ARMONK, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM)
today announced the first IBM MobileFirst for iOS education app.
The app, IBM Watson Element for Educators, enables a new level of
engagement for teachers by providing a holistic view of each
student at their fingertips, including data on interests,
accomplishments, academic performance, attendance, behaviors and
learning activities. As a result, teachers are empowered with
data-driven insights to help them address individual needs that can
potentially lead to better outcomes throughout student's K-12
learning experiences.
Coppell Independent School District (ISD) in Texas is the first school district to use the
app to provide deeper levels of personal interactions and learning
experiences for its students. Coppell ISD is a top-ranked school
district in Texas, serving the
communities of Coppell, Valley
Ranch, North Irving and the
City of Dallas, with nearly 12,300
learners and over 750 teachers.
With increasing demands on educators, teachers need tools that
will enable them to better identify the individual needs of all
students while designing learning experiences that engage and hold
the students' interest as they master the content. This is
especially critical given that approximately one third of American
students require remedial education when they enter college today,
and current college attainment rates are not keeping pace with the
country's projected workforce needs1. A view of
academic and day-to-day updates in real time can help teachers
provide personalized support when students need it.
"For decades, IBM has been committed to providing the best
capabilities, talent and resources to spur innovation for the
system of education and learning for today's students -- our future
leaders," said Harriet Green,
general manager, IBM Watson Internet of Things, Commerce &
Education. "IBM and Apple are launching Watson Element to help
teachers gain insights into each student's skills, preferences and
interests to transform personalized learning experiences that are
unique to all."
IBM Watson Element provides teachers with a holistic view of
each student through a fun, easy-to-use and intuitive mobile
experience that is a natural extension of their work. Teachers can
get to know their students beyond their academic performance,
including information about personal interests and important
milestones students choose to share. For example, teachers
can input notes when a student's highly anticipated soccer match is
scheduled, when another has just been named president for the
school's World Affairs club, and when another has recently excelled
following a science project that sparked a renewed interest in
chemistry.
The unique "spotlight" feature in Watson Element provides
advanced analytics that enables deeper levels of communication
between teachers about their students' accomplishments and
progress. For example, if a student is excelling academically,
teachers can spotlight that student, praising their accomplishments
across the school district. Or, if a student received a top award
in the district art show, a teacher can spotlight the student so
their other teachers know about it.
The app also enables teachers to take advantage and make sense
of all the data from the school district that already exists today,
including attendance and current academic performance. With
data-driven insights at their fingertips, teachers can spot trends
across groups, allowing them to bring students together for small
group instruction based on common skill levels or areas of
interest.
"Working with Apple and IBM, we are developing creative
solutions and designing experiences for educators to engage
learners, tap into their interests and align with their learning
styles in order to help meet academic needs," said Dr. Marilyn Denison, Coppell ISD Assistant
Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. "Using the
Watson Element app, educators now have the relevant, real-time
information they need in order to individualize learning and
prepare students to be successful in an ever-changing world."
The app works with Watson Enlight, a powerful browser-based tool
for teachers, to support data-driven insights and lesson planning.
Through the integrated Natural Language Processing capabilities of
IBM Watson, teachers are also provided with specific recommended
learning content that is tailored to the characteristics and needs
of each student. For example, if a student is struggling with
a particular algebra lesson, Watson capabilities can recommend to teachers
more visual content that integrates some of the student's favorite
hobbies, like basketball, which helped the student in the
past.
Teachers at Coppell previously
spent hours searching and sorting through student data and
classroom performance from a variety of sources including digital
and paper records from the schools' information systems. Now, using
Watson Element, teachers will be able to make data-driven decisions
in real time and give instant feedback, on the iPad, of their
observations of each student's mastery of skills. The app enables
teachers to intervene if a student is stagnating or falling behind,
and can share key trends around behavior to help address issues and
determine what is successful in other classrooms and school
activities.
Coppell teachers are excited to
use Watson Element in their classrooms:
- "Watson Element is an app that will redefine education as we
know it. Educators are given an easy to use system that provides up
to date information so they can get to know their learners at
deeper levels and allow educators to individualize learning,"
said Nancy Garvey, Director of
Instructional Technology, Coppell ISD.
- "The learner is more than a number or a grade. I appreciate
that, as an educator, I can add information about the child's
interests, learning style or other notes, that will not only help
me, but their future educators as well. This app is truly a key
'element' in making sure all learners are successful," said
Samira Khan, Elementary School
Teacher, Coppell ISD
IBM is a trusted partner in helping school districts manage the
security and privacy of sensitive information. IBM Watson Element
has the ability to bring together and makes sense of student data,
including interest shared by the students, in a single, holistic
view.
Apple will offer the Watson Element app as part of its broad
portfolio of educational tools for schools designed to transform
the teaching and learning experience.
About IBM Watson Education:
IBM Watson Education is
transforming education worldwide with cognitive computing putting
the learner in the forefront. The power of Watson cognitive computing can ingest volumes
of information from text, audio or video and organize it in a way
that becomes easily personalized to each learner's needs and
aptitude. IBM Watson Education solutions are aimed at improving a
student's performance and empowering educators to personalize
education for every type of student from pre-kindergarten, K-12,
higher education and adult and lifelong learning. For more
information about IBM Watson Education, please visit:
www.ibm.com/watson/education
About Coppell ISD:
Coppell ISD is a premier public
school system with a statewide reputation for educational
excellence. This high-performing and innovative district serves
nearly 12,300 learners in the communities of Coppell, Valley Ranch, Grapevine, North
Irving, and the City of
Dallas (Cypress Waters) in Texas, United
States. For more information on Coppell ISD, please visit
http://www.coppellisd.com/
About IBM MobileFirst for iOS App:
For more
information regarding IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps and services
please visit www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/mobilefirst-for-ios.html
or www.apple.com/business/mobile-enterprise-apps/.
Sources:
- United States Department of Education. "College- and
Career-Ready Standards."
http://www.ed.gov/k-12reforms/standards
Media Contact:
Hanna
Smigala
IBM Media Relations
1-203-512-5497
smigala@us.ibm.com
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SOURCE IBM