News Research That Supports Using the Schoolwide Enrichment Model and Extensions of Gifted Education Pedagogy to Meet the Needs of All Students - January 28, 2008        Download PDF Reading Comprehension Scores Rise 147 Percent More Than Traditional Instruction in Study - August 10, 2007        Download PDF Renzulli Learning Assists Teachers; Provides Personalized Strength-based Learning – April 30, 2007        Download PDF Media Frequently Asked Questions about Renzulli Learning - April 30, 2007        Download PDF UConn Researchers Disappointed Renzulli Learning Not Included in Government Study – April 10, 2007        Download PDF Why Is It Important To Supplement The Regular Curriculum With The Renzulli Learning System? Using the Renzulli Learning System to Differentiate Curriculum and Instruction for All Students The Renzulli Learning System: Providing every Teacher with a Dozen Assistants in the Classroom Renzulli Learning Assists Teachers; Provides Personalized Strength-based Learning – April 30, 2007 AVON, Conn., April 30, 2007 – Renzulli Learning Systems, LLC today announced the availability of its newest version of Renzulli Learning, an interactive on-line program to help students become more engaged and enthusiastic about education leading to increased study time, fewer behavioral problems, and self-directed learning. A recent study showed it also significantly improves test scores. http://www.renzullilearning.com Renzulli Learning is a Web based learning system that enables teachers to use differentiated curriculum in the classroom by creating individualized assessment of each child’s interests and preferred methods of engagement learning. It also delivers customized learning experiences to help them think and learn based on their personal strengths. The newest version provides enhancements that give teachers more reporting and accountability capabilities. “Many of the solutions developed to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act have left our schools joyless places promoting boredom, absenteeism, and increased dropout rates,” said Dr. Joseph Renzulli, co-founder of Renzulli Learning Systems. “We can only gain meaningful, long-term improvements in test scores for all students by giving them enriched motivational experiences that promote engagement—something Renzulli Learning assists teachers in providing.” Available to all schools and for all student ability levels, Renzulli Learning promotes engagement by fostering the love of learning among students. It is comprised of four key components matching curriculum to each students learning style: The Renzulli Profiler allows teachers to receive a comprehensive learning assessment of each student’s motivational makeup in about 45 minutes. It focuses on goal setting and strength-based life skills development. The Renzulli Differentiation Search Engine matches online and offline resources to each student’s interest areas and learning styles. Resources are safe, appropriate for the classroom and increases content and concept retention due to its personalized relevance of a topic. The Lesson Planning and Differentiation tools allow teachers and students to work collaboratively on topics, assignments, and projects. Teachers can differentiate and disseminate a lesson for each diverse segment of their classroom in less than 15 minutes. The Total Talent Portfolio stores student projects and records in an individualized learning environment that tracks student progress. It is accessible anytime, anywhere and can transport student information from grade to grade, or school to school. An independent January study involving 198 middle school students and 185 elementary students, who used Renzulli Learning for 2-3 hours per week for 16 weeks, showed increased test scores over a control group who did not use the system. Compared to the control group, students using the system showed an increase of 32 percent in oral reading fluency, a 62 percent increase in social studies, and a 147 percent increase in reading comprehension. Renzulli Learning is based on the Enrichment Triad Model developed from more than 30 years of research on teaching and learning. Approximately 100,000 students currently have access to Renzulli Learning in 350 U.S. school districts including Los Angeles Unified Schools, New York City Public Schools, Hillsborough County Schools, Fort Worth Independent School District, St. Paul Public Schools, and Fairfax County Schools. It is easily implemented in current curriculum and technology infrastructures. It is available to all schools and school districts. It costs a maximum of $40 each up to 100 students, or $5,000 per school regardless of the number of students. The system can be purchased with funds from Title 1, Title 2D, Title 5, Curriculum, Technology or Special Education budgets, PTOs and parents. Note: Curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency were used for the independent study. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was used for reading comprehension, science achievement, and social studies achievement. For additional information about the study call 877-429-1955. Editors/journalists call 860-676-2300 x118. About Renzulli Learning Systems Based in Avon, Connecticut, Renzulli Learning Systems is a University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation Company. The company can be reached at http://www.renzullilearning.com or by calling (877) 429-1955. Media Frequently Asked Questions about Renzulli Learning - April 30, 2007 What is Renzulli Learning? Renzulli Learning is a Web-based learning coach that allows teachers to use differentiated curriculum in the classroom by creating individualized assessment of each child’s interests and preferred methods of engagement learning. It also delivers customized learning experiences to help them think and learn based on their personal strengths. It provides strength-based achievement; assists teachers; and raises student test scores. Renzulli Learning promotes engagement by fostering the love of learning among students. It is comprised of four key components providing a teacher’s assistant that determines how each