|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enter the Fortress of Solid Learning
|
Sept. 2009, Vol 9, Issue 1
|
Welcome Back to School!
After a wonderful vacation, you are now "home" at your
school. Students will enter your
classrooms unsure of what to expect; new teachers, new courses, and a new year
of challenges. You are ready to teach and that word carries with it a burden
and an obligation to those young faces in the room. You MUST KNOW that we at Castle Learning are right there beside
you! Let me show you how -
I have met the educators at Richmond Hill HS in Queens, NY, who shared
with me their experiences in the classroom. I was introduced to the students who remarked, "This is so
cool. Thanks!" Students at this school answered 1,169,213 questions from Sept
1, 2008-June 30, 2009. Their
Social Studies chair reported grade improvement in Regents exams for Global
History and US History that impressed the Principal and others to
the point that ALL content area teachers are encouraging students to use Castle
Learning Online to improve academic performance. I've been to the school twice and this inner city school is
a driving example of how we educators are meeting the challenge of 21st
century learning. Wow - What a
success story! (Learn more at www.CastleSoftware.com > MORE > CASE STUDIES)
Throughout the year, our Mission is to use technology in a way that
helps "every student to reach his or her full academic potential." As you begin the year, visit the Information
Center on your Teacher Home
Page this week and see how we keep you informed, how we respond to your
needs through our Customer Support and our monthly newsletter with its
Updates and Mailbag. (Check the newsletter archives, too) We are continually in the field working
with educators through on-site Staff Development Training and we LISTEN to
YOU because we care about kids.
My team of "Knights in shining armor - we have a Mission!" at
Castle Learning are WITH YOU every step of the way! Let's get you started on your own success stories. I wish my best to all of my colleagues
in the classroom for a successful 2009-10 school year!
Professor Bill
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
Newest Features
|
Elementary English: Spelling Words with Audio
Castle
Leaning Online announces a new feature in the Elementary
English course: spelling words with audio! Students listen to a brief
instruction telling them what word to spell, along with a sentence that uses
the word as an example. Then they enter their responses in a short answer field
that is automatically scored. Hints and reasons give good clues and
explanations of common spelling rules. Students may re play the instructions as
many times as needed. This is a great way for students to practice their
spelling skills! The first set of 100 words is ready for grade 3 (Basic level).
In weeks to come, additional sets will be added for grades 4 and 5
(Intermediate and Advanced level for this course).
To add spelling words with audio to an assignment in
Elementary English: on the question criteria page, select the unit Spelling and the section Spelling with Audio - Grade 3. Be sure
that the Basic difficulty level is
checked as well as the Listening
attribute.
Note: This feature requires audio software capable of
playing MP3 files as well as speakers or headphone. Check your browser software
for compatibility. In a computer laboratory setting, the use of headphones is
advisable.
Night, by Elie Wiesel
A new unit has been added to the English course, called "Literature: Night," based on the profoundly moving World War II Holocaust memoir published by Elie Wiesel in English in 1960. This is the tenth set in a series of literature short answer questions. The unit contains three sections, corresponding to the three major divisions of the book. Questions focus on narrative events, vocabulary, symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony.
To add these questions into an assignment, go to the Add Question page, select the unit named "Literature: Night," choose a section for the desired range of chapters, and then use the Browse and Select option to select the questions that you would like to include in your assignment. The order of the literature questions for a particular chapter parallels the narrative sequence of the memoir. Thus, the use of randomization is not recommended in assignments with literature questions.
  Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1986. He was born in 1928 in Romania and at the age of 15 was sent to Auschwitz (far right photo). After World War II, he became a journalist and wrote more than 40 books. As chair of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, Wiesel launched the design of America's memorial to the Holocaust. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1985 (photo at right). A US citizen since 1964, Wiesel lives in New York.
Major Revision: Intermediate English
Castle Learning Online announces a major update to its course in Intermediate English course. Intermediate English is targeted towards grades 6, 7 and 8. Highlights of the revision include:
- A new unit, Introduction to Literature, reviews literary forms and techniques as well as figurative language. Questions include definitions and many examples to reinforce learning of these important terms.
- A new unit, Literature: The Diary of Anne Frank, has been added, based on the two-act stage play written by Francis Goodrich and Albert Hackett. This is the first in a series of literature short-answer questions planned for Intermediate English. The unit contains 10 sections, corresponding to the 10 scenes of the play. Questions focus on plot points, literary elements, vocabulary in context, and analysis of the play. To add these questions into an assignment, go to the Add Questions page, select the unit named "Literature: The Diary of Anne Frank," choose a section for the desired scene, and then use the Browse and Select option to select the questions that you would like to include in your assignment. The order of the literature questions for a particular scene parallels the sequence of events in the play. Thus, the use of randomization is not recommended in assignments with literature questions.
