DreamBox Adds Predictive Analytics for Monitoring Student Readiness in Math
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 05/21/20
Education
technology company DreamBox
Learning
has released new software that lets educators predict how well their
students would do with high-stakes math testing — even though the
testing isn't happening.
The
company produces K-8 math curriculum that integrates instruction and
assessment and is adaptive to each student. As a learner finishes a
lesson, he or she is assessed to enable the program to provide a
well calibrated lesson the next time. DreamBox
Predictive Insights
uses that testing data specifically for K-5 to provide district
administrators with monthly projections about the outcomes of spring
testing that, according to the company, would be 85 percent accurate.
Even
though those state math tests have been canceled for the current
school year, DreamBox suggested that the data generated in its new
tool can help education leaders make decisions about upcoming use of
curriculum, intervention and summer school.
The
prediction technology is part of the DreamBox administrator
dashboard, which uses data going back to the start of the current
school year. The reporting shows how students, classes and schools
would have done on the grade level math tests for their states if
they were taking it. The predictive models used by the software were
developed over three years by crunching data generated in dozens of
school districts and using years of in-product data and scores from
major state tests and benchmark exams.
"This
is an unexpected new chapter for schools and their personalized
learning initiatives. As schools transition to remote learning,
educational technology has proven to be an invaluable resource for
delivering quality learning experiences at home," said CEO
Jessie Woolley-Wilson, in a statement. "Whenever schools are
ready to safely re-open, learning guardians will need to quickly
ascertain how to support each student after a semester and summer of
potential learning loss. DreamBox's Predictive Insights provides a
snapshot view into where each student is, allowing district
administrators to make important decisions based on clear and
accurate predictions."
DreamBox
said it would expand its predictive programming later this year to
include principal and teacher reporting and suggestions for how
teachers can differentiate instruction for students.
That's
appealing to at least one of those districts that has done early
testing of the program,
Lodi Unified School District
in California. "Access to data is critical for ensuring growth
and success for every student," said Lisa Kotowski, assistant
superintendent of curriculum and instruction. "Educators are
constantly searching for ways to best address the learning needs of
their individual students. They are further challenged now that
typical data collection approaches aren't occurring in schools.
DreamBox Predictive Insights and the information available provides
tangible insights that teachers can use to help their students make
proficiency gains earlier in the learning cycle, address gaps, and
put all students on the right path for learning and achievement."
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.