student likes to learn. Renzulli Profiler. The profiler allows teachers to receive a comprehensive learning assessment of each student’s motivational makeup in about 45 minutes. The Profiler focuses on goal setting and strength-based life skills development. Renzulli Differentiation Search Engine. The differentiation search engine matches safe, classroom appropriate online and offline resources to each student’s interest areas and learning styles. Content and concept retention increases dramatically due to the personalized relevance of a topic. Lesson Planning and Differentiation Tool. This allows teachers and students to work collaboratively on curricular topics, assignments, and projects. Teachers can differentiate and disseminate a lesson for each diverse segment of their classroom in less than 15 minutes. Total Talent Portfolio. The talent portfolio stores student products and records in an individualized learning environment that tracks student’s progress. It is accessible anytime, anywhere and can transport student information from grade-to-grade, or school-to-school. The Renzullis have been doing this for 30-40 years. What are you announcing now, and what is different from what they have always done? The Renzulli Learning program has been in practice for many years. Over the past few years, RLS has utilized technology to make it accessible and as easy to use as possible for students and teachers and has piloted the program among schools across the United States. Today, RLS is announcing the availability of its latest version to all schools and educators. The latest version of RLS includes several new enhancements focusing on tools to give teachers more reporting and accountability capabilities including the following. Lesson Planning and Differentiation allows teachers to create lessons from existing enrichment activities. It also allows teachers to create a compacting form used when students demonstrate mastery of a particular lesson. Instead of becoming bored, it easily utilizes curricular compacting to give students additional lessons and tasks designed to expand their learning based on abilities and interests. Activities Manager provides additional differentiation activities among groups of various ability levels. The Teacher Portfolio brings strong teacher reporting tools designed to provide accurate accountability of curriculum and student assessment by creating a digital portfolio of student work and achievement. It allows teachers to upload to RLS documents that can be shared among other teachers, peers, parents, and among students. What statistics do you have to show RLS has been successful in raising test scores? An independent study was conducted in January 2007 on the effect Renzulli Learning has on student learning and test score improvement. The study conducted among 198 middle school students and 185 elementary students, who used Renzulli Learning for 2-3 hours per week for 16 weeks, showed increased test scores over a control group who did not use the system. Compared to the control group, students using Renzulli Learning experienced an increase of 32 percent in oral reading fluency, 62 percent in social studies, and an astounding 147 percent in reading comprehension. Curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency were used for the independent study. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was used for reading comprehension, science achievement, and social studies achievement. For additional information about the study call 877-429-1955. Editors/journalists call 860-676-2300 x118. What ages is RLS appropriate for? Renzulli Learning is appropriate for grades K-12. There are resources to challenge all student ability levels, and is being used by schools from every demographic and socio-economic segment. It is also appropriate for all teachers and teaching situations from special education to at-risk, to gifted and talented. Where did it come from? It is based on the Enrichment Triad Model following more than 30 years of research on teaching and learning by Dr. Sally Reis and Dr. Joseph Renzulli. Collectively, they have researched, studied and developed teaching methods designed to leverage the gifts and talents of all students. Their work has shown that differentiated curriculum does improve student achievement, creativity, engagement, attitudes toward school, and school attendance. What is the Enrichment Triad Model? How is it implemented in RLS? The Enrichment Triad Model was designed to encourage advanced student learning and creative productivity in three key areas by: exposing students to various topics, areas of interest, and fields of study in which they have an interest; providing students with the skills and resources necessary to acquire advanced level content and thinking skills; and creating opportunities for students to apply their skills to self-selected areas of interest and problems they want to pursue. The Enrichment Triad Model was developed in 1977 by Dr. Joseph Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis. It was implemented in thousands of schools in the U.S. and other parts of the globe through a wide range of programs developed by classroom teachers and education specialists in many different school districts serving diverse populations of students at all grade levels. The Renzulli Learning system utilizes the model to make thousands of resources and enrichment materials for teachers and students with the click of a mouse—resources tailored to students’ abilities, interests, and learning styles. Additional information about the Enrichment Triad Model and its use in Renzulli Learning can be obtained upon request by reading Dr. Renzulli’s “A Dozen Assistants In Your Classroom –Every Day, All Day: A New On-Line Resource for Truly Individualized Differentiation.” Is research ongoing? Yes. Is RLS just for gifted and talented students? No. It is for use with all students. It will in fact help discover the gifts and talents of all students that may have been missed without RLS. What does differentiated instruction mean? Differentiated instruction is a teaching style that applies learning to the individual interests