College Grant Program Sponsors Skillstutor Workshop
(Press Release 08-10-09)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Submitted story and photos

    Twenty–four teachers, administrators and GEAR UP staff members recently attended a three–hour workshop presented by Annie Ballance, SkillsTutor Project Manager, with Houghton Mifflin Learning Technology. The professional development workshop was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP for a Brighter Tomorrow grant program. The training was to help GEAR UP partner educators learn how to use the SkillsTutor software purchased for partner schools.

    SkillsTutor is a leader in K–Adult learning solutions. It provides scientifically–based content that is easily integrated into your curriculum to help learners master essential skills. SkillsTutor Plus connects formative assessment and data–driven instruction for improved results. Teachers may select assessment items from a bank of more than 12,000 math, reading, and language arts items aligned to Oklahoma's standards.

    “SkillsTutor may be in a variety of ways,” said GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator Lorrie Russ. “SkillsTutor can supplement daily lessons, be the basis for tutoring classes, a benchmark to track student progress, and as an introductory tool for students who were not present during the initial presentation of a lesson.”

    Russ added, “Included in the SkillsTutor program is yearly upgrades to the program. With yearly upgrades, it is necessary to give further training to the schools’ SkillsTutor site administrators.”

    Eastern Oklahoma State College is in its fourth year of implementation of the $6.7 million federal grant. Eastern has partnered with area schools to provide educational opportunities for students and school personnel.

Caption info:

Front Row (left to right): Buddy Shelton, Bokoshe; Cecil Hallmark, Haileyville; Selina Riley, Haileyville; Paul Ogden, Quinton; Nikki Brown, Antlers; Deward Palmer, McCurtain; Sandy Oliver, McCurtain; and Janice Gray, Crowder.
 
Back Row: Margie McElhany, Indianola; Annie Ballance, SkillsTutor Project Manager; Della Cooper, Pittsburg; Lisa Hilburn, Red Oak; Patsey Proter, Whitesboro; Judy Phillips, Whiesboro; Becky Spahn, LeFlore; Debra Brown, LeFlore; and Rebecca Davis, Crowder.