|
Change #1:
A complete redesign of the student accounts
|
|
After over a year of work, the entire student site has been completely redesigned. But this is not just a fresh coat of paint. Rather, the entire structure of the student accounts have been redesigned.
|
|
We have pumped hundreds of hours into making this site not just beautiful, but more intuitive and more useful. In fact, there’s no doubt – the student site is now better than the teacher site! (Don’t worry, teachers, you’re next!)
|
|
Change #2:
A smooth mobile experience
|
|
The student accounts now work on all modern mobile devices (Chromebooks, smartphones, etc).
|
|
Now, the students' experience will be just as great whether they are in the computer lab or on the bus.
|
|
Change #3:
A total curricular rewrite
|
|
We have re-written the entire online student curriculum.
The first version of the Sr. Wooly nuggets, released in 2015, were a good first step at figuring how to make an online platform based in the principles of CI. However, it was also far too repetitive.
The new activities are just ... richer.
|
|
EXAMPLE: A storyboard activity from Las Excusas in which we imagine scenes that were "cut" from the video.
|
|
These new nuggets aren't just about getting students to acquire the song lyrics, but also about getting them to acquire language so they can talk and write about the story. This means far more reading. It means deeper comprehension. And it means not playing the same clip from Adónde vas over and over.
|
|
Change #4:
True differentiation
|
|
One thing that hasn't changed is that teachers can still assign work at three different proficiency levels.
However, in version 2, as you move upward in the levels, you'll find far less scaffolding, more complex structures and tenses, and fewer translation hints. The differences between the proficiency levels are now far more significant.
|
|
EXAMPLE: This is an example of a Novice Mid activity for Puedo ir al baño.
The same activity at Intermediate Low has significant text differences.
|
|
EVEN BETTER! In late September, we will add support for a fourth proficiency level.
|
|
Change #5:
We got rid of skips
|
|
Activity skips, the most hated Wooly feature from v1, are now gone forever.
|
|
|
|
Change #6:
Student choice
|
|
Students can now complete the activities in any order they want.
|
|
Aside from providing students with much-desired freedom, this change also solves one of the core problems of the old system. Previously, if students had an issue with an activity, they were unable to move past it.
In the new system, if they can't solve an activity, they can move on to a different one.
|
|
Change #7:
Partial credit!
|
|
If the class period ends while students are still working, they can now leave the activity early and get credit for the questions they have already answered.
|
|
Students will now be much happier knowing that, even if they don't have time to finish, they'll still get partial credit for the work that they have completed.
|
|
When students successfully answer questions, they now receive Wooly Coins.
|
|
Wooly Coins have two purposes:
- Students must earn enough Wooly Coins to unlock the next nugget.
- They can also use Wooly Coins to buy stuff (more on this later)
|
|
In order to unlock the next nugget, a student only needs to earn 600 coins.
|
|
|
|
Students can also spend coins to unlock new avatars. We have created over 100 completely new avatars.
|
|
Some avatars are really cool, while others are ... really, really terrible (hehe). And, prior to buying it, students won't know what the avatar looks like. That's right -- they have to buy the avatar blind (with absolutely no refunds).
|
|
But how will students know if the avatar is any good? Quite simply, they'll have to read the Spanish hint to determine if they want to take a risk on the purchase.
|
|
EXAMPLE: The above locked avatar costs 8300 Wooly Coins. Would you buy it?
|
|
One of the biggest challenges with an acquisition-based learning program is that it's easy for students to lose sight of their own progress.
In v2, students will be given badges as they progress.
|
|
Would you believe that students can earn over 300 badges?!
|
|
Change #11:
Improved view of student progress
|
|
Teachers will now have a much improved view of student progress.
We are particularly proud of this updated Export to CSV feature where you can filter by class, story, nugget and student.
It will now be far easier to get quick access to the precise information that you need.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change #12 and Beyond:
More than we can include in this email
|
|
There are way more changes than I have room for in this email:
- Teachers can now send messages to their students.
- Students can return to previous nuggets to get every single Wooly Coin
- English translation hints are now available
- High-achievers can can do additional playthroughs for increased Wooly Coins
- Juan Carlos created over 500 pieces of original artwork!
- New secret music!
All in all, we have made over 300 bug fixes and feature changes! Everything has been improved, and I honestly believe you and your students will agree that this is a vastly superior system.
|
|
Are you ready to use these awesome new student accounts with your students?
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, Sr. Wooly accepts purchase orders!
|
|
Perhaps your school or district will purchase a Sr. Wooly subscription for you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sign in with Google