and personal preference of each student—allowing them to learn in the best way for them as an individual. What is the relationship with the University of Connecticut Research and Development Company? Renzulli Learning Systems, LLC is a University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation company. The University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation is a for-profit subsidiary of the UConn Foundation that initiates new business start-ups based on innovative technologies developed by the faculty and staff of the University of Connecticut. How is the company funded? RLS is privately funded. What are some of the issues in education that are addressed by RLS? Many of the solutions developed to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act have left schools joyless places promoting boredom, absenteeism, and increased dropout rates. RLS believes it is good for students, teachers, administrators and schools to have increased accountability, but the intense focus on test scores has established teaching practices that are weakness-based, highly prescriptive, and do not motivate students to love learning. RLS believes the U.S. school system can gain meaningful, long-term improvements in test scores for all students by giving them enriched motivational experiences that promote engagement. Renzulli Learning provides this for all students. How are teachers and educators currently addressing these issues? Despite the desires and best intentions of teachers and educators, they find themselves increasingly teaching to a test. Differentiated teaching, and personal engagement with students that fosters strength-based learning and achievement, is sorely lacking. Renzulli provides a virtual teaching assistant designed to assist teachers in helping their students become more engaged and enthusiastic about education leading to increased study time, fewer behavioral problems, self-directed learning, and higher test scores. Without getting into details at this point, what is the single best benefit RLS provides students, teachers/educators? It raises test scores by creating student achievement based on strengths, engagement, and differentiated curriculum. How does it work? Once schools subscribe to RLS, teachers and students immediately have access to it anywhere they have a computer and Internet service. Students sign on to the system with a user ID and password. What does the Profiler do? The Renzulli Profiler allows teachers to receive a comprehensive learning assessment of each student’s motivational makeup in about 45 minutes. This allows teachers to understand their student’s personal interests for better engagement and differentiated learning in a matter of days or weeks instead of months. It creates a personalized profile of each student’s academic strengths, interests, learning styles, and preferred modes of expression. What is the Differentiation Search Engine? Is it secure? The differentiation search engine examines thousands of resources that relate to each students profile. It matches student strengths and interests to an enrichment database of over 20,000 activities, materials, resources, and opportunities for further study. It promotes high levels of engagement where students can think, feel, and do. Resources are grouped into 14 categories: Virtual Field Trips Fiction Books Real Field Trips Non-Fiction Books Creativity Training How-To Books Critical Thinking Summer Programs Projects and Independent Study On-Line Classes and Activities Contests and Competitions Research Skills Web sites Videos and DVDs The resources help students find and focus a problem or creative exploration of personal interest they want to pursue. They are encouraged to apply the knowledge they gain. Learning maps for teachers are provided for each of the fourteen enrichment resource databases to be used in curricular activities for their classrooms. The differentiation search engine provides a safe and secure Internet experience allowing students access to only approved resources. What is the Lesson Planning and Differentiation Tool? The Wizard Project Maker allows teachers and students to develop problem-based projects for regular curricular topics. It helps students understand ‘the why’ of using the Internet by helping them make the best use of web resources and helps focus their interests as they pursue advanced level work. It helps students define a project and set a goal for achievement. What is the Total Talent Portfolio? The talent portfolio provides parents and teachers with records of each student’s progress. It is accessible anywhere and can transport their information from grade to grade, or school to school. It stores all student activities through the Renzulli Learning system. It allows students to evaluate each site visited and resources used. They can also complete a self-assessment of what they derived from the resource and can store favorite activities and resources. The portfolio can be reviewed at any time by teachers and parents. It is an ongoing record that can help students, teachers, guidance counselors, and parents make decisions about future educational and vocational plans. How much does it cost? Renzulli Learning is available to all schools and school districts. It costs a maximum of $40 each up to 100 students, or $5,000 per school regardless of the number of students. The system can be purchased with funds from Title 1, Title2D, Title 5, curriculum, Technology or Special Education budgets, PTOs and parents. How does RLS utilize technology? Renzulli Learning is Web-based. It requires no software downloads or maintenance fees. It is easily integrated into curriculum, requires only basic staff development, and can be implemented using current technology infrastructures. It allows educators to fully utilize technology to teach instead of teaching technology. How many schools are currently using Renzulli? Students? Currently, approximately 200,000 students have access to Renzulli Learning in 350 U.S. school districts including Los Angeles Unified Schools, Long Beach Unified Schools, New York City Public Schools, Hillsborough County Schools, Pinellas