Teacher Highlight

Every day we hear about new and innovative ways our customers are integrating response technology into their classrooms. These stories were so good we just couldn’t keep them to ourselves. Thats why we developed "Teacher Highlights".

Do you have any suggestions for our next Teacher Highlight or would you like to be featured for your innovative use of response technology? Contact us.

John Mullen
Program Specialist
Citrus County School District
 

John Mullen serves as Program Specialist for the Citrus County School District in Inverness, Florida. With 28 years experience in education, John has a significant understanding to the specific needs of the district, and its teachers and students. As Program Specialist, John works with each of the twenty-three individual schools in the district to prepare and assist staff members with identifying student strengths and weakness prior to state assessment tests. At a minimum, John makes weekly visits to each school to conduct one-on-one or small group meetings to discuss individual needs of the teachers and to evaluate, assess and make decisions on student performance.

John provides the teachers in his district with student information compiled using the Performance Matters data management system which gives an analysis of information on the district, classroom or individual student level. "This data is compiled in a matter of seconds, a task that typically takes an individual several hours to complete," explained John. The data comes from benchmark assessment tests, created by a team of educators from within the Citrus County School District, that have a .89 correlation to state standard tests. These specially designed tests allow John and district educators to dig down to the benchmark level and identify exactly where student strengths and weaknesses lie.

Through the district's use of Performance Matters, John was introduced to the TurningPoint student response system. "It just seemed to fit every need we had," exclaimed John. "The teachers are embracing this technology so much." Faculty members at Citrus County have found that with the data analysis provided by Performance Matters, they are able to address specific areas of concern using the TurningPoint system. They are now able to assess students in real-time with immediate results. They can address student comprehension on the spot and determine whether or not students have fully grasped a concept before moving on.

To evaluate the TurningPoint student response system, faculty at Citrus County created a special benchmark assessment test given to an 8th grade science course during the first week of classes. Two groups of students were created. Half were ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students taught and evaluated using the TurningPoint system. Instruction consisted of teaching a subject and immediately asking review questions using TurningPoint to ensure student mastery of the subject. The other group consisted of regular students taught using traditional methods. When reevaluated on the same material presented in the benchmark assessment given at the beginning of the school year, the ESE students using TurningPoint saw an increase in student comprehension of approximately 40%, while students taught using traditional methods saw a 10% increase in comprehension. The data showed that students using clickers appear to have retained information longer which John credits to the immediate comprehensive review offered using the TurningPoint System.

For an initial trial period, an entire school within the district is using TurningPoint and Performance Matters in direct correlation. Student data is first gathered using the TurningPoint system during class. The data is then uploaded into the Performance Matters system and merged with other student assignments, quizzes, and tests providing teachers and administrators a comprehensive and detailed report of student performance. The use of the TurningPoint system as an assessment tool is seen as a means to help streamline the process even further.

"The biggest problem we have had with the system is that students actually run to class when they know clickers are being used. Students are ecstatic over the technology. They absolutely love it" explained John, "There's just simply isn’t a better system available."