Great data but groanworthy busy work for students

Submitted 2 years ago
Sabrina C.
Sabrina C.
Teacher
Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science
Escondido CA, US
My Rating
Pedagogy
Supports

My Take

I really liked how it automatically adjusted passages provided to their level. However, the lack of control over topics makes it less useful than tools like CommonLit, where you can match readings to your current focus. The data provided was great, but I do wonder how affected it was by lack of student buy in. It is gamified, but the badges didn't have any draw for my 9th graders. Students would often complain they got one question wrong and were dropped multiple grade levels. Most concerningly, after a semester of regular use paired with intensive reading instruction in the classroom, the data showed minimal growth, which conflicted with the data provided by other assessments. I loved the reporting features, but the lack of interest for students seems to be a breaking point.

How I Use It

I used this tool to assess reading levels and identify areas of needed support in my 9th grade classes. I used the data to support instructional decisions and scaffolds. The data was great, the student's response to the platform was not. To say they hated it would be an understatement. I tried to explain that while it may seem boring, the questions are similar to those they would see on the SAT and ACT. This was not enough to get any buy-in.

1 person found this helpful.