-
A second new unit, Literature: A Raisin in the Sun based
on the complete two-act stage play written by Lorraine Hansberry has just been added and will be featured in next month's newsletter.
- A new constructed-response activity in Grammar Editing allows students to practice their proofreading and editing skills. Students can edit and save the passage right on the computer. When they are finished, they see a model response along with a detailed explanation of the errors and corrections. Teachers can review student responses, make general comments, and assign a point score.
Back to Top
|
Recent Additions
|
For Students and Teachers
New Course: Algebra II and Trigonometry
Castle Learning Online announces a new course called Algebra II & Trigonometry. Targeted towards upper level high school students, this course is the third in a sequence that includes Integrated Algebra and Geometry. The algebra portion
of the course includes working with exponents, radicals and logarithms;
solving exponential, radical and logarithmic equations; complex
fractions; absolute value and summation notation; operations with
complex numbers; and inverse variation. Also included are solving
quadratic equations by factoring, completing the square, using the
quadratic formula, and u-substitution. Data analysis topics include
scatter plots, correlation coefficients and various types of
regressions; working with the Bell curve and normal distributions; and
measures of central tendency and the dispersion of data. Other topics
include 2-outcome probability models and an introduction to functions
and notation. The trigonometry portion
of the course starts with a review of right triangle trigonometry and
its extension to the four quadrants; radian measure; the unit circle
and reference angles; solving trigonometric equations; trigonometric
identities; and graphing techniques. Applications of trigonometry
include the Law of Sines and Cosines; ambiguous triangles; forces and
resultants; and general area problems.
New Course: Elementary Western Hemisphere
A new Social Studies course, Elementary Western Hemisphere, targeted to a fifth-grade reading level, explores the history, geography, economies, and governments of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America.
- History examines the significant events, people, symbols and celebrations in the development of Western Hemisphere nations.
- Geography reviews basic map reading skills including map symbols, directions, relative locations, latitude and longitude, as well as topography, climate, and political boundaries and their impact on Western Hemisphere cultures.
- Economics studies the concepts of needs and wants, resources, market economies, trade agreements, and the impact of technology on the economies of Western Hemisphere countries.
- Government covers the function and organization of governments, constitutional rights, the duties and responsibilities of citizens, independence movements, historic documents, patriotic celebrations, and international organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
Many questions are beautifully illustrated with artwork, photos and maps. Questions are supplemented with a comprehensive vocabulary for flash card activities or review.
New assignment mode: Auto-Lock
Sometimes teachers do not want students to review the questions in a completed assignment. Quiz Mode prevents students from viewing questions that they have answered, but does not provide feedback as the student answers each question. To address this, Open Auto-Lock has been added as a new assignment mode. This allows students to answer questions with all available feedback, but they then cannot view questions that they have already answered.
Constructed Response, Essays, and Access Rights
- Constructed Response questions are now only available for use in assignments.
- The Essay Review components for US History and Global History are being removed, but will soon be replaced with a series of Constructed Response questions which can be graded by teachers.
- The Access Rights option now controls student access to Short Answer self-generated sessions, allowing teachers to reserve all short answer questions for exclusive use in assignments. A new Administrator school preference allows an administrator to override teacher settings and allow full student access to self-generated sessions.
For Teachers
Attached Documents
Teachers can now attach documents to any assignment. Such documents can be:
- directions
- reading passages
- lessons
- vocabulary terms
- reference tables
or anything the teacher wants the students to be able to view while working on the assignment.
New PCS Type
A new Personal Content Set type called "Documents" allows a teacher to create any number of documents using the PCS editor. As with PCS questions, graphics can be uploaded and utilized in the documents. Optionally, instead of typing the document into the PCS record, the teacher can specify a URL that points to a page on the web that contains the desired material. This could be on the school's own web site, allowing the teacher to upload the document to their own site but still be accessible from assignments. Teachers can specify that a document be "public", that is, available to any teacher in the district.
Students Accessing the Documents
When the student is working on an assignment that includes one or more supplemental documents, links appear in the "Additional Session Information" section of the question page. Clicking a document link displays the document in a pop-up window.
Back to Top
|
|
|
Stop by our
booth at your
next professional conference.
