www.emints.org

University of Missouri Office of Academic Affairs

eMINTS Parent Information Meeting

eMINTS Validation Project 2011

What does eMINTS stand for?

enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies

◊ eMINTS classrooms – more than half of Missouri’s school districts

◊ Also in Arkansas, Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, and Utah.

◊ eMINTS is even in Australia

What is the research about?

◊ Teaching and learning for 7th and 8th grade students

◊ Mathematics and communication arts

◊ 21st Century Skills◊ Student and teacher attitudes

about school and learning

eMINTS Technology◊ eMINTS classrooms include:

◊ An interactive SMART Board and projector

◊ Digital camera◊ Access to printer and scanner◊ Laptop for the teacher◊ Laptop for every 7th and 8th grade

student◊ Software

eMINTS Teacher Training◊ eMINTS teacher training lasts two

years and requires many extra hours of work

◊ Third year of training for teachers in some schools in the project.

How eMINTS is Different◊ eMINTS classrooms are often very different

from traditional classrooms.◊ Students work in groups on different

projects about real-world problems that teach them to use the Internet and do other types of research.

◊ Student assignments use technology to make PowerPoint presentations, movies, and podcasts.

◊ Library and textbooks are used in eMINTS classrooms.

Parent Consent◊ Parents must give permission for

students’ data to be used in the research.

◊ You may change your mind at any time.

◊ There is no penalty for not taking part in the research or withdrawing.

◊ We hope that as many students as possible will be allowed to take part in the research.

Student Agreement◊ Students will learn about eMINTS

and the project. ◊ Students will also be asked to sign

a letter of agreement to participate.

◊ No penalties if students decide not to participate or change their minds at a later date.

Questions◊ Are there any questions about

eMINTS or about the research project?

◊ We deeply appreciate your willingness to help us with this project.

◊ We will learn even more about how to improve education through eMINTS and it will be stronger because of your help.