county Schools, Fort Worth Independent School District, Atlanta City Schools, Calcasieu Parish, St. Paul Public Schools, and Fairfax County Schools. Can RLS be used in the home or at the public library? Yes. It can be accessed wherever computers with Internet access are available. The program cannot be purchased by individual parents at this time, however if a school system purchases on behalf of a student, the child’s parents receive access to the program at no additional charge. UConn Researchers Disappointed Renzulli Learning Not Included in Government Study – April 10, 2007 System Improves Reading Scores 147 Percent More Than Traditional Instruction in 16-Week Study AVON, Conn., April 10, 2007— at the University of Connecticut’s (UConn) Neag School of Education expressed disappointment that Renzulli Learning, an interactive on-line program that matches student strengths and interests with a vast array of educational activities and resources to enrich the learning process, was not included in a recently released study by the U.S. Department of Education that indicated software products make no significant difference in reading and math test scores. “Renzulli Learning was not included in the government study because the system is relatively new, but we would have welcomed the chance to be evaluated alongside the others—we think the results would have been much stronger in support of technology,” said Joseph Renzulli, Ed.D., distinguished professor and director of UConn’s Neag Center for Talent Development. “Independent research that included Renzulli Learning found the technology made a significant difference in improving reading test scores in just 16 weeks by using a strength-based approach that engages students and lets them read what’s passionate to them.” The independent study was conducted among students and teachers in an Atlanta middle school and a California elementary school. Students who used Renzulli Learning for 2-3 hours per week for 16 weeks experienced significantly higher improvement in oral reading fluency and social studies achievement. In the case of reading comprehension, the students using Renzulli Learning saw scores improve 147 percent more than in the control group. “It takes much more than online worksheets and ‘drill and kill’ practices that are similar for each student to move the needle on test scores,” said Sally Reis, Ph.D., professor and department head of educational psychology at UConn’s Neag School of Education. “It takes looking at kids individually and providing reading and project-based learning that are matched to their personal interests and learning styles. An enrichment based approach like Renzulli Learning enables students to choose activities and work in their areas of interests.” Renzulli Learning is based on the Enrichment Triad Model developed from more than 30 years of research on teaching and learning at the Neag School of Education. Approximately 100,000 students currently have access to Renzulli Learning in 350 U.S. school districts. Note: Curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency were used for the independent study. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was used for reading comprehension, science achievement, and social studies achievement. For additional information about the study call 877-429-1955. Editors/journalists call 860-676-2300 x118. About Renzulli Learning Systems Based in Avon, Connecticut, Renzulli Learning Systems, LLC is a University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation Company. The company can be reached at http://www.renzullilearning.comor by calling (877) 429-1955. Why Is It Important To Supplement The Regular Curriculum With The Renzulli Learning System? The main goal of the Renzulli Learning System is to provide students with experiences that help them enjoy the process of learning through their personal engagement. Engagement is achieved by providing students with highly challenging but personally meaningful activities that take into account their academic strengths, interests, and learning style preferences. We all know from our own experiences that when we do something we enjoy and when we are personally engaged we are motivated to pursue greater challenges and to develop a sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment. People who love their work or in students who really like what they are doing are engaged in their work. We often see excellent examples of personal engagement in students who are highly involved in extracurricular activities. Our goal in Renzulli Learning is to create the same kind of engagement in the academic curriculum. Personal engagement can predict school success better than test scores. If a student is truly engaged in mathematics, for example, he or she will work harder, improve their achievement, and take harder courses as they progress through the grades. Engagement is the engine that drives students to do things they find enjoyable and creates the passion that leads to important accomplishments. Engagement also creates energy, curiosity, self-motivation and the organizational and time management skills necessary to accomplish personally important tasks. We know that teachers are under tremendous pressure to increase scores on standardized tests, and this pressure has limited opportunities for students to become truly engaged in some of their own interests and, in some cases, to pursue content matter in depth. When students learn something in depth by becoming personally engaged, they can take responsibility for their own learning and prepare them for higher education and the roles that are necessary in today’s technological and information-intensive economy. And our research has shown that achievement scores increase when this happens. Why is the type of learning in the Renzulli Learning System important? Young people who enjoy the process of learning, who know how to become personally engaged, and how to pursue topics in depth will emerge as the most successful college students and the leaders, inventors, and original contributors to their chosen careers and professions. Renzulli Learning is important because it