Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority. PLATO Evaluation Series.

N

81

Adult Education; Adults; After School Programs; Children; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software; Elementary Secondary Education; Instructional Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Student Attitudes

The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority in Canton, Ohio (Stark Metro), has established and implemented an after school education program for its residents. Although the various educating programs range from encouraging kindergarten reading readiness to promoting job skills for adults, the primary function of the program is to help elementary and secondary education students be more successful in school. Throughout the last few years, computers have played an increasingly larger role in this effort, and the PLATO computer-based learning system was implemented to assist in providing individualized learner support. The purpose of this evaluation was to report on how the PLATO program is being used in the Stark Metro program and to summarize the attitudes of learners and instructors. Telephone interviews were conducted with the program supervisor, and questionnaires were completed by staff and students. The PLATO program data file was imported into a statistical analysis computer program. Approximately half of the programs 767 assigned identification numbers actually recorded an completion score on at least 1 lesson. Evaluation results show that the PLATO program is used in an informal way to support basic reading and mathematics schools. Instructors were very satisfied with the program, and learners reported positive attitudes about the computer-based lessons. They thought PLATO was improving their confidence and performance in school. (Contains 47 figures and 12 tables.) (SLD)

2003

ED470272