This year, Jackson and Cambria Elementary Schools are starting two new programs through the Pennsylvania State University that will be very beneficial to our students. They are the Intelligent Tutoring System for the Structure and the Siblings are Special Programs. If you are interested in learning more about each program, please contact your child's school.
The Pennsylvania State University
Intelligent Tutoring System for the Structure - (ITSS)
What is Intelligent Tutoring System for the Structure – ITSS?
- ITSS is a web based tutoring system that teaches students the structure strategy.
How does it work?
- ITSS is interactive:
- The online tutor, I.T., models the use of the structure strategy for students.
- Students respond to questions posed by I.T.
- I.T. gives students immediate feedback on their answers. Students are then given more directions and multiple attempts to answer the questions.
- The online tutor, I.T., models the use of the structure strategy for students.
- ITSS lessons are based on science, social studies, sports and current events.
- Students are given immediate feedback so they know exactly how they are doing.
- Teachers are provided with reports that show student progress along with an administrative tool to view the student's answers to questions, scores on activities and daily progress.
- Each student works at his/her own pace.
- Teacher support will be provided by a teacher aide assigned to each classroom using ITSS. This aide will be provided to the district FREE
of cost, and paid for by the Pennsylvania State University grant. The aides will have the necessary clearances to work in the classrooms. The aides will ensure that the computers are accessible for ITSS and monitor the students during their ITSS use.
How will this benefit PSSA scores?
- ITSS provides 95 lessons throughout the year and concludes with PSSA practice tests that will help the students apply the structure strategy in the PSSA tests.
- Teachers and aides will be trained on the use of the structure strategy and how ITSS lessons work. They will also receive a teacher guide to the lessons and customized lessons to apply the students' skills in their classroom activities.
The Pennsylvania State University would like to request the participation of Central Cambria School District in this exciting project that can improve reading comprehension among our students and help the Pennsylvania State University evaluate the efficacy of the software in a rigorous randomized control study. The following are a list of eligibility criteria to participate in the study:
- Students will need to have one-to-one access to a computer and earphones. The computer lab network connections must support all the students using the system concurrently. Each student workstation will need to have an internet connection with Internet Fox, Firefox, or Netscape installed as an available browser and the latest version of Java and Flash plug-ins.
- The students will need to use the ITSS for approximately 60 minutes a week (this can be in one 1 hour session or two 30 minute sessions). Ideally, the students will use ITSS during the Language Arts or Social Studies periods.
- The study will run as follows:
- Grades 4 & 5 – 2009 - 2010 academic year
- Grades 7 & 8 – 2010 – 2011 academic year
- Grades 4 & 5 – 2009 - 2010 academic year
- The school must be willing to allow a random assignment of two classrooms to the ITSS group and one to a control group. (If there are more than three classrooms, they can work with us in the groupings).
- Both ITSS and control group students will receive a pre-test and post-test that lasts approximately 2 hours. The pre-tests will be conducted in September and the post-tests will be conducted in March.
- All students, both the control and intervention groups, will be able to use the ITSS as soon as post-test data collection is completed, during the summer, and/or the following year.
- There is NO cost to using the system.
- They are also requesting a data file of student ID's (no identifying information) and the PSSA test scores for students be provided to the ITSS team, so that they may perform detailed analysis that can be useful to all stakeholders.
The Pennsylvania State University
The "Siblings are Special" Program
What is the "Siblings are Special" Program?
The Pennsylvania State University has just been awarded federal stimulus funds through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to implement and evaluate the "Siblings are Special" Program. In addition, to improve child and family well-being, this stimulus-funded project will result in financial benefits for participating families and schools. The effectiveness of "Siblings are Special" Program will take the form of a randomized controlled study. That means half of volunteering families will be randomly chosen to be in the program and half will receive a book on siblings written for parents. All families will participate in data collection and the Penn State University will compensate all families up to $500 for participation. (Families receive $150 for each wave of data collection, and up to $25 for each child participating in this program. Families who receive the book will also be paid $25).
The program is to help siblings learn to cooperate, problem solve, and support each other. The goal is to help siblings develop these skills with each other, and then to carry these positive behaviors over to their relations with peers and general behavior at school and home.
How long is it?
The program consists of a series of 12 weekly after school sessions for groups of sibling pairs, and 3 monthly Family Fun Nights for these families.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility Requirements – The older siblings must be in the 5th grade. The younger siblings can be in 2nd through 4th grades. Adoptive siblings are eligible. Single and two parent families are eligible.
The Pennsylvania State University will take all responsibility for hiring/training/supervising program staff. They will provide all materials. They will also conduct all data collection with families in parents' homes (with confidential procedures that have been approved by Penn State's Human Subjects Institutional Review Board). For teacher questionnaires, they will approach teachers directly, with parents' permission, and compensate $25 to the teachers who complete each questionnaire.
The Jackson Elementary School and Cambria Elementary School will also be compensated $500. These funds will be put into the Student Activities Funds so that every student benefits.
