(2010-09-09) California Ipad Algebra Pilot

A pilot project in four California school districts will replace 400 students' eighth-grade Algebra Text-Book-s with Apple IPad-s in an attempt to prove the advantages of interactive digital technologies over traditional teaching methods.

Jan'2012: supposedly, this helped.

May'2013: The Fuse students had ready access online to their textbook, as well as to formative assessment, that showed where they were wrong in solving a problem. With every right answer, they could bring up several more problems at the touch of a finger on the screen.

• And the e-textbook’s author, Edward Burger, a mathematics professor at Williams College and a former comedy writer for Jay Leno, draws in students with 400 video segments on the iPad that give entertaining lessons on algebraic equations, most of which they watch at home or outside of class. “You wouldn’t think an algebra video would be entertaining. This guy was exciting to listen to,” says Jay McPhail, Riverside USD’s technology coordinator. “I wanted to go back and take algebra again.”
• During class time, teachers focus on individual student progress. “We think it’s the game changer,” McPhail says of the Fuse program.
• After the pilot year ended, the school continue the FUSE program in two Algebra I classes. “We’re not where we want to be,” Kells says. “But our results are much higher than they were and are showing us a pathway.”
• What also changed the game, Kells adds, was allowing students to keep the iPads 24/7, which encouraged them to work on algebra games or read during after-school events, and which encouraged parents to watch the videos with their children.