Brain pop and turning technologies

Education is a process of teaching, learning and outcomes related to a particular subject matter. High quality,
meaningful content is key to the success of educating, and the utilization of technology within this process can
significantly impact both the instructor’s methods and the learner’s outcomes through increasing efficiency and
diversifying instructional options. Few technologies have the ability to transform education as both a pedagogical
and accountability tool. Turning Technologies student response systems (SRS) have consistently proven to be a
technology that enhances effective teaching methods and provide an efficient process for tracking outcomes which
can benefit all stakeholders in the K-12 learning environment.
Student response technology is straight forward and simple, enabling an
instructor to digitalize student data, both in the teaching moment and
aggregated over time. The core functionality allows teachers to pose a question
to the students, students press the button on their wireless ResponseCard
®
clicker that matches their choice, and then the results of the entire group are
displayed on a graph. Each ResponseCard has a unique identifier that is
registered to the student. This allows instructors to correlate and store
response data instantaneously as well as to create over thirty reports ranging
from attendance, item analysis, whole group evaluation and individualized
student performance.
BrainPOP is a web-based animated instructional tool designed to support
educators and engage students in both group and one-on-one settings.
BrainPOP resources include movies, quizzes, experiments, timelines,
activity pages and much more covering hundreds of topics within Math,
Science, Social Studies, English, Technology, Arts & Music and Health. The
standards-aligned content can be used in a number of ways, from
introducing a new lesson or topic to illustrating complex subject matter to
reviewing before a test.
As part of topic quizzes, BrainPOP’s integration with Turning Technologies’
ResponseCard clickers gives every student the opportunity to participate
in the assessment process. This critical data allows educators to assess in
real time student understanding and comprehension of lesson materials
while also engaging every student with every question. With this insight,
teachers can easily differentiate instruction and monitor progress in order
to increase student learning outcomes.
Download the integration here: http://www.brainpop.com/support/turningtechnologiesintegration/index.weml

Technology tools must align with effective and proven learning methodologies in order to support student
achievement. Given the budget challenges most of today’s schools and districts are facing, maximizing academic
return on investment (ROI) is crucial to creating an effective and successful learning environment. The technology
solutions schools and districts select must have a tangible, positive contribution to learning outcomes. Technology
that integrates and leverages with other complementary solutions maximizes both investments.
Flexible – The joint solution of BrainPOP and Turning Technologies
student response devices is designed for both group and one-on-one
settings and can be used in numerous ways, from introducing a new
lesson or topic to illustrating complex subject matter to reviewing
before a test.
Reaches Multiple Learning Modalities – Research has shown that
the brain processes information using multiple channels: visual,
auditory and kinesthetic. The brain can accommodate more
information when it is presented both visually and aurally. By taking
advantage of this multimodal processing capability and including
hands-on opportunities for engagement, educators can dramatically
enhance student learning using interactive and multimedia
educational resources.
Engagement through Digital Content and Assessment – Multimedia
learning is most effective when the learner is engaged with the presentation. Active engagement helps the student
construct knowledge and organize information into meaningful schema. Multimedia instruction that includes
animation can improve learning, and the use of onscreen characters can increase student engagement. This is
especially true when the onscreen character appears to interact with the learner. Presenting educational concepts
in a story format can also be effective in engaging students. The narrative format can engage students and may
help organize the information and make it easier to process. Combining onscreen characters and an underlying
narrative to present content as a story can be particularly effective.
Personal Learning – BrainPOP’s characters create a personal aspect to learning through a conversational tone, the
more informal “you” or “I” language, and a familiar voice. Turning Technologies’ response solutions also support
personal learning as EVERY student can actively participate in EVERY question. By responding to formative
assessments, students are actively engaged in the learning material and the classroom environment.
Digital Content Meets Informal Assessment – Multimedia learning is most effective when students are provided
with opportunities to apply their newly acquired knowledge and receive feedback. This reinforces and strengthens
the newly acquired knowledge. Providing feedback can reinforce what has been learned and can also correct any
misconceptions. Feedback is most effective when it is frequent and immediate. Both formal and informal feedback
can support learning following multimedia exposure. Using interactive polling in the formative assessment process
is an ideal solution to provide students and educators with the critical feedback needed.
Student Response
Student response technology has been used in K-12 education for many years and has been researched heavily.
The body of research consistently validates the ability of this technology to positively influence teaching, student
learning and outcomes. Student response systems provide the following benefits:
Student response systems support immediate
feedback and classroom assessment, which
can lead to the following positive results:
 Immediate corrective feedback to
students
 Differentiated instruction
 Specific group tracking
 Individualized student reporting
 Data-driven instructional decisions
 Decreased student testing anxiety
 Increased student engagement
 Motivation of students to participate
in the learning process
(Sartori, 2008)

