LEARNING POWERPREPARING TODAY’S HIGH-LEVEL LEARNERS FOR

TOMORROW

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learnersLearning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

LEARNING POWERTIE CONFERENCE 2009

PRESENTERMARYLOU MCGIRR

OutcomesParticipants will:

Investigate sources that aide in advising studentsRecognize student attributes that cause student successGain an understanding of prerequisite courses

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Why do we care?

Kids at all levels of learning

Learning Power1. South Dakota Online AP Incentives Program• Engage students in online AP Courses• Hire and train local teachers• Pay students and teachers monetary awards for

scores 3 or higher on AP Exams.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Why do we care?

Learning Power2. US DOE’s Advanced Placement Incentive Program• To increase access and opportunities for AP coursework

for students in high poverty, rural schools.• To increase participation and success of students in

College Board testing.• To build the capacity of educators for providing rigorous,

relevant curriculum and instruction in grades 7-12 mathematics, science, and English content so more students are prepared for participation in AP coursework.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Benefits

Students who take AP courses and exams:1. Learn via rigorous curriculum2. Better prepared to take college-level courses

when they attend college3. Earn college credit4. Save money

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Sources that will aide when advising students

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

AP Resources

K-12 Counselorhttp://professionals.collegeboard.com/educator/k-12-counselor

AP Coordinatorhttp://professionals.collegeboard.com/educator/test-coordinator

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

AP Potential Overview:•Tool that allows schools to generate rosters of students who are likely to score a 3 or better on a given AP Exam.

•Research shows strong correlations between PSAT/NMSQT® scores and AP Exam results.

•AP Potential is designed to help you increase access to AP and to ensure that no student who has the chance of succeeding in AP is overlooked.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

AP Potential Overview:•These studies show that PSAT/NMSQT scores are stronger predictors of students' AP Exam grades than the more traditional signposts such as • high school grades• grades in previous same-discipline course work, and • the number of same-discipline courses a student has taken.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

AP Potential Overview:•However, AP Potential should never be used to discourage a motivated student from registering for an AP course, since • the AP Potential results only account for some of the factors that

contribute to the students' exam results, and • do not take into account the power of an individual student's • motivation, • parental support, and • teacher efficacy.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

• The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are:– to receive feedback on your strengths and

weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. – to see how your performance on an admissions

test might compare with that of others. – to enter the competition for scholarships. – to help prepare for the SAT. – to receive information from colleges.– to determine readiness for AP Courses.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Take into account the power of an individual student's

•motivation, •parental

support, and • teacher efficacy.

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Students who are likely to succeed in AP course work might•Self-directed•Inquisitive•Dedicated•Knowledgeable•Able to comprehend at high levels•Goal to begin college while in high school•Ambitious•Creative•Excited about the subject•confident

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Students who are likely to succeed in AP courses and AP Exams

•have a record of high achievement•are willing to work hard and to devote much out-of-school time to absorbing knowledge•have developed the prerequisite skills for the courses•are confident and self-motivated •multitaskers•manage their time well

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

AP courses may not be suitable options for students who

•are nonconforming and resist strict curriculum •dislike following inflexible syllabi driven by the goal of high performance on the tests•question the structure of a fixed curriculum or who wish to explore new ideas or concepts through research or applied knowledge

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Investigate the teacher and the course •Preparedness in the discipline•Willingness to accommodate learning styles, passions and interests•Understand blending the joy of learning and AP opportunities

•How is the AP course a better match for the student than other the school’s curricular options?

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Questions your district should ask

1. What, if any, criteria should exist to allow students to participate in AP online courses?

2. What are the benefits or challenges to students if they must achieve a specific gpa to take an AP online course? What is that gpa?

3. What does a district do if it needs to offer the prerequisites?4. What type of class format should the high school offer?5. Who should be involved in the decision making?

– Student -Content area teacher– Parent -Principal– Counselor

Learning Power: Meeting the needs of high-level learners

Learning Power Online Courses

AP Calculus BAP StatisticsAP ChemistryAP PhysicsBAP BiologyAP English Literature and CompositionAP English Language and Composition

Prerequisites

ClosingQ and A