ODYSSEYWARE

Located just west of Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is the city of Waupun, Wisconsin. The name of the city is said to originate from the original Indian word meaning “early light” or “dawn.” To many students enrolled in the district’s three schools, this name seems fitting somehow, as new technologies are shedding new light on academics. 

As in many school districts in America’s rural midsection, budget constraints and a shrinking student population led administrators in Waupun to restructure the district, consolidating students into three schools. Along with this change, they made some difficult decisions regarding curriculum and how best to meet the needs of their nearly 2,000 students.

According to Loni Wendt, At-Risk teacher at the junior/senior high school, one decision that has been especially beneficial is the implementation of Internet-based ODYSSEYWARE curriculum for her students in January 2008. While most of Loni’s students use this curriculum for credit recovery, other students have been able to use this online application to achieve their own personal academic goals. 

One such student is Grace, a 17-year-old sophomore who moved from her Chinese homeland in the summer of 2009. Grace came to America with virtually no understanding of the English language but with a desire to get her high school diploma. It soon became obvious that she needed special instruction beyond what was available in the traditional classroom setting. While she wasn’t a typical “at-risk” student, her unique situation landed her in the hands of Loni Wendt. 

Loni decided to assess Grace’s skills with the GED Math pretest. Because of her challenges with the language, her score of 410 placed her well below the standard for success on the GED. Then Grace started working with ODYSSEYWARE’s GED Math Prep course. Grace used Google Translate in conjunction with the course and, according to Loni, “she flew through it.” At the end of the course, she scored a 540 – a score high enough almost to ensure she pass the GED for Math.

This was a new dawn for Grace, who is now enrolled in the GED Science Prep Course. Having never taken science in China, it’s a bit more of a stretch.

“She’s taking her time and working at her own pace,” said Loni, “which is one of the good things about ODYSSEYWARE.”

 Loni says that Grace is able to work through the lessons on her own, with very little guidance. She continues to excel, scoring an average of 89% on unit tests, and expects to fulfill the requirements needed to take the GED, getting her high school diploma before returning to China. 

According to Loni, Grace is a perfect example of how ODYSSEYWARE can be used to provide differentiated instruction to students with diverse needs. Loni also has students that use ODYSSEYWARE to earn elective credits toward early graduation, who take classes strictly from home, and juniors and seniors recovering credits toward graduation.

“I love it,” Loni says. 

Loni continues to explore ODYSSEYWARE’s many features, including the built-in calendar enabling her to help students stay on track. ODYSSEYWARE, in conjunction with technological innovations like ebook readers, online apps, and smart phones, is a new dawn for students not only in Waupun, Wisconsin, but all over the world.