The Wilson County School System (Tennessee, USA) serves approximately 18,000 students in pre-kindergarten through adult education.
Challenge
- Personalize education to meet different needs
- PD and collaboration across school district
- Increase student engagement and motivation
Solution
- Flipped Classroom strategy
- Media center hands on lab
- Sensavis with video recording rights
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Results
- Increased classroom engagement
- Elevated comprehension and interest
- Increased focus and retention
- Improved results on formal and informal assessments
- Received a Digital Content and Curriculum Award from the Center for Digital Education
The Wilson County School System (Tennessee, USA) serves approximately 18,000 students in pre-kindergarten through adult education. Wilson County Schools is committed to providing innovative teaching methods and opportunities for teachers, parents, students and community members to improve student learning by creating dynamic personalized, digital learning environments for all students. One of the classroom tools used is Sensavis. The virtual reality content is transforming the district’s ability to meet the technological and academic needs of their students. Sensavis content is used in classroom teaching, and in combination with Microsoft Office Mix to create flipped classroom videos, as well as for professional development and training. In addition to classroom use, students also access the content in their Media Centers to create virtual reality videos complete with audio as culminating unit projects.
Classrooms and flipped classrooms
Kim Clemmons, Supervisor of Instructional Technology at Wilson County Schools, sees how Sensavis supports the district’s digital plan to use technology in ways that improve teaching and learning through increased student engagement. ”By creating student-centered learning environments, students are understanding and retaining content in a more meaningful and long-term manner. Sensavis also assists us in teaching STEM concepts that lay a foundation for students to be college and career ready.”
Annina Williams, one of the teachers utilizing Sensavis, is enthusiastic about the classroom experience: ”What is great in the classroom is how teachers and students can come together to examine subject matter in a holistic approach. The educator can ask provoking questions leading students to comprehensive thought and students are able to inquire about difficult content. Consequently, they are immersed into their learning experience and gain a deeper understanding of challenging concepts.”
Annina has also been responsible for teaching many educators in the school district various ways to use the software, particularly with Microsoft Office Mix: “Teachers are collectively using Sensavis and Office Mix to create flipped classrooms, educators are able to reach each student at their individual performance level. Educators are providing additional materials and resources for advanced students to explore and are providing extensive explanations and instructional lessons for students who need extra assistance in learning the content. Teachers can also partner with other educators from across the district and share their created instructional lessons and assessments. This encourages teachers to collaborate and actively engage students in the learning process.”
Media centers
Students in Wilson County experience advanced technology as well as create their own virtual reality content in subject modules for biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography, and engineering. Wearing 3D glasses, students explore imagery and create their own virtual reality videos with audio for unit projects. As one student comments: “I think it’s better than most textbooks and better than most worksheets. You can look at it, see it, play with it; but a textbook, you’re just reading it.” “Sensavis changes our perspective.”
Results
The use of the visually interactive content has helped create personalized instruction for students and has elevated comprehension and interest. Also, the teachers are enthusiastic to have resources that can engage the students in subject matters and make learning interesting and fun. The school district has observed a notable improvement in student comprehension of difficult concepts on both formal and informal assessments.
In June 2016, Wilson County Schools was honored with a Digital Content and Curriculum Award from the Center for Digital Education for their use of new, innovative technology and teaching methods to captivate the attention of students; immersing them into their respective content using 3D technology.
