New York Schools go digital

DALLAS: Last month, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein announced an expansion of the school district’s Innovation Zone (iZone) project to include 81 public schools, 20 of which will implement Time To Know, a complete, interactive curriculum system designed specifically for today’s one-to-one computing classrooms.

Introduced earlier this year, the iZone was created to encourage schools to pilot new classroom models and approaches to personalizing instruction for every child. The iZone pilot sites will use select instructional technologies to transform how content is taught, increase teacher effectiveness, and accelerate learning for all students. In last week’s announcement, Chancellor Klein said, “Our iZone schools will innovate a model for educating children that has remained largely unchanged for more than a hundred years. We are giving teachers new tools that allow them to customize education more thoughtfully for every child.”

One of the programs selected for the iZone schools is Time To Know, a digital teaching platform that empowers teachers to easily manage instruction, individualize learning, assess mastery in real time and provide immediate feedback to students. Designed around guided constructivist principles, Time To Know’s comprehensive digital curriculum helps students build 21st century skills, including problem-solving skills, higher order thinking, and cooperative learning to prepare them for high stakes tests and the future.

Studies in Israel and the United States show that students using Time To Know in 1:1 environments achieve higher gains in reading, language arts and mathematics than students in comparable schools using traditional teaching methods and curriculum.

“Mr. Klein and New York schools are to be applauded for their efforts to implement new classroom models that will help them better meet the needs of each and every student. Technology can certainly help with this effort, and the right technologies can extend the results even further,” said Joshua Behar, senior vice president and acting general manager at Time To Know. “In addition to positively impacting student learning and understanding, Time To Know enhances teachers’ roles as mentor and coach, and further maximizes schools’ return on investment in computers and other classroom technologies. It’s a win-win solution we’re sure will help New York schools realize the promise of the iZone initiative.”

Of the 81 New York City schools participating in the iZone program, roughly half will pilot a “virtual school” or blended learning model, while another six will introduce “time and staffing” innovations. Of the 35 elementary schools using “adaptive learning technologies,” 20 will use Time To Know in 63 fourth and fifth grade classes. The schools will begin using the programs in the 2010-11 school year; the teachers implementing Time To Know will participate in professional learning with instructional coaches over the summer.