 & 3/Assessment (list the objectives and relate to the assessment)

The pre-assessments were given to students during week 1, March 2 – 6, 2015, the fourth

quarter of the school year. The pre-assessments (writing skills test & testing placement

probe) is to present baseline comparative data at the student’s current level of

understanding. Each of the students results were tracked in my personal log and factored

based on time and accuracy.

Objective 1 writing skills test (show results – time vs. accuracy) use the graph to show pre-

middle-and end results.

Objective 3 placement probe (show results – time vs. accuracy) use the graph to show pre-

middle-and end results.


Compare all data to research findings (phase where I added data showing students

performance - benchmark data to compare to actuals)

The Equals assessment was administered to the students in this study in September of 2011, at the outset of the school year, to determine each student’s entry point for Equals instruction. This data also served as baseline data for this study. Students were assigned ID numbers for tracking purposes. Adjusted raw scores were associated with these ID numbers for later reference. After eight months of Equals instruction, the Equals assessment was administered again. Adapted raw scores were collected for each student ID and compared. Progress was measured by the difference in Adjusted Raw Scores between September and April. The Equals assessment was administered by a team of educators from the school that had been trained in the Equals assessment protocol. However, these individuals did not conduct the Equals instruction for students they taught during the year. This was done to assure impartiality in the data collection process. In addition, teachers were given a 12-question Likert survey (see Appendix 2) asking them

to rate the effectiveness and ease of use of the Equals curriculum. Opportunity to make

open-ended comment was provided teachers at the end of the survey questions.

Analysis

Explain how scoring on graphs was calculated.

List objective 1 2 3 (explain how I feel about each)

Explain your opinion of each:

- Pre middle end activities 1

- Games and applications, visual observations (use of technology) 2

- Pre & post testing 3

- 6 week experience

- Interpret actuals vs. benchmark

- How the students took to the project, teachers, and myself

For the students

Objective 1: After playing various phonemic segmentation games on the iPad, students will be able to break apart the letter sounds in basic CVC words and read the words with 90% accuracy. (Input Writing Skills Test objective)


This objective was used throughout weeks 1 – 5. Initially, the objective acted as a pre-assessment and then factored for each weekly lesson to set a target for each student’s math goals. The expected outcome for this objective was to have students confidently read, write, speak, and repeat math facts. Students were measured by comparing their baseline to their post assessed results. I showed the weekly data to display how students performed each week. See data and graphs for results.

The use of the Rockett Math worksheets was successful in helping students identify, understand, and memorize mathematical facts. As shown in graph 1, students demonstrated the same level of progression in math and subtraction factors. I noticed that each student evenly declined once the multiplication and division lessons began. Overall all students made progress equally, at every level and disability. (Show that students struggled with multiplication and even more with division.) Students with multiple disabilities progressed, reflecting a (add percentage).The remaining 2 students that are deaf somehow posted an even greater progress (add percentage).

Objective 2: After playing various phonemic segmentation games on the iPad, students will be able to break apart the letter sounds in basic CVC words and read the words with 90% accuracy. (input my objective)

This objective was used throughout weeks 2 – 5. It served to help students reinforce what was learned during the weekly lessons. Students used various apps and games that are listed in amongst the phases. The expected outcome for this objective was ……Students were informally assessed through observations. I used this time to informally assess the students level of understanding and depending on my findings would determine if greater attention was needed. That attention would be an individualized application for the iPad or one on one tutoring.

Objective 3: After playing various phonemic segmentation games on the iPad, students will be able to break apart the letter sounds in basic CVC words and read the words with 90% accuracy. (input my objective)

This objective was used during week 1 and week 6 as a formal assessment. Students were required to complete an initial assessment and complete a final assessment. This was important so that I would have a baseline for my analysis and show the significance that the Rockett Math Program had for the students. The results calculated a significant improvement for all students and that all 10 students showed a level of improvement during this project.

Feedback from the Teachers

The teachers were all pleased with the findings of this project. The implementation was off to a rocky start but once each week passed students and teachers became very comfortable.


Comments were such as:

“The planning and strategies are all simplified and useful”“Students are responding exceptionally well to this program”“The apps are a great tool for all of the students”“We have to find funding to get the students their own iPad”“It’s wonderful to see them so engaged”

At the end of the study, individual student progress, as measured by the Equals Assessment protocol, was examined and analyzed. Calculation of actual progress for each student was made by subtracting the September adjusted raw score from the April adjusted raw score. Analysis of the progress was conducted by the instructional level in Equals, disability, age, grade, ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status. Analysis of Student Results

The result of the baseline (September) adjusted raw score for each student was compared

to the adjusted raw scores when the assessment was administered the following April.

Progress was measured by the difference in the two scores (see Appendix 1).

This analysis indicates that every one of the 72 students that completed the year demonstrated progress. No student regressed. Taken together the mean difference for all students was 28.04. This represents an average gain in math skills of 38%. Certain subgroups demonstrated even greater gains. Students demonstrated progress at all three instructional levels. Students participating at

Level 1 progressed by an average of 21.86. Level 2 students produced average gains of

24.05. Those engaged in Level 3 instruction demonstrated an average gain of 44.44.

Recommendations

- What have I learned

- Regrets and/or changes I would recommend for next time


Conclusion

Schedule

Week Objective Group Individual

1

March 2 - 6

Pre-planning & Assessment Pre-assessment of each

student. Students will also use

this time to get proper log-in for

iPad and personal computer

usage. Students will learn how

to use the iPad, access

applications, understand the

rules and guidelines for

equipment.

I began the project by pre-

assessing each student to

gather my baseline data. Data

was compared to the results

from the final assessment.

During this time, students

will review videos and

instructional material for the

project. Each student’s

questions or concerns will

be addressed.

2 Lesson 1 Complete the weekly lesson. Work independently on


March 9 - 13 Group activities, group

discussions, or one on one

tutoring. Indirect assessments

using activities.

games and applications to

reinforce the lessons.

3

March 16 - 20

Lesson 2 Complete the weekly lesson.

Group activities, group



using activities.

Continue independent

study.

4

March 23 - 27





using activities.


study.

5

March 30 – April 3





using activities.


study.

6

April 6 - 10

Assessment Final Formative Assessment None

7

April 13 - 17

Review & Feedback None Individual Feedback

Pre-test steps

The project is designed to collect data, provide data and analysis, and provide recommendations.

Designed to be administered to collect baseline data or to establish the entry point for instruction, the Equals assessment may be used as a pre- and post-test to monitor and document progress. This tool is divided into six subtests that correspond to the NCTM components with the addition of one component that provides visibility to pre-emerging academic skills. The six week project has 7 parts: (1) Pre - assessments (2) Lesson 1: Addition (3) Lesson 2: Subtraction (4) Lesson 3: Multiplication (5) Lesson 4: Division (6) Assessment (7) Review & Feedback


When the Equals Assessment is administered, students are assessed in each subtest. Equals includes specific instructions to adapt test questions to help students demonstrate their knowledge. Students may respond to questions in a way that best meets their needs and abilities. Adaptations to test items and adapted responses are tracked and used to adjust the Equals raw score. A formula is employed to align the adjusted raw score with a suggested starting point for Equals instruction.

Integrative Capstone Course - Phase 5

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