Technology system’s a go for Poland students, teachers

By Denise Dick

The Poland Schools foundation donated $15,000 to equip 12 classrooms with the devices.

POLAND — They resemble small calculators or cell phones, but the latest pieces of technology at Poland Seminary High School offer teachers immediate feedback on students’ comprehension.

Bill Snyder, a chemistry teacher, started using the interactive student-response system developed by Turning Technologies, Youngstown, about three weeks ago.

Each student gets one of the devices. When Snyder asks a question, they press a button to indicate what they believe is the right answer. A bar graph is displayed on a screen in the front of the room indicating how they answered. From there, Snyder can see how many students answered correctly.

“I can identify what my students know and what they don’t know,” Snyder said.

The feedback is immediate so the teacher can reteach or review concepts a significant number of students don’t grasp. The answers can be anonymous or the devices may be programmed to determine how individual students respond.

After seeing how the devices work in the science department, school personnel developed a proposal, requesting funding to buy enough for 12 classrooms from the Poland Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence.

The foundation last month announced its award of $15,000 for that purpose.

Schools submit requests for funding and the foundation chooses them as funding will allow.

“Turning Technologies is a local company, so that played a part in it,” Dave Watts, president of the foundation, said of the funding decision. “We felt like it was something good for the community.”

The opportunity for immediate feedback to teachers provided by the devices also made foundation members believe the devices were a good use of funding, he said.

The foundation gets funding through membership fees and Watts said it’s always looking for new members. More information about membership is available by calling the high school at (330) 757-7018, board of education offices at (330) 757-7000 or Watts at (330) 757-0102.

Snyder keeps usage to a couple of times per week to keep things fresh for students.

Sophomores Natalie DeGenova and Allison Mitzel, both 15, and juniors Travis Mashburn and Brian Ciccone, both 17, use the new technology in Snyder’s chemistry class.

“I would say you could use it for any class,” Allison said.

It helps students because a teacher who realizes his or her students don’t understand a topic will review to re-emphasize the information, Travis said.

All four students say the technology could be used in all classes.

Principal Vincent Procopio said normally a teacher can’t gauge students’ comprehension other than through homework, quizzes and tests.

“With this, I can see what they know,” he said. “The teacher can tell immediately, are they or aren’t they getting it.”

The principal said teachers are anxious to use them.

He expects them to also be useful in preparing students for the Ohio Graduation Test, determining which concepts on those state-mandated tests need more work.

“We’re really excited about it,” Procopio said.

denise_dick@vindy.com