ERIC Number: ED470285
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2002-Oct
Pages: 48
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Grades 1-8, Apache Junction Unified School District 43, Apache Junction, Arizona. PLATO Evaluation Series.
Quinn, David W.; Quinn, Nancy W.
Apache Junction Unified School District, Arizona, has embarked on a 5-year program of instructional improvement using technology. PLATO Elementary reading and mathematics products were installed in the district's elementary and middle schools at the beginning of the 1999-2000 school year. This evaluation studied the use and preliminary student outcomes for these PLATO programs: (1) Beginning Reading for the Real World; (2) Projects for the Real World; and (3) Math Expeditions. The study focused on the use of the PLATO products as part of a 4-week summer program targeted at those who were below grade level expectations in reading and mathematics. In classes for grades K through 6, approximately 100 students attended each elementary school and 75 students attended the middle schools. Complete data were available for 15 to 20 students in each grade. The typical student used PLATO products about 25 minutes each day. All of the third grade students' scores at or above the highest third grade pretest scores, and analyses for first, second, and fourth grades showed a generally positive correlation between the level of program PLATO use and posttest student achievement scores. Students who used PLATO the most progressed the most. Overall, the 3 teachers interviewed for the evaluation and the 74 teachers who completed survey forms were very pleased with the PLATO Elementary products, although their comments do point out some problem areas. An appendix contains the teacher survey and responses. (Contains 17 figures and 6 tables.) (SLD)
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: PLATO Learning, Inc., Bloomington, MN.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A