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Ohio Learning Network Renews CENTSS Online Audit Tool License to Further Improve Online Student Services |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Monday, 08 March 2010 21:56 |
The Ohio Learning Network has renewed its license for the CENTSS online student service audit tool (www.centss.org) for two more years. The CENTSS tool helps higher education institutions assess their development of online student services. Ohio initially piloted CENTSS in 2007 with four institutions, expanded the pilot to 12 more institutions later that year, and added six new institutions in 2008. To further improve their data around online student services, Ohio will add 6 institutions to the CENTSS audit program this year for a total of 28 participating two- and four-year, public and private institutions.
The leaders of the Ohio Learning Network became interested in CENTSS because they wanted to improve their web-based student services, perform gap analyses of student services technology as a means to calculate ROI, and create a basis for making technology purchases at the system, collaborative, or institutional level.
After using the tool for three years, the CENTSS audit has allowed Ohio educational institutions to:
- Establish a baseline of how they are delivering online student services now
- Identify “low hanging fruit” services that can be added with little investment
- Quickly identify problem areas and develop strategies for improvement
- Benchmark their progress against peers, locally and statewide
- Track their progress year over year with comparison audits
- Inform decisions about technology purchases using tested and individualized data
Additionally, George Steele, Director of The Ohio Learning Network, says that the CENTTS audit helped the Ohio Learning Network create a common language for improvements to online student services. One Columbus State staff member who took the audit observed, “We realized the importance of thinking functionally rather than departmentally and aligning our online tools to enable students to progress through the enrollment process without barriers and limitations.”
To date, more than 150 institutions have used the audit tool to assess their services. Additionally, all of Minnesota's institutions have used the CENTSS audit to identify areas in online student services in need of improvement.
For more information about the CENTSS audit, go to www.centss.org.
About CENTSS
The Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) provides educational institutions with the tools and training they need to develop and deliver high-quality student services online. Effectively implemented student services are a critical component of student retention, engagement, and satisfaction. Through CENTSS, institutions are able to blend the power of technology with the personal attention of traditional support services. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 March 2010 15:39 |
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The First 4,000 Words Vocabulary Building Program Selected By Hillview Crest Elementary to Boost Student Vocabulary |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Thursday, 18 February 2010 20:28 |
Hillview Crest Elementary School, in the New Haven Unified School District in Hayward, California, has selected The First 4,000 Words vocabulary building program to help students boost their vocabularies. Hillview Crest students will engage in 355 interactive and individualized web-based lessons that teach the 4,000 most frequently used English words. This research-based and field-tested program helps students develop the necessary reading skills to succeed in school. By enabling students to build their listening and reading vocabularies, the program supports Hillview Crest Elementary's literacy goals.
In field tests, students using The First 4,000 Words program have shown vocabulary gains regardless of grade-level or gender. Students also found the program to be appealing, easy to use, and fun. Teachers also reported that the program was engaging and easy to use.
Seward Inc. developed The First 4,000 Words program with noted reading expert Dr. Michael Graves, Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education at the University of Minnesota. His research interests and areas of expertise include vocabulary development, comprehension instruction, and strategy instruction. Additionally, the words in the program were selected from the most frequent words in The Educator's Word Frequency Guide (Zeno et al. 1995) and the 4,000 word families of Hiebert's Word Zones™ corpus.
Please visit The First 4,000 Words web site for more information: www.thefirst4000words.com.
About The First 4,000 Words
The First 4,000 Words is an interactive web-based program used to teach the 4,000 most frequently used English words to English Language Learners and struggling readers in grades 1 through 4. Students access their lessons through an engaging world of words called the Vocabitat. Animated woodland characters guide the students through the lessons, which use game-like scenarios and speech recognition technology to teach, reinforce, and assess vocabulary listening, reading, and pronunciation—all vital to a reader’s success. Lessons are available from any Internet-connected computer with little teacher time required beyond initial student setup. Students complete each lesson independently.
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The First 4,000 Words Vocabulary Building Program Selected By Minnetonka Elementary School for 1st-4th Grade Students |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Thursday, 03 December 2009 19:39 |
Minnewashta Elementary School, in the Minnetonka, Minnesota Public Schools system, has selected The First 4,000 Words vocabulary building program for its 370 1st-4th grade students, with an additional rollout planned for kindergartners and 5th graders. Minnewashta students will engage in 355 interactive and individualized web-based lessons that teach the 4,000 most frequently used English words. This research-based and field-tested program helps students develop the necessary reading skills to succeed in school. By enabling students to build their listening and reading vocabularies, the program also supports Minnewashta Elementary's literacy goal of each student progressing at least one year in their reading level.
According to Cindy Andress, Principal of Minnewashta Elementary School, one of their biggest challenges in teaching vocabulary is knowing which words will most efficiently build students' vocabularies. "We are hoping that The First 4,000 Words program will help us to differentiate vocabulary development in a way that engages students independently while their teachers are working with small groups of students in guided reading groups," says Andress. About their decision to use an online learning program, Andress says, "We have the technology at our fingertips to use an online tool. The First 4,000 Words program will be engaging for students and easy for the staff to set up and use in a way that will make a difference in the life of our students."
In field tests, students using The First 4,000 Words program have shown vocabulary gains regardless of grade-level or gender. Students also found the program to be appealing, easy to use, and fun. Teachers also reported that the program was engaging and easy to use.
Seward Inc. developed The First 4,000 Words program with noted reading expert Dr. Michael Graves, Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education at the University of Minnesota. His research interests and areas of expertise include vocabulary development, comprehension instruction, and strategy instruction. Additionally, the words in the program were selected from the most frequent words in The Educator's Word Frequency Guide (Zeno et al. 1995) and the 4,000 word families of Hiebert's Word Zones™ corpus.
About The First 4,000 Words
The First 4,000 Words is an interactive web-based program used to teach the 4,000 most frequently used English words to English Language Learners and struggling readers in grades 1 through 4. Students access their lessons through an engaging world of words called the Vocabitat. Animated woodland characters guide the students through the lessons, which use game-like scenarios and speech recognition technology to teach, reinforce, and assess vocabulary listening, reading, and pronunciation—all vital to a reader’s success. Lessons are available from any Internet-connected computer with little teacher time required beyond initial student setup. Students complete each lesson independently. We currently are giving away 100 licenses for the program. For more information about the contest, please visit www.thefirst4000words.com/contest.
About Seward Incorporated
Seward Incorporated is a leader in education technology solutions for corporate, academic, and government clients. Founded in 1990, Seward Inc. works nationally and internationally, developing custom eLearning solutions, consulting on building education systems, and training educators in the use of online tools. For more information, call 612-721-4444 or visit www.sewardinc.com or international.sewardinc.com.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 03 December 2009 19:50 |
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