Creativity & Non-Fiction

Most of what students read today in school is non-fiction, and now, according to an article in Ed Week Teacher, with the introduction of Common Core, even greater emphasis will be placed on non-fiction curricular materials. AP Teacher Nathan Sun-Kleinberger says that students in his classes learn to be creative with non-fiction. He teaches the “Declaration of Independence” as a breakup song and for homework has students create their own “Declarations”.  Sun-Kleinberger’s students write satire like “State of the Union” addresses, but focus on topics such as “texting, zombies, drama queens, the NBA, reality television, and Velcro. Humor, this AP teacher believes, sets students into creative gear. You’ll want to read about his AP birthday card project and “brutally honest” class discussions.

Easily Distracted Students?

Although the majority of teachers of Advanced Placement  (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) courses believe that use of the Internet and digital devices helps students to be “more self-sufficient researchers”, they also said that the same technologies cause students to be easily distracted. Seventy-six percent of the teachers of these courses agreed strongly that student expectations are that they will find information easily and quickly.  The overwhelming amount of information available online, makes it, according to most AP and NWP teachers, difficult for students to locate acceptable sources. Therefore, the call is for digital literacy course for students.

Learn Smart: An Adaptive Engine for Better Grades

McGraw-Hill’s LearnSmart is a personal digital tutor, which detects what students need to know in order to help them achieve their best. Called the “smartest adaptive engine in the industry”, this interactive product has been used in colleges and is now ready for high school use.  With it, students increase the effectiveness of their studies outside of class which will help them be better prepared for classes and improve retention, grades, and engagement in their studies.  Launched in February 2013, LearnSmart currently offers biology, U.S. History, Spanish, and A.P. and honors subjects; additional study areas will be available in the months after the launch.

A study of community college students using Learn Smart showed significant improvement in retention and pass rates. So far, no studies have targeted high school students, but expectations for success of the product are high.

Lab Books Integrate with Science Data Collections

Vernier has announced the publishing of a new lab book: Investigating Biology through Inquiry. The lab book uses inquiry to assist teacher and students with AP biology and International Baccalaureate courses, and with the new AP inquiry requirements. It includes a CD with word processing files that teachers can edit. The book will be out in March 2012 and costs $48.  If you’d like more information on this lab book, check the Vernier site.