Download World History: Human Legacy

LEARNER
VERIFICATION
REPORT
World History: Human Legacy
Copyright 2008
Information Prepared by:
Research and Curriculum Department
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Austin, TX
Learner Verification Report – World History: Human Legacy © 2008
LEARNER VERIFICATION REPORT
World History: Human Legacy © 2008
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON has established a very specific process for product
development, field testing and the on-going assessment of product revision and maintenance.
Fundamental to HRW’s publishing philosophy is the involvement of students and teachers in the
development and maintenance of its educational programs.
This report provides a summary of the learner verification process and of the overall validation
design for World History: Human Legacy © 2008. In this report, “validation” is the term used
for the overall assessment of all phases of the published product. The term “learner verification”
refers to the specific process to measure the instructional effectiveness of the published materials
when used in the classroom.
DESIGN FOR PROGRAM VALIDATION
HRW’s design for the validation of its educational programs begins at the program
conceptualization and consists of three stages. HRW establishes the pattern of interaction with the
educational community in the first stage of development and continues it throughout every stage
of the process:
•
During Phase I, Program Initiation, the HRW Product Launch Team interacts with classroom
teachers; university faculty; federal, state and local agencies and other primary and secondary
sources of information to determine the best route to take in shaping its program and to
identify the best available professionals to serve on its authorship and consultant teams.
•
During Phase II, Program Development, HRW’s editorial team, the Research and Curriculum
Department, and sales and consultant staff maintain a concentrated involvement with teachers
and students in classroom situations in order to refine and develop ideas, activities, and
student and teacher directions, first through rough manuscript and then ultimately into final
manuscript. At various stages, it is field tested in classrooms as well as read and critiqued by
program and field consultants, teachers and students.
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During Phase III, Program Publication, HRW monitors the performance of its product as it is
used throughout the country through a variety of methods: surveys to product users,
collection of appraisal statements from students and teachers, and collection of reports and
attitudinal surveys from field consultants and sales staff.
INTENDED USE
Holt World History: The Human Legacy ©2008 takes students on a journey to investigate
history through the analysis of documents, forensic science, and artifacts that encourage students
to make connections between the past and the present. The standards-based, thought-provoking
narrative and instructional visuals provide accessibility to the content and motivate students to
read and study. Students develop critical thinking skills through map analysis, research, and
document-based investigation.
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Learner Verification Report – World History: Human Legacy © 2008
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT/LEARNER VERIFICATION PROCESS
In maintaining the established process for product development and validation, the Department of
Research and Curriculum, the Social Studies editorial staff, consultants and marketing staff
conducted a review and learner verification process for the development of World History:
Human Legacy © 2008.
This evaluative process began in 2005 with a national survey of world history teachers. Over
1000 teachers responded. The survey was designed to elicit information regarding the course
length, course content, and resource preferences. Teachers typically teach a one-year course and
coverage of topics varies though most prefer a chronological approach over regional or thematic
approaches. Resources involving activities were most valued by the teachers.
In August 2005, a sample narrative survey was conducted. Fifty-nine teachers responded.
Teachers were sent two sample chapters and asked about their opinion regarding those chapters.
Also in August 2005, focus groups were conducted in Albany NY, Indianapolis IN, and
Columbus OH. The comments and suggestions of the focus group teachers were used to
make a better program. Participants evaluated the effectiveness of instruction, accuracy of
content, and the student-appropriateness of the information and activities.
Teachers who participated in the research expressed desires for more reading support,
activities using secondary as well as primary sources, features that compare and contrast
multiple view points or images, and a stronger connection to standardized testing.
In January 2006, additional focus groups were conducted. In this round, teachers said they
wanted a streamlined design with more maps and geography skills and more photographs of
historical artifacts.
In February 2006, a national field test was conducted. Both teachers and students were surveyed
and an efficacy study on the field test chapter material was conducted. The overall finding of the
efficacy study was that HOLT WORLD HISTORY: THE HUMAN LEGACY significantly
increased students’ performance on a test designed to determine achievement and progress on
the content of the sample chapter. Test performance for the total sample increased almost two full
standard deviations.
Teacher surveys indicated that the teachers felt the book met their curriculum requirements quite
well and they gave the chapters a positive rating in comparing the chapter to the textbook they
were currently using.
Student surveys revealed that the students had a positive reaction to the chapters. A majority of
the students felt that the components of the chapter were About Right in terms of difficulty and
that the chapter was Challenging but Understandable. Additionally, the vast majority of the
students reported they were Very Interested or Interested in major components of the chapter.
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Learner Verification Report – World History: Human Legacy © 2008
IMPROVEMENTS
Based on the research conducted, Holt designed the new high school world history program titled
World History: Human Legacy © 2008. This program includes the following:
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
• Student Edition
• Student One Stop CD-ROM
• Interactive Online Student Edition
• Teacher’s Edition
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
• Live Ink ® Online Reading Help
• Interactive Reader and Study Guide (English and Spanish)
• Differentiated Instruction Modified Worksheets and Tests CD-ROM
• Differentiated Instruction Teacher Management System
• Student Edition Audio Program
• Spanish Chapter Summaries Audio Program
TEACHING RESOURCES
• Chapter Resource Files
• Map Transparencies
• World History Outline Maps
• Holt Student World Atlas
• Holt Student World Atlas Activities with Answer Key
• Reading Social Studies
• Reading Like a Historian: World History Toolkit
• A World History Teacher’s Guide to Analyzing Movies
• Graphic Organizer Transparencies with Support for Reading and Writing
ASSESSMENT RESOURCES
• Progress Assessment Support System
• Alternative Assessment Handbook
• Test Preparation Workbook
• Document-Based Activities for World History
• Quick Facts Transparencies for Review
• Quiz Game CD-ROM
TECHNOLOGY
• Teacher’s One-Stop Planner ® CD-ROM
• Chapter Resource Files CD-ROM
• Transparencies CD-ROM
• Primary Source Library CD-ROM
• Interactive Skills Tutor CD-ROM
• PowerNotes ® Presentations with Video CD-ROM
• World History: Human Legacy History’s Impact Video Program (VHS and DVD)
• Listening to History Audio CD Program
• Music of the World Audio CD Program
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