Report notes gains by students using program developed by IU School of Education professor
North Carolina teachers, administrators say underachieving students now “excited and motivated” by “Quest Atlantis”
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
After a pilot year, North Carolina educators and administrators say they can see the difference in student achievement while using the program “Quest Atlantis,” developed by an Indiana University School of Education professor. Sasha Barab, Associate Professor and Jacobs Chair in Learning Sciences and Instructional Systems Technology as well as Director of the Center for Research on Learning and Technology, created Quest Atlantis. It is a learning and teaching tool for students between ages 9-12 that uses a 3-D, multiuser environment to immerse children in educational tasks.
“Positive results have been seen in many students’ work, particularly the disadvantaged and poor-performing,” Frances Bradburn, the former director of instructional technology for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, said in a story published on “Carolina Newswire” (http://carolinanewswire.com). “These hard-to-reach students have been so excited and motivated by the program,” she said. “Children that normally do not enjoy school have a new found drive to be there.“ Bradburn gave the initial approval for Quest Atlantis in North Carolina schools, and oversaw first-year expansion while closely monitoring results.
More than 600 North Carolina teachers working with 12,000 students are now trained to use Quest Atlantis. Eight-hundred moreteachers representing around 16,000 students have applied for training. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Food Lion provided funding for the 2007-2008 school year; state schools officials are looking for corporate sponsors to expand the program further.
“The large-scale and rapid adoption by such diverse schools in North Carolina is a sign that teachers are interested in finding ways to both support learning and meet kids at their own game,” Barab told Caroline Newswire. “Some of the stories that we are hearing from North Carolina teachers are really inspirational.”
The MacArthur Foundation awarded Barab a three-year, $1.8 million award earlier this year designated to help expand the reach of the program. It also awarded Barab $500,000 two years ago to build upon the program, originally funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Quest Atlantis is used in the United States and several countries already, including China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Turkey, and Singapore. Barab expects the worldwide participation in the program will grow from five thousand to tens of thousands in the next three years.
The entire Carolina Newswire article is available by clicking here.
You can see how the Quest Atlantis program works and hear more from Barab by viewing this video from the IU School of Education podcast page. It is also available on the School of Education’s YouTube page here.
