Sally Thompson’s fifth-grade students at South Whidbey Intermediate School have a new attitude.

And it’s caused not by longer recess, shorter class hours or a change to the cafeteria menu. Instead, it’s a new teaching tool called the Classroom Performance System.

Or, as it’s known in the school district, the interactive white board. The high-tech gear is part of the classroom improvements that will be funded by the technology levy voters passed in February 2006.

It’s an overhead projector crossed with Star Trek.

As Thompson stands at a large projection screen, she uses her fingers to easily move around information and call up age-specific tests and quizzes. Hooked up to her computer jammed with learning software, she’s able to quickly move from questions on grammar and vocabulary to math and science.

The pricey unit — each costs $8,000 — may revolutionize the way teachers help students learn. Currently, the district has one in each building, from the primary school to the high school.

The pilot program began last November. Early indications from teachers have been positive and the district plans to buy more.

“We don’t have any concrete results yet, but it’s had a huge impact on many levels,” Thompson said. “It certainly keeps the kids more engaged and attentive — I’m hoping that will translate into more learning.”

The device combines interaction, assessment, and even a little entertainment to encourage creativity in the classes where the system is being used. Basically, the wireless response system lets Thompson communicate between a handheld response pad and a receiver unit. Each student has a designated remote which looks very much like a TV controller.

“It’s designed to promote an environment of steady provocation and interactive learning,” Thompson said.

Though it replaces the overhead projector, Thompson has discovered it is much more versatile.

“The kids love it and I’ve found their interest level remains high, even when teaching difficult subjects like ratios,” Thompson said.

She can also obtain feedback instantly as the device generates and stores the percentage and graph totals for the students’ answers in the base station.

With its performance data tracking tools, Thompson knows quickly if students are understanding the course material.

The system generates response data and customizes class reports, which lets teachers track student performance.

Teaching the tough subjects

One of the toughest challenges for any teacher is the law of probabilities.

Thompson begins a lesson requiring students to predict the number of times a dice will roll a specific number.

Touching the screen, Thompson calls up a pair of purple dice. A simple touch causes them to whirl.

A few minutes later and with a minimum of fuss, the class transitions to a vocabulary quiz.

The students seem to enjoy it. As each multiple-choice question appears, students click their response; the click shows who has responded, but not individual answers.

Usually, the answers light up quickly, but not always. And when the lights come on slowly, Thompson knows more work is needed on a specific concept. It’s much quicker than waiting for papers to be graded days later.

“If someone isn’t getting it, I can arrange some one-on-one help or small group instruction,” she said. “The whole process is cleaner, crisper and neater for me as a teacher and for them.”

“The device frees me up from tedious chores like correcting papers so I can concentrate on lesson plans,” she said. “Being able to see immediately which areas need to be worked on is a huge plus.”

What the students think

Fifth-grader Megan Longdon is a self-admittedly shy young lady who discovered that, when her PowerPoint presentations are transferred to the Classroom Performance System — audio included — she doesn’t have to stand in front of her peers.

“I can get my point across without being embarrassed in front of everyone,” she said.

Sydney Ackerman said that the old overhead projector would sometimes get smeared and unreadable.

“This way is much better,” she said. “I can see it clearly.”

Lisa Walker is impressed with the system’s ability to reach out to the entire world.

“Ms. Thompson can go to Websites and do research or call up neat programs and lessons,” Lisa said.

Lesson plans are short, quick and informative. As they sit at their table, Simon Tapert, Kevin Prevost and James Young compete to quickly get the right answers, madly clicking their controllers to be first.

How long did it take the kids to understand how the system works?

“About five minutes,” Kevin said. “It’s pretty easy to use, but sometimes the questions are hard.”

As the lesson proceeds, Thompson asks each table to discuss the meanings of individual words so students can interact with each other as well as the electronic tool.

During a history discussion, everyone uses their textbooks to find clues related to specific words — the old-fashioned ways still have their uses.

Later, Jesse Wildes walks to the board to try and solve an unusually hard math exercise, touching the screen to maneuver fluids from one container to another.

Technology meets high expectations

Intermediate School Director Val Brown hopes the district can increase the number of white board units in other classes.

But until then, learning continues for everyone.

“The expectation is that all teachers will meet their benchmarks in different, but effective, ways,” she said.

Dan Poolman, the school district’s business manager, said the system has real potential.

“Students relate well to all things electronic,” he said. “The teacher’s job is to channel that interest in a productive way and CPS helps them do just that.”