 Active Learning: Involvement of learners directly and actively in the learning process itself. Instead of
simply receiving information verbally and visually, students receive, participate and do.
 Agile Teaching: Agility in teaching involves the ability to adapt quickly, to change course, structure or pace
to suit the needs and abilities of the learners. Response systems have the ability to provide continual
information to which the teacher can respond and adjust.
 Identification of At-Risk Students: Strong correlation exists between the registration of a student clicker
and student’s overall performance in the course they are registering their clicker.
 Feedback and Understanding: Active involvement in the discovery process, in addition to immediate
feedback, promotes retention and the correction of initially inaccurate response strategies. SRS supports
the rapid questioning model and the positive reinforcement of correct responses. Response technology
also allows instructors to closely monitor learner’s responses and expectation of learning mastery.
 Engagement: Depict students' psychological investment in learning, also increasingly used to describe
meaningful student involvement throughout the learning environment.
 Peer Instruction: The learners are asked a question and formulate their own answers; they then discuss
their answers in groups attempting to reach consensus on the correct answer. This process forces students
to think through the arguments they develop and enables them (as well as the instructor) to assess their
understanding of the concepts even before they leave the classroom.
 Assessment FOR Learning: Assessments OF Learning check to see if learners have met required objectives
versus Assessments FOR Learning which occur during the learning process. Classroom assessment FOR
student learning turns the classroom assessment process and its results into an instructional intervention
designed to increase, not merely monitor, student learning, confidence and motivation. (Stiggins, 2006)
 Spacing Effect: Learners easily remember or learn items when they are studied a few times over a long
period of time.
 Accountability: The digital collection of data enabled by SRS provides an effective mechanism for tracking
performance for accreditation and program effectiveness.
 Motivation: There are four steps to promote and sustain motivation in the learning process: Attention,
Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction (ARCS). A learner’s attention has to be aroused and sustained; there
must be relevance of what is being learned, confidence built and a correlation between effort and results.
 Formative Assessment: Feedback is more effective for students when it leads them to the correct answer,
as opposed to simply telling a student whether they are correct or incorrect.
BrainPOP
BrainPOP was found to be equally effective for boys and girls, for students of different ethnicities, and for both
students receiving free or reduced lunch services and those not receiving these services. The interaction between
BrainPOP use and gender, ethnicity and free or reduced lunch status was not statistically significant. Students
received approximately 16-20 weeks of instruction using BrainPOP, yet the amount of growth achieved is equivalent
to between one and two grade levels of growth when compared to the national sample of students.
 90% of teachers felt BrainPOP was good or excellent at improving students’ attitudes toward school and
learning.
 90% of teachers felt BrainPOP was good or excellent at increasing students’ cognitive/intellectual growth.
 All (100%) of the teachers indicated that they would definitely recommend BrainPOP to others.
 100% of teachers indicated that they would definitely use BrainPOP in the future.
Pre-test and post-test comparison found that in one semester of instruction, students using BrainPOP across all
grade levels experienced:
 Language gain of 24 points — about 1.5 times the annual gain in the national norm sample

