Five Representative K-12 Software Tools (Plus One)

Adobe Photoshop CS3

Photoshop is an incredible program that allows students to modify photographs in a digital darkroom. The robust set of tools included in the program allow students to change brightness, contrast, color balance, and replicate the use of photographic filters. The program also allows students to easily modify reality by adding or removing elements, and change the work to resemble ink and pencil drawings, chalk and pastels, watercolors, and other artistic forms. Student creativity is also enabled through the use of layers, allowing students to assemble components from multiple photographs and other digital sources into a single image (think Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump with John Kennedy - and John Lennon).


SynchronEyes

SynchronEyes is a classroom management software particularly suited to K-12 computer labs. The teacher can use the software to broadcast videos to the computer monitors of specific students or the entire class, and can be used to electronically deliver tests and quizzes.

The software can help the teacher keep students on task by controlling Internet access, and teachers can remotely monitor student computer activity not only to ensure the students are not visiting inappropriate Internet sites but also so the teacher can offer assistance when needed.



Odyssey

The Odyssey software, by Compass Learning, targets the educational needs of elementary through middle school students. According to the manufacturer, they used “confirmed” research on student mental development to design their sofware’s project-based lessons so they could be learned in the shorter attention span of the early learner.

Students are engaged by the animations and sounds in the program, and the engagement can be expected to stimulate learning and increase student achievement. This is not an electronic baby-sitter, however, and is meant to be tailored to students’ individual needs by a skilled teacher. This helps the student achieve AYP, and the software provides summative and formative assessment tools that provide data collection opportunities to ensure that progress is being attained and differentiate instruction as needed.

The software is aligned to state standards, making it easy for teachers to ensure the standards are being accommodated in their classroom and students are progressing toward meeting these standards.



e2020


EDUCATION 2020 is a software that uses “master teachers” to deliver educational content in a virtual classroom environment. The class modules that are available include middle- and high-school level Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies courses, and offer an additional tool to meet NCLB, AYP, and other goals. In our district, the program is being creatively used to allow struggling students an additional opportunity to master Algebra and other required courses through computer based training – under the supervision of a licensed teacher - and graduate.




Data Analysis for Student Learning

For years, schools have spent vast amounts of time and effort collecting massive amounts of data for reporting and accountability, but getting to that data required a knowledge of esoteric codes and processes. DASL is based on the simple premise that if this data is to be used to increase student achievement, it needs to be accessible to those who need it.

DASL puts a graphical front end on the data so that it can be accessed through mouse clicks on descriptive links. This ease of access results in increased data use by principals, teachers, and other district staff involved in data driven decision making (D3M).

Not only does DASL ease data access, but data entry as well. It’s simplified interface helps ensure greater data accuracy, which is particularly important because the DASL data feeds numerous other systems from student attendance to cafeteria point-of-sale, media center automation software to printing labels for district – parent communications.





ProgressBook is an online grading software that integrates with your existing student data to allow real-time attendance entry, scheduling modifications, grading, and more. The software includes reporting and letter printing options to increase communication between teachers, students, and parents with a minimum investment of the teacher’s valuable time. Although there can be some challenges during implementation as systemic processes develop to accommodate required changes, districts that have implemented the Parent Access Web Site feature, which allows parents to easily access their student’s classroom performance, have found that this information flow increases the parents’ ability to assist the schools in addressing developing issues before they become major problems.

Photo integration capabilities offer a range of benefits, from substitute teachers being able to take attendance based on a seating chart with student photos to encourage student – teacher relationship building at the beginning of the year as teachers more quickly learn the names of new students.

ProgressBook can accommodate traditional or standards-based grading; districts can select from a selection of report card templates or work with the company to design your own to meet specific needs. Standards-based districts will appreciate the program’s ability to track the number of times an academic standard has been addressed. The program also offers an optional SSEM module that assists with special need student data entry and tracking.

By consolidating many different functions into a single tool, data entry and access is greatly facilitated and the integration with the district’s “live” student data ensures that data has the maximum currency and value.