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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. • 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. 1 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. 2 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 3