News Press: Smartpen program getting results so far

Collier County public school students are getting smarter thanks to a two-month-old pilot program that has put “smartpen” technology into the hands of 160 teachers.

Already, freshman Sage Taylor at Gulf Coast High School in Naples gives the gadget high marks. Her algebra teacher, Renee White, has been using the pen to record lectures in an earlier class, which allows her to replay her instructions for a later class and frees her to walk around the room and help students.

“My grades were slipping before this,” Taylor said. “And I’ve noticed them improving.”

On Tuesday morning, White’s freshman students helped her demonstrate the technology for local media. Teachers volunteered for a chance to test the technology. The only requirement was that teachers had to have some special education students in their classes, because it may be most helpful to them.

Marketed as the Livescribe pen and selling for about $149 regular retail — plus $20 for the special paper needed, sold in a notebook — the smartpen allows the user to write on the paper and record his voice at the same time.

It’s then possible to stop and rewind to an earlier point in the session by tapping the penpoint on a character or simple dot written earlier. It syncs with computer software to project it all onto a large wall screen for classroom use.

White has observed more kids asking questions or for help as she walks around the classroom while the lecture plays. This educational multitasking has also helped students who missed a day or more of school.

By signing in to the Angel online learning platform, which the district has used for several years, students whose teachers use the smartpen can pick up the day’s lesson and not skip a beat.

That was a relief to Chad Weber, who knew he would be missing school Wednesday due to a family obligation. “So I’ll go onto Angel and catch up,” he said.

Fifteen teachers at Gulf Coast High School are using the device, said Bill Schulte, the district’s special education technology specialist.

Gayle Nance, a trainer in the new technology at Gulf Coast, explained that the pen was so valuable because it combined learning styles. While only 5 percent of people learn best by hearing, another 60 percent learn visually and 35 percent are considered kinetic learners, who do best when some movement occurs. Smartpen speaks to all three types.

Although students don’t have their own pens at present, Schulte can see that day coming.

Students on a group project could use them to write and record their progress, for instance.

Then instead of students passing their papers forward, they might be passing their pens instead.

Click here to read the original post by Dayna Harpster.