 Reading comprehension gain of 17 points — about 1.5 times the annual gain in the national norm sample
 Science gain of 17 points — about twice the annual gain in the national norm sample
 Vocabulary gain of 11 points
Damon Runyon Elementary School Katherine Settle – 5th Grade Teacher Littleton, CO
 BrainPOP and ResponseCards were integrated into all subject areas of a 5th grade classroom with 25
students.
 “Our original reaction (teacher and students) was pure excitement. Two of our favorite tools, BrainPOP and
clickers, combined forces…we were so excited! We have had a lot of fun utilizing this new feature.”
 BrainPOP videos enhance the lesson objectives, aligning with the learning goals.
 The clickers engaged the students, who liked being able to answer each question presented. Katherine
found it very helpful to run reports on the BrainPOP quizzes because she could see who may need review
on a topic and who has grasped the information. “This is the main objective in all areas – for all students to
learn – and this solution helps me reach this objective.”
 “I would, and already have, recommended this solution to other teachers. The student engagement is
through the roof, and I can see who is learning the concepts presented/reinforced through the mini-videos.
It is also not too time-consuming either. What a fabulous idea!”
Panorama Elementary School Scott Williams – 6th Grade Teacher Santa Ana, CA
 The combined solution was used in Language Arts classes for 5th and 6th grades with 20-25 students.
 Both teacher and students appreciated that the clicker questions were built right into the content/
assessments, and students enjoyed seeing their feedback.
 Scott feels that showing short video clips after he gives a lesson supports another type of modality when
trying to reach different types of learners.
 “In my experience using the responders for almost 5 years at the elementary level I really believe the games
keep the students really engaged and involved. I would recommend this for classrooms that have a
struggling learners or EL learners. The pace of the videos is great for students that might have had trouble
grasping the concept.”
Phoenix High School Todd Shultz – U.S. History Teacher Lawrenceville, GA
 3 classes of 15 - 20 students used ResponseCard clickers to respond to BrainPOP content as part of 11th
grade U.S. History lessons.
 “My students already love using the TurningPoint clickers, so integrating their use with the BrainPOP quizzes
was very well received.”
 For high school students, BrainPOP movies serve as a good introduction to major units, providing an
excellent factual and conceptual foundation on which to build.
 “I would definitely recommend this solution to educators. Both technologies on their own are effective in
engaging students. That engagement level is multiplied with the combined solution.”

For more information, please contact Turning Technologies to discuss your school’s unique learning and
achievement objectives.
Turning Technologies: www.TurningTechnologies.com
Turning Talk User Community: www.Turning-Talk.com
BrainPOP: www.BrainPOP.com
BrainPOP Educators: www.BrainPOP.com/Educators
BrainPOP resources: http://www.brainpop.com/about/research/
Elliot, Scott. (2009) “Understanding Multimedia Learning: Integrating Multimedia in the K12 Classroom.” Retrieved on
February 21, 2011 at http://www.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/78/78731_BrainPOP%202008-
2009%20Effectiveness%20Report%20082109X.pdf
SEG. (2009) A Study of the Effectiveness of BrainPOP. Retrieved on February 21, 2011
http://s4.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/76/76426_BrainPOP_White_Paper-20090426.pdf
Beatty, I. (2004). Transforming student learning with classroom communication systems. Educause Research Bulletin,
(3), 2-13.
Burnstein, R., & Lederman, L., "Using Wireless Keypads in Lecture Classes," The Physics Teacher, 39, 8-11, (2001).
Caldwell, J. E. (2007). Clickers in the large classroom: Current research and best practice tips [Electronic Version]. CBE
Life Sciences Education, 6, 9-20.
Crouch, C. H., & Mazur, E. (2001). Peer instruction: Ten years of experience and results. American Journal of Physics
Teachers, 69(9), 970-977.
Lezotte, Lawrence W. Learning for All. Okemos, MI: Effective Schools Products, 2003.
Schmoker, Michael J. Results Now. Alexandria, WA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2006
Stiggins, Rick. “From Formative Assessment to Assessment FOR Learning: A Path to Success in Standards-Based
Schools, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 87, No. 04, December 2005, pp. 324-328.
Tate, Marcia L. Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin, 2010.

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