Our new school-wide annual licenses are the solution: every course, for every student and teacher.  These courses can be used in class, in a computer lab, after school, or even at home with teacher supervision.

Check out our U.S. school-wide license pricing: Find Out More.

A group of 57 students Grades 6 to 8 completed Math Upgrade lessons as part of math intervention classes in Fall 2007. The students were assessed at the elementary level in math before the intervention. Each week, students completed 2 to 3 sessions of 40 minutes length with the course. By the end of the semester, students had gained an average of 1.6 years on the STAR MATH assessment. All but one student showed improvement, with 68% showing gains of 1 year or more.

Read the full report 

I just wanted to take a moment to share with you our experience with the Learning Upgrade programs. My 9 year old son with autism was not reading when we were told by the school psychologist that some teachers in our district were finding success with the trial versions of Reading Upgrade.

We put Alex on the program at home and in a short time he was above other students his age in reading. We quickly realized this program was worth many times the nominal costs being asked for the literal miracles it packed for Alex. We signed up for the full program and sent him down the path to being a great reader.

The struggles to get him to read were over instantly. The program was exciting, engaging, and paced just right. I would tell him to work on two levels a day but at times have come back to see that he has far surpassed the daily goal. There has never been a need to remind him to do his levels. I say do it and it is as good as done. Anyone who has a child with PDD/Autism will know this in itself is nothing short of miraculous. This is all thanks to Reading Upgrade. It is a reward within itself for my son.

Thank you so much for such an awesome program. Alex has gone from no hope to a great reader thanks to Learning Upgrade programs.

A Very Thankful Mom,

Kathryne B Dixon, CA

I am returning to college and have to take a math placement test. I can not tell you how very happy I am with your Math Upgrade course. I have always avoided math with the explanation that “I’m just not good at it.” Well, I have completed your course in six weeks (about 20 hrs) with a 99.87%. I now have a new found love for math and feel very confident that I will pass my test with flying colors! I have never been as proud of myself (academically that is) as I was when I printed out my Gold Level certificate of achievement!

The key issue this brings up is effective instruction or intervention for at risk high school students. A test alone does not make student performance increase. Schools need to provide effective instruction for 9th graders at risk to fail CAHSEE or 10th graders who fail on their first attempt. While schools may be having success with “bubble” students just below the threshold of passing, the “far below basic” students are failing repeatedly.

It is our hope that new approaches to intervention for students failing CAHSEE are put into place, to prevent further dropouts. This includes high interest online courses targeting at risk youth, such as Comprehension Upgrade and Math Upgrade.

Read the LA Times Article

Both these computers are aimed at children in the developing world. However, a new computer called the Eee PC from Asus is bringing an affordable, child-friendly computer to any family that wants to buy one. For $399, you can buy this small, sleek notebook. It lacks a hard drive or Windows software, but includes a web browser, WiFi for internet access, and basic software for editing documents, email, etc.

Traditionally, a notebook this small and portable would have cost around $2,000. The Eee PC can fit in a student’s backpack or move with them around the house.

We at Learning Upgrade are hopeful that these new affordable student computers will provide more students with access to the world of online learning. Over the next few months, we will be testing to make sure our Math Upgrade and Reading Upgrade courses work on these new computers. If you have an experience with our courses on these laptops, please let us know in the comments.

T.T. Knight Math Enrichment Course: Pathways to Proficiency

Objective: To decrease novice-performing students in mathematics while providing a strong base of fundamental mathematics, which will improve student self-perception and confidence.
Teaching Tools: 
• SuccessMaker
• Learning Upgrade: Math Upgrade
• Understanding Math
• Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics: Grades 5-8 Van De Walle and Lovin

Assessment Tools:
• SuccessMaker
• Accelerated Math
• PAS (Initial Placement only and Intermediate Progress)
• Star Math (Initial Placement for Accelerated Math and Intermediate Progress)
• Teacher observations and notes
• Student Reflections

Placement:
Students will be scheduled to participate in a semester intervention program.  They will be selected based on PAS results and 2006-2007 CATS data, teacher recommendation, and classroom performance indicators such as period grades and Core Content Assessments.

Students will take STAR math during the first week of the course to determine Accelerated Math placement.

Students will take PAS test in the winter to determine placement for the spring semester.

