Imagine walking into a classroom where a kindergarten student is working on second grade reading comprehension while the classmate next to him practices her pre-kindergarten math skills. Look further, and you see 6 more students working independently around an interactive white board and another six clustered around the teacher for small group instruction.
This level of classroom differentiation is possible for every student at Gardens School of Technology Arts, a tuition-free charter school that is taking its innovative programming to another level this coming year by implementing a data-driven blended learning model using adaptive iPad software.
A detailed diagnostic process will create a personalized learning plan for every student. Each student’s learning plan is comprised of ‘quests’. A quest begins with an instructional video that help explain the new skill or concept, then guides the student in practicing these new skills by exploring one of 800 pre-screen, curated educational web apps. Student complete online assessments or mini quizzes to demonstrate understanding and mastery, which requires a score of 80% or higher before moving ahead to the next quest. The final step in the quest involves the student completing a final task or ‘project’ that includes performing in a ‘re-teaching’ video to show their teacher and parents they have applied their knew skill and knowledge.
“As a school, we’ve embraced project-based, individualized learning from our inception and this exciting new iPad-delivered program offers one more exciting and cutting-edge tool for our teachers and students to work with next year,” reports Dr. Kevin Kovacs, the school’s Director of Academics.
“Beyond the obvious engaging benefits of infusing the classroom environment with technology, what really confirmed that this was the right program for us, was the video element at the end of each quest. It’s great for children to learn and pass a quiz, but for them to be able to reteach through a video what they’ve just learned, we’ve gone way beyond assessing what that child knows and are now witnessing what they can now do with what they know. That is a major part of developing 21st century skills, which is the very heart of our mission at Gardens School of Technology Arts,” concludes Kovacs.
About Gardens School of Technology Arts:
Gardens School of Technology Arts, located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, was founded in 2011, is a tuition-free K-8 public charter school and currently serves 230 students. The school infuses technology arts like stop-motion animation, robotics, digital art and game design throughout its academic program. For 2014-2015 enrollment information, visit www.mysota.net.
We are proud to present Gardens School of Technology Arts as a sponsor of Macaroni Kid Palm Beach Gardens/Jupiter.
We are proud to present Gardens School of Technology Arts as a sponsor of Macaroni Kid Palm Beach Gardens/Jupiter.
