Cambridge Friends School
The Cambridge Friends School XO laptop pilot program is one of the first in the Boston area. The Cambridge Friends School (CFS) is an independent K-8 Quaker school in Cambridge, MA. The goal of the pilot is to authentically integrate the XO into the existing curriculum, so that it becomes a tool for realizing creative potential instead of a glamorous afterthought.
The program includes:
- Teacher training workshops
- Classroom activities
- After-school sessions
- Pre- and post-assessment interviews and surveys
During the 2008-2009 academic year, DigiLit piloted the XO in the two 6th grade classrooms (28 students). In the fall of 2009, the XOs were moved to the 4th grade (27 students), where they have been a better match for student age and interests. The 4th grade program was expanded to include the 3rd grade in the fall of 2010, totaling 40 students.
3rd/4th Grade Pilot (September 2009 - Present):
DigiLit volunteers are currently hosting XO laptop workshops for 3rd/4th grade teachers Mellisha Culpepper and Katie Marion. Mellisha and Katie have begun developing lessons that interface with the XO and are now working with volunteers to continue building curriculum. Recent work includes using Memorize to make memory games that test knowledge of state capitals, as well as an introduction to TurtleArt. Students have started using XOs in class for online research, word processing, and memory game activities.
During the 2009-2010 academic year, 4th graders tested SocialCalc, an open-source spreadsheet activity developed by Software for Educational, Entertainment, and Training Activities (SEETA). Twenty-three 4th graders gave survey-based feedback after participating in three social studies activities that utilized SocialCalc. Student feedback, in the form of Likert scale ratings and drawings, was given to SocialCalc developers. Results suggest that 4th graders wanted more feedback from the program when they made mistakes and more control over visual aspects of graphs, such as colors and fonts.
Schedule:
September 2009 - Present: Teacher Workshops
November 2009 - Present: Classroom Visits
November - December 2009: SocialCalc Pilot
6th Grade Pilot (September 2008 - June 2009):
During the 2008-2009 academic year, DigiLit piloted the XO in the 6th grade classrooms. The fall was devoted to workshops for three 6th grade teachers: Rob Garrison (history/English), Vicky Guarracino (biology/math), and Sally Wakeland (Spanish). The pilot began in the spring after a pre-pilot week of activities co-hosted by Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) and a launch party for CFS parents and community members.
In the spring, DigiLit volunteers conducted research about the XO's effects on collaborative behavior in the 6th grade classrooms. The team gathered video, images, instructor reports, and student interviews in order to explore the XO's role during group activities. Results indicate that the XO facilitated sharing of information, as well as communication between 6th grade students.
The most challenging aspect of the pilot was authentically integrating the XO into the 6th grade curriculum. Although 6th graders had a blast using XOs for in-class assignments, CFS and DigiLit choose to move the program to a younger age group in anticipation of a better curricular match.
Schedule:
April - June 2009: Classroom Visits
February - March 2009: Curriculum Development
February 12th, 2009: XOXO Valentine's Pilot Launch Party
January 5th-9th, 2009: Pre-Pilot Week
September - December 2008: Introductory Teacher Workshops
IMSA Pre-Pilot Week:
High school students from Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) hosted classroom simulations for CFS teachers and created custom software bundles to meet curricular needs. As the first OLPC high school chapter in the world, the team from IMSA supports a self-sustainable model in which students teach other students how to use the XO as a tool that expands the traditional boundaries of the classroom. Learn more about the IMSA pre-pilot week.
