By Dena Combs
Introduction to Redbird Mathematics
Redbird Mathematics is a digital curriculum platform for in-class or blended learning with the use of research-based technology. Teachers can assign students a course placement test that allows students to work on grade level with teacher-assigned assignments or work on their level. During the placement test students work through a series of exercises to show prior understanding, Along the way, students unlock math-based games and finish each section with a project to apply their new understanding.
Redbird has been personalized in a manner that advanced learners spend less time practicing and more time applying their skills, while kids who are struggling receive direct support and guided practice. Teachers can check everything through a dashboard that shows a class overview and each child's progression. Teachers can see specific student activities, including easily finding incorrect answers students gave. This will allow teachers to plan instruction of their own.
Personalized Learning- Curiosity
With the classroom being inclusive teachers find themselves in with students on all distinct levels. This can become extremely challenging for a teacher when teaching a math class. Without a solid foundation from the earlier grades, a child can become lost and discouraged in math class. Students that are below grade level can start to have behavior problems because of their frustrations if the teacher is only teaching on grade level. Or the opposite can occur when teachers are teaching below grade level and the advanced students become bored. Those who have higher sensation-seeking needs have higher levels of boredom susceptibility and will require more frequent changes of topic, instructional tactics, or media to remain engaged in the learning process (Reiser & Dempsey, 2017). Redbird Mathematics takes the stress off the teacher and creates an amazing program that meets the needs of every student in the classroom. After the placement test, students will be placed in the testing grade where they can work on their level at their own pace. Each unit provides the student with a unit introduction video, showing what you, lesson instructions, applying concept act, and unit projects (3-7 grade). Redbird can build motivation for learning for all students in the classroom if the teachers use the data supplied to support the students.
Data-Driven Reporting-Goals
Since we know that students are coming to the classroom on all distinct levels, they all cannot have the same goal of passing the state test at the end of the school year for example. With Redbird's amazing data reports, teachers and students can create goals based on their reports each quarter. Relevance can be achieved by creating meaningful challenges, especially for people with high needs for achievement, and giving them a measure of control over setting their goals and the means of accomplishing them (Reiser & Dempsey, 2017). Redbird is the means that students need to reach their goal on their level and feel motivated to do so. Teachers can look at the domain and standards that the students are working on. Teachers can create small group instruction based on their levels and one on one support as they are watching their live news feed when students are working. Teachers are also able to plan whole group instruction to meet the needs of each student based on the class report. Knowing that most of the students are not ready for any given topic the teacher can supply support in the form of an anchor poster and/or guided notes. This way the teacher and students will not get frustrated and there will be fewer behavior issues amongst the students.
STEM Projects-Learner-to-Content
Students in grades 3-7 are provided with STEM Projects at the end of every unit. Each STEM project is broken into four parts, introduction, math tasks, solution creation, and concluding activities. The introduction is an engaging video that gives students background information and career connections to the given concept. Math tasks are where students are exploring and able to show their skills on the concept. Solution creation is when students can design, code, or use simulation tools to solve STEM problems. Lastly, students are involved in concluding activities that produce finished projects. Working on realistic scenarios (e.g., case studies, reports, research papers, presentations, client projects) was listed as the most beneficial strategy (Martin & Bolliger, 2018). Trying to create a project that every student will be complete can be extremely hard when students are on distinct levels. Having students motivated to complete projects has never been easier when the projects that they are working on are on their exact level.
Conclusion
Redbird Mathematics' content is built on traditional instruction. Most lessons have digital manipulative, multiple solution methods, or multiple representations of math concepts. This helps students gain procedural fluency and conceptual intuition more than the typical textbook or lecture. Math concepts are taught in a manner that is not overwhelming or too easy. Struggling readers are also taken into consideration by providing most of the text has an audio option. Students can take breaks with learning games that sometimes seem a little unrelated to the concepts at hand, but they are a fun and intellectually stimulating break, if not exciting.
Resources
Martin, F & Bolliger, D. 2018. Engagement Matters: Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment. Online Learning Journal – Volume 22 Issue 1 – March 2018
Reiser, Robert, A. and John V. Dempsey. Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology. Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (4th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2017
Learners employ volitional (self-regulatory) strategies to protect their intentions.
Redbird boasts of meeting the needs of all students. Luckily, Redbird incorporates games during courses. At some point, it seems as if the students master certain parts of a course, they get to a part of the lesson that allows them to play a learning game. Students use volitional strategies because they are eager to get to the gaming part of the lesson. Also, because the program can be tailored to their academic level, the frustration of not being able to complete the assignment is minimized. For the students that can work ahead, they won’t be easily bored as they are working on or above their level. With these programs, students…
Control
As stated in the case study, “Redbird Mathematics takes the stress off the teacher and creates an amazing program that meets the needs of every student in the classroom. After the placement test, students will be placed in the testing grade where they can work on their level at their own pace.“ (Combs, 2022). This is a great example of the learning principle of control. In Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology, 4th Edition, the authors state: “When people do not have positive expectancies for success or when they have been unable to avoid failures and catastrophes over which they have no control, they can develop feelings of helplessness.” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2018). I dealt with…
The need for personalized learning plans is a great need in today’s classroom. Personally, I believe we are definitely teaching students who think a lot differently when compared to the students from 20 plus years ago. In the article called, “Personalized learning”, the need to teach in various ways is key! In a personalized learning approach, the learners personal experience, knowledge, and habits are connected with the learning methods, so that they can learn faster, understand new concepts more easily, and improve their learning performance (2020). The use of digital learning infrastructure that can automate the process of students’ learning can allow students to process new ideas and make connections by using the right tools. Even in a math learning…