Demonstration of Student Achievement: 

Student growth/achievement will be based on a set of criteria (listed below) which includes emotional and academic growth, mastery of fundamental concepts (listed below) and improvement of PAS and STAR math scores.  Intervention teacher of record, Math department chair, and math teacher of record will determine improvement.

Students show growth by meeting at least 3 out of 5 of the following measures of achievement-
• Build confidence with mathematics (Determined through Intervention Teacher of Record observation and Student Reflections)
• Demonstrate mastery of basic math concepts and skills in Accelerated Math and Success Maker/Learning Upgrade(Number of Objectives determined by Intervention Teacher of Record)
• Increase achievement in mathematics Core Content Assessments and classroom work
• Bring students up at least two grade levels in STAR math
• Demonstrate a minimum of Apprentice in majority of PAS categories

Class Structure:
• Class size is limited to 15-20 students per class period.

Fundamental Concepts Taught:
1. Place Value
2. Addition of Whole Numbers*
3. Subtraction of Whole Numbers*
4. Multiplication of Whole Numbers *
5. Division of Whole Numbers*
6. Rational numbers and all related symbolic representations
7. Computation of rational numbers
8. Integers and computation of Integers
9. Order of Operations
10.Algebraic Reasoning
*Emphasis on number theory concepts and inverse relationships including properties

Pathways to Proficiencey Teacher of Record will determine details of class structure but a skeleton is provided below:
• Problem solving skills and fundamental concepts will be taught through mini-lessons and small-group pull-outs using Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics: Grades 5-8 Van De Walle and Lovin
• Understanding Math will be used as an additional teaching tool on an as-needed basis determined by the Intervention Teacher of Record.
• Students will spend 20 minutes a day on Success Maker program, which will reinforce fundamental concept understandings and basic skills. (7th and 8th grade only)
• Students will complete tutorials provided on Math Upgrade for a minimum of 30 minutes a week with a goal of mastering one level a week. (6th grade only)
• Basic skills will be practiced and reinforced through Accelerated Math (Intervention Teacher of Record will determine frequency)

• The course pauses after help is given, to allow students to understand why they missed a question
• Questions and passages are given in a different sequence on lesson repeat for less guessing, more variety
• Students must earn a minimum of 75% correct to pass on to the next level
• Numerous small changes to individual lessons, too many to list!

Check out the updated Demo to experience some of the updates.

Many students are prepared and excited to do well this year: Bags packed, summer reading list checked off, and visions of A’s and B’s on the refrigerator. There are, however, thousands of students starting the year already behind; sometimes by 2 or more years in reading and math. To the rescue is San Diego based Learning Upgrade who has fine-tuned its popular online courses, Reading Upgrade and Math Upgrade, to help students get a head start on the school year.

A key consideration is how to motivate students that need a boost. They may already be struggling and new pressures make it increasingly difficult to retain an optimistic and encouraging outlook for the year.

Learning Upgrade’s Math and Reading programs work where other online courses fail because they are able to fully engage the student and make learning fun. They incorporate music, video, interactive games and randomization of questions to create a fun, engaging and highly effective learning tool for all students and adult learners.

With praise from parents, teachers and students worldwide, Learning Upgrade provides online intervention courses for rapid Catch Up and Keep Up:

• In 8 to 12 weeks, students can complete a course to bring them up to proficiency
• Courses are engaging and motivating through songs, video and games
• Detailed student tracking and web-based reports keep students from falling behind

Goal: Within one semester, turn around failing students

Since 2001, Learning Upgrade has been providing students and schools with online learning games that show results. More than 50,000 students from 40 countries around the world have used the online courses to improve test scores, jump grade levels and to study for standardized tests.

Recently, Knight Middle School in Louisville Kentucky worked with Learning Upgrade to establish a new 1-semester course for students entering school behind in math. The plan will include the Math Upgrade online course to tutor each struggling student one-on-one. Students will rotate through teacher lectures, the online course, and practice on paper.

Outside of school, Learning Upgrade is making a difference. Roy K. writes: “My [8th grade] son has spent hour after hour on your program trying to get himself caught up this summer.” The online courses are engaging to students and make them want to learn.

While most students will carry some amount of worry going into the school year, there are still ways to ease this experience and get prepared for a successful year. Learning can be fun whether you are trying to get a head start or need to play a little catch up. After all, it’s amazing what can happen when students enjoy learning.

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