UPDATE: This article was updated on March 27 to reflect the fact that eighth grade teachers can now undergo training too.
In a study offered by the University of Maine and ASSISTments, seventh and eighth grade math teachers will be paid to use a free online system to easily assign and monitor practice problems for homework, either from their textbooks or their own problems. Students will be able to do homework using their school-issued laptops.
Teachers will be paid to attend professional development on how to organize homework in order to save time for better teaching using ASSISTments. Selected schools will have free access to the online system.
Benefits for teachers and students
- Saves time on homework management
- Instant feedback
- Automatic grading
- Online support through hints and examples
- Useful reports
- Differentiated instruction options
- Collaborative learning community
This two-year study is being funded by the U.S. Department of Education and is a collaboration of leading non-profit research centers at the University of Maine, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and SRI International. Results will be measured using the Common Core State Standards.
For more information and an application package, please contact
Professor Craig Mason, craig.mason@maine.edu, 207-581-9059, or visit
www.assistmentsmaine.org.