Franklin County High School students are approaching algebra in a whole new way because of the Carnegie Learning Algebra I program.
The program mixes 40 percent computer lab time with 60 percent class time and is new to FCHS, according to math teacher Karen Nix.
Students in computer lab access the Internet-based program through a desktop icon, Nix says, and teachers can examine each student's daily work from the site.
"We can see how many skills they conquered in a hour, how long it took to solve a problem and any errors," Nix said. "It's wonderful."
Nix said all but two teachers from the math department attended summer training on the program. She said when students are in the classroom instead of the computer lab they are not doing traditional classroom learning.
During classroom time, Nix said students engage in lots of cooperative learning. She said they work in teams on problems.
The Carnegie program has also eliminated extra work for teachers.
"It's like I'm a facilitator, not an instructor," she said.
She said some teachers are embracing the freedom the program provides, while others, like herself, are still adjusting to not having the full responsibility of lecturing to students.
Freshman Taylor Harlow explained that students work on units that cover certain topics in algebra such as converting measurements.
"You have to be done with at least nine (units) by the end of the semester," she said.
She said students receive stickers on a poster that charts their progress as they complete units and each unit takes approximately two weeks to complete.
Harlow said she likes the program because it offers hints and she can work at her own pace. "It makes you work harder because if you don't it makes your grade drop," she said.
Freshman Corey May said he is enjoying the new approach to algebra and spending time in the computer lab working on his algebra skills.
"I'm better on computers than I am sitting down in a classroom," he said.
May said this year is the first time he has used a computer program like Carnegie Learning. He said math is not one of the subjects he enjoys.
"I usually don't (like math) but the computers help," he said.
Franklin County Schools Assistant Superintendent Chrissy Jones said she submitted both the county and Western Hills High School for entry into the program after hearing about a pilot study Carnegie Learning Algebra I was launching in the state through the RAND Corporation.
"Since this is a research-based program that has shown improved student learning I immediately was interested and sought the support of both of our high school principals," Jones said.
Jones said the program is provided free of charge to schools and the design of the study is to have half of the schools serve as a control group and the other half serve as a treatment group.
She said FCHS was selected as one of 16 schools to serve as the treatment group, with 17 schools serving as the control group.
Treatment groups will use the Carnegie Learning program while control groups will not be using the program, but will use each school district's traditional algebra teaching practice.
Jones said most of the schools participating in the study are in western and southwestern Kentucky, she said other schools involved include Warren County, Taylor County and Whitley County.
"The main reason I wanted our schools involved was the fact that that this is a program with proven results," Jones said.
Computer labs are open every morning and afternoon (except Wednesday because of staff meetings) for students who want additional time working on algebra problems, Nix said.