Copia, the digital content platform that provides customized solutions for students, educators and publishers, today announced an enhanced version of its learning solution designed to meet the needs of K-12 students and educators. The platform, available across iOS and Android devices and desktop computers, is currently being piloted in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country. The pilot was run by the blended learning design firm The Alvo Institute.
Since the summer of 2012, 230 students and four teachers have utilized Copia across different text-intensive subject matters in the New Open World (NOW) Academy in Los Angeles with the goal of improving students’ reading skills and their ability to use reading to learn. According to research conducted at the beginning of this pilot program, 77% of participating students reported they were nervous when given a reading assignment because they could not understand what they were reading. Many admitted that, as a result, they did not participate fully in class or were unable to complete assigned homework. Mid-pilot results suggest that Copia is making reading more accessible to struggling readers. Final pilot data will be released by The Alvo Institute by the end of June.
Copia’s K-12 learning solution is designed to improve student reading and learning through the following features:
- Embedded ancillary tools such as dictionaries, study-aids and other supporting material
- Technology integration capabilities including a new “Speak” option that reads highlighted text aloud to the student
- Ability for students to embed questions for their teachers privately in the text
- Social sharing and highlighting
- Ability for educators to annotate texts and implement quizzes and assessment tools on either a one-on-one or group basis