We'd like to meet
you and hear how you're using
Castle Learning
Selected Conference Schedule
OCTOBER 2009
PA
Elementary &
Secondary School
Principals
State
College, PA
Oct. 4-6,
2009
NYS
Association of
Foreign Language
Teachers
Buffalo, NY
Oct. 9-11,
2009
Long Island Science Education Leadership Association
E. Meadow,
NY
Oct. 21,
2009
ACET
Conference (Compensatory Ed)
Fall Conference
www.acetx.org
Dallas, TX
Oct. 21-23,
2009
NYS English
Council www.nysec.com
Albany, NY
Oct 22-23,
2009
NYS Middle
Schools Association
Watkins
Glenn, NY
Oct. 22-24, 2009
Suffolk
County Science Teachers Association
Islandia, NY
Oct. 22, 2009 (3-6
pm)
Texas ASCD
Assn. School Curriculum Directors
www.txascd.org
Dallas-Frio,
TX
Oct. 25-27,
2009
Long Island
Tech Summit
(was Western
Suffolk BOCES
/ w ES and
Nassau BOCES)
Oct. 28,
2009
NC Council
of Teachers
of Mathematics
www.ncctm.com
Greensboro,
NC
Oct. 29-30,
2009
TEPSA Texas
Elementary Principals
& Supervisors Assn
Fall Summit
www.tepsa.org
Fort Worth,
TX
Oct. 29-30,
2009
Texas Social
Studies Conference
www.txcss.org
Dallas, TX
Oct. 30-31;
Nov. 1, 2009
NOVEMBER 2009
NYS Science
Teachers Association of NY
Nov. 1-3,
2009
PA Council
of
Teachers of Math
Pittsburgh,
PA
Nov. 4-6,
2009
SAANYS
Annual Conference
Saratoga
Springs, NY
Nov. 8-9,
2009
NC Catholic Schools
Fall Education
Convention
Raleigh, NC
Nov. 9-10,
2009
SCOPE
Education Services
Islandia, NY
Nov. 9, 2009
Texas State
Reading Association
www.tsra.us
Arlington,
TX
Nov. 12-14,
2009
NYS
Association of
Math Teachers
Buffalo, NY
Nov. 13-14,
2009
NYC
Association of
Math Teachers
New York, NY
Nov. 13-14,
2009
NC Science Teachers
Association
www.ncsta.com
Greensboro,
NC
Nov. 19,
2009
NYS
Association of
Technology Educators
Rochester,
NY
Nov. 22-24,
2009
PA
Association for
Supervisors &
Curriculum
Development
Hershey, PA
Nov. 23-25,
2009
PA
Educational
Technology Conference
Hershey, PA
Feb 21-24, 2010
|
|
White Paper No. 2
|
Mastery Learning & Castle Learning Online
Prepared by Bill Ingui
President and Retired Educator
We are living in an information age and any student of
history will recognize how far we have come from our roots as an agricultural
society. This relatively rapid
change can be seen by the advances in technology, but a 1989 study by Gallagher
and Pearson disclosed that from 1893 to 1979, instructional practices had remained
traditional, resulting in a growing concern that schools would be unable to
educate young people in America.
(Davis & Sorrel, Mastery Learning in Public Schools, Valdosta
State University, GA, 1995)
Since that study, change has resulted as State
Education Departments moved toward the concept of mastery learning:
-
Subject content is divided by units, with a set of objectives
or expectations.
-
Students work through units in either groups or alone.
-
Students demonstrate mastery on unit exams, typically at
80% level, before moving to new content.
-
If mastery is not achieved, students receive remediation
through tutoring, peer monitoring, small group discussions, or additional
homework.
-
Additional time for learning is offered for students
who require remediation.
-
The cycle of study and testing continues until mastery
level is met.
Students have a higher level of achievement by using mastery learning techniques, than those
being taught through traditional methods of instruction.
Castle
Learning Online is
uniquely designed to be used by educators who present content and raise
academic proficiency by seeking a mastery level for students. The features found on the student
review, testing and assessment website, www.CastleLearning.com,
or fully explained through the "Teacher Tour" on the home site of the company, www.CastleSoftware.com, employ the
concept of mastery learning. The Castle Learning site gives the user an
extensive database of questions, hints, defined vocabulary and reasons, along
with skill development and reading sets, where students can answer questions,
learn where they are weakest, return to complete new assignments and then move
forward after a teacher determines they have achieved mastery.
In a field study of educators using Castle Learning, we learned first-hand
what teachers think.
-
When it comes to the self-paced aspect of working
online with Castle Learning, a
teacher explained, "I think most students
benefit. High end achievers can
move at a pace that doesn't bore them, while struggling students don't feel
rushed or overwhelmed by getting 'left behind' because the pace of the rest of
the students is too quick for them."
-
The immediate feedback component prompted
an educator to say Castle Learning is
"a good way of finding out
what topics I need to review in class before state tests, I can assess the
areas that need to be re-taught or reviewed, and I can tell quickly and easily
which students are having troubles with a topic."
Teachers now have a way to check mastery,
remediate by whole class or for an individual, and ultimately
ensure
that student achieve academic success.
See the Full List of White Papers
Each White Paper explores a fundamental principle or a key issue that engages the
education community.
Back to Top
|
|
Contact Information
|
Castle Software, Inc., 626 Layport Dr., Ste. 100, Sebastian, FL 32958
|
|
|
