WB schools implement Compass Odyssey

 

Web-based program customizes to students’ learning patterns

 

By Julie Freer

C   & G Staff Writer

     WEST BLOOMFIELD — The West Bloomfield School District is in the process of implementing a Web-based computer program that could help teachers become more efficient and help students strengthen their areas of difficulty.

     “Based on the federal legislation from No Child Left Behind, all students need to become proficient in reading and math and eventually science and social studies by 2014,” said Pete Paulon, science and math curriculum coordinator for West Bloomfield Schools. “As a district, we’ve put together some common assessments for every grade level in third through ninth. Compass Odyssey is a data management system that allows us to input our common assessments, such as a test given to every third-grader during a marking period, into the system. The kids can take the test online or through bubble sheets like Scantron. Once we run that through the system, it shows up how well each student did on each question, related to state benchmarks.”

     On Dec. 1, all third- through ninth-grade teachers in the district participated in an in-service program designed to introduce them to the basics of the program.

     “West Bloomfield is one of the first districts going with a customized district assessment,” said Cheryl Mace, a senior educational consultant with CompassLearning, the company that produces Compass Odyssey. “Most districts use the program as we’ve formulated it. But what’s nice about this is assessments can be taken offline, scored online, then a lesson pops up for the student and you [as a teacher] don’t have to do hours of work. It’s also nice because kids are shown immediately when they’re doing something wrong or right.”

     Mace said another way the program can benefit teachers is the system saves assignments they’ve created from year to year. Also, teachers in the same grade level can split up assignments. For example, one teacher can create a lesson based on chapter one, while another teacher can create one based on chapter two, and the computer will make the lessons flow.

     “We’re trying to answer the question of what do we do for kids when they’re not learning,” said Scotch Elementary School Principal Jeremey Whan. “The benefit of this program to teachers is they know exactly where a child score compared to state standards, and it allows teachers to reflect, as professional teachers do, if a child hasn’t done well what do I need to do to help them learn? It’s saying, ‘We’re not going to allow you to not do well,’ from that teacher-student standpoint.”

     Paulon said an additional benefit is parents can get involved with the program from home.

     “They can log in and see how their child is doing on those assignments, or what teachers are assigning,” said Paulon. “They just put in their name and ID, and see how things are progressing.”

     Currently the district’s technology staff is working on installing necessary components for the program, such as Internet plug-ins and scanning stations, and the curriculum staff is inputting district test items. The district won’t start fully implementing the program until the 2005 – 2006 school year.

     “It’s not the end all be all. The computer can’t do everything, but it’s a huge piece to bridging that gap of what to do for students when they’re not learning,” said Whan.

     You can reach Julie Freer at jfreer@candgnews.com