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Front Porch Experience: Paper-Pencil
Development of The Front Porch Experience began with a paper-pencil program aimed to improve students' reading and critical thinking skills and to promote news media literacy. -
Classroom Implementation: Paper-Pencil
Oak Harbor High School (NW Ohio)
Module 1 was implemented in paper-pencil form. The goal was to develop, implement, and test an intervention that improved student reading comprehension and news media literacy skills. Developers engaged in collaborative and ongoing conversations with classroom teachers during implementation to ensure student success. -
Classroom Implementation: Paper-Pencil
Oak Harbor High School (NW Ohio)
Module 2 was implemented in paper-pencil form. The goal was to develop, implement, and test an intervention that improved student reading comprehension and news media literacy skills. Developers engaged in collaborative and ongoing conversations with classroom teachers during implementation to ensure student success. -
Positive Impact of Paper-Pencil Modules Observed
Oak Harbor High School (NW Ohio) A Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted to assess effect sizes of The Front Porch Experience. Students significantly improved on Ohio Standardized Test in reading, writing, math and science. -
Front Porch Experience: Online Module
The paper-pencil content was converted to an online module, which features Interactive videos and a reliable process of analyzing news text. The online instructional program incorporates activities, discussions, and local news sources to improve students' reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. -
Grant: United States Department of Agriculture
A 9 month USDA Rural and Community Development grant was awarded. The outcome showed feasibility of the interactive videos and usability of the online module. -
Learning Labs: Online Module
Pinckney High School (SE Michigan)
To improve the module, developers conducted learning labs with 80 students to test the cognitive scripts and videos as part of an iterative process. -
Classroom Implementation: Online Module
Pinckney High School (SE Michigan)
Developers provided curriculum mapping, on-site teacher training and on-site support during implementation of the online module in high school Social Studies and ELA classrooms. Developers and teachers engaged in collaborative need-assessment and ongoing dialogue as the feasibility and usability of the module was tested. -
Classroom Implementation: Online
Holland High School (W Michigan)
Pinckney High School (SE Michigan)
Developers provided curriculum mapping, on-site teacher training and on-site support during implementation of the online module in high school Social Studies and ELA classrooms. Developers and teachers engaged in collaborative need-assessment and ongoing dialogue as the feasibility and usability of the module was tested. -
Grant: United States Department of Agriculture
A 2-year USDA "Rural and Community Development" grant has been awarded (Phase 2) Outcome for Phase 2: Customization of module to individual teachers' needs and student population -
Learning Labs: Online Discussions
Pinckney High School (SE Michigan)
To enhance the module and to further improve its online capabilities, developers are conducting learning labs with students to elicit input on the value and challenges of online discussions. -
Collaboration with Pre-Service Teachers
Thinking Habitats has an upcoming opportunity to collaborate with pre-service social studies teachers at Hope College in a methods course. -
We want you!
We'd like to collaborate with you! Thinking Habitats is looking for educators to implement The Front Porch Experience in their Social Studies classrooms. Teachers have praised the flexibility of the self-paced curriculum, as well as its use of relevant local news to teach reliable processes while engaging students with their communities. The online learning program increases opportunities for civic engagement and has been shown to increase proficiency in reading and critical thinking skills. -
Optimization & Customization: Online Module
Holland High School (W Michigan)
Developers will be improving the existing online module and implementing it in classrooms. Optimization will include enhancing and expanding the existing online curriculum, and improving assessments and teachers' ease-of-use. The module will also be customized to meet individual teachers' needs and student populations. -
Optimization & Customization: Online Module
Pinckney High School (SE Michigan)
Developers will be improving the existing online module and implementing it in classrooms. Optimization will include enhancing and expanding the existing online curriculum, and improving assessments and teachers' ease-of-use. The module will also be customized to meet individual teachers' needs and student populations. -
We want you!
We'd like to collaborate with you! Thinking Habitats is looking for educators to implement The Front Porch Experience in their Social Studies classrooms. Teachers have praised the flexibility of the self-paced curriculum, as well as its use of relevant local news to teach reliable processes while engaging students with their communities. The online learning program increases opportunities for civic engagement and has been shown to increase proficiency in reading and critical thinking skills.
