Profiles in Success: Escondido Union Elementary School District
Escondido, CA — In education, a two- to three-point improvement in students’ performance on standardized tests is considered statistically significant. So when students in the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) began boosting their exam scores by as much as 30 points, people took note. Now, educators throughout the district are clamoring to be a part of Project LIVE (Learning through Instructional Video in Education). And the award-winning program — which uses Apple digital media tools to foster critical and visual literacy skills — is truly helping the curriculum come alive for students… and their teachers.
Project LIVE was an offshoot of the San Diego County Office of Education’s iVIE Awards. Targeted to increase student achievement and foster the use of engaging learning environments, the iVIE Awards encourage students to create videos that demonstrate their comprehension in specific subjects.
Depending on the subgroup you look at, we’re seeing a 10- to 30-point difference in standardized tests.
—Kathy Shirley, Director, Technology and Media Services, Escondido Union Elementary School District
Kathy Shirley, director of Technology and Media Services for the Escondido Union School District (and an Apple Distinguished Educator), was instrumental in creating the iVIE Awards, and later Project LIVE. She says Apple’s easy-to-use digital media tools were the catalyst for both initiatives. “Right after Apple came out with iMovie, we started seeing a lot of teachers using video in the classroom,” she recalls. “A huge piece of why both programs have been so successful is that when teachers see how simple it is to use the Apple tools, they say, ‘I can do this!’ They just don’t run into any technology glitches.”
Teachers Receive Complement of Technology Tools
After Shirley attended an Apple Distinguished Educator institute, she was advised that some Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) funds were available to encourage Escondido students to become proficient in emerging technologies. As she had just received an immersion in the iLife suite, she knew the value of integrating these powerful technology tools into the classroom.
Soon after, she and a group of 20 teachers met to launch Project LIVE. Participants received a PowerBook notebook computer (each now takes home a MacBook Pro), digital camcorder, microphone, and external hard drive. Teachers also underwent training in iLife, storyboarding, video production, and editing techniques. In addition, teachers were given a .Mac account, which they could use for creating web pages, posting iCal calendars, and more.
“For our teachers, Project LIVE created a culture that allowed them to really extend themselves and explore things that were unknown to them, in a very fun, safe environment,” notes Jennifer Walters, superintendent of EUSD. “These days, ‘collaboration’ just isn’t qualitatively a good enough word to describe what happens with these teachers during the Friday evening and Saturday kick-off training, as well as the ongoing monthly trainings. That’s probably the highest value of Project LIVE — that, and the increased student achievement, which is always our bottom line.”
Objectives
- Increase student achievement
- Foster critical and visual literacy skills in students and teachers
- Build upon standards-driven instruction
Solutions
- PowerBook and MacBook Pro notebooks for each teacher
- iLife digital media suite
- Edusoft* Assessment Management System
- Other hardware tools, including digital camcorders, hard drives, microphones
Results
- Standardized test scores have increased 10 to 30 points
- Students’ engagement in Project LIVE classrooms is extremely high
- Students and teachers have gained strong collaboration skills
- For additional results, see charts below and on next two pages
Quick Notes
- Student Videos Spark Dramatic Increase in Student Achievement
- Student Assessments Suggest Video Topics
- A Growing Initiative
*The mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and represents neither an endorsement nor a recommendation
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