provides an important but sometimes missing supplement to the regular school curriculum. By using research-based individual strength assessment techniques, and using the vast array of resources available through the Internet, teachers will have the equivalent of a dozen teaching assistants in their classrooms. The Renzulli Learning System gives teachers the kind of educational resource procurement that the Google web site gives seekers of general information. Using the Renzulli Learning System to Differentiate Curriculum and Instruction for All Students In order to accommodate for the needs of students across so many different levels of academic achievement, many teachers have adopted a variety of within-classroom strategies collectively referred to as differentiated instruction. Differentiation is an attempt to address the variation of learners in the classroom through multiple approaches that modify instruction and curriculum to match the individual needs of students (Tomlinson, 2000). Tomlinson (1995) emphasized that when teachers differentiate curriculum, they stop acting as dispensers of knowledge and, instead, serve as organizers of learning opportunities. Differentiation of instruction and curriculum suggests that students can be provided with materials and work with varied levels of difficulty, and receive support through different types of scaffolding, grouping, and time (Tomlinson, 2000). The Renzulli Learning System can help teachers access, with minimal cost or time, a wealth of opportunities to provide appropriate differentiation activities for students of all levels of achievement and abilities. Renzulli (1977; 1988; Renzulli & Reis, 1997) defined differentiation as encompassing five dimensions: content, process, products, classroom organization and management, and the teacher’s own commitment to change themselves into a learner as well as a teacher. The differentiation of content involves adding more depth to the curriculum by focusing on structures of knowledge, basic principles, functional concepts, and methods of inquiry in particular disciplines. The differentiation of process incorporates the use of various instructional strategies and materials to enhance and motivate various students learning styles and many of these are built into Renzulli Learning System through the multiple opportunities for students. The Renzulli Learning System (RLS) is a web software tool for teachers and students that is used to identify and develop the gifts and talents of all children by providing easily accessible high quality materials and resources for elementary and middle school students. The differentiation of products enhances students’ communication skills by encouraging them to express themselves in a variety of ways. To differentiate classroom management, teachers can change the physical environment and grouping patterns they use in class and vary the allocation of time and resources for both groups and individuals, enabling students to work in corners of the room using computers on which they can access Renzulli Learning. Classroom differentiation strategies can also be greatly enhanced by using the Internet in a variety of creative ways, many of which are available through the database in Renzulli Learning. Last, teachers can differentiate themselves and the way they teach by providing multiple opportunities, and many of these opportunities are available in the Renzulli Learning System. In the Renzulli Learning System, an individual Talent Development Profile (TDP) is created for each student based on the student’s responses to a series of questions about their interests, learning styles, and product styles. After the TDP is created, the RLS provides differentiated activities, resources, and lessons for each student. These tasks and lessons are part of the Enrichment Differentiation Database (EDD). The EDD includes talent development activities or tasks that are selected automatically in the following fourteen enrichment categories: Virtual Field Trips Real Field Trips Creativity Training Critical Thinking Independent Studies Contests and Competitions Websites Books (Fiction) Books (Non Fiction) Books (How-To) Summer Programs On-Line Activities Research Skills Videos and DVDs Some activities in the Renzulli Learning System are broad enough to be used by all students. In other cases, the activities are organized for students in specific grade levels (3-5, 6-8). All activities are classified into various Interest Areas, Learning Styles, and Expression-product Styles. The Interest Areas are: Math, Science, Business, Technology, History, Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Reading, Writing, Athletic, and Social Action. The Learning Styles are: Discussion, Lecture, Games, Electronic, Simulation, Peer Interaction, Adult Mentor, Interactive Centers, and Independent Studies. The Expression Styles are: Written, Oral, Hands-On, Musical, Artistic, Dramatic, Service, Media and Technology. Curriculum compacting is one differentiation strategy that incorporates content, process, products, classroom management, and teachers' personal commitment to accommodating individual and small-group differences. Other popular ways of differentiating curriculum and instruction can include: varying the texts, using accelerated content, using tiered assignments, using independent study, using interest development centers, using interest centers, and student contracts. Compacting can benefit students of all grades in most content areas, and address the demand for more challenging learning experiences designed to help all students achieve at high levels and realize their potential. These challenging learning experiences are built into the RLS. You can start by using the system with all students or you can begin by targeting advanced students for whom differentiation is critical to provide appropriate levels of challenge. How to Use the Compacting Process with Renzulli Learning System The first of three phases of the compacting process consists of defining the goals and outcomes of a given unit or segment of instruction. This information is readily available in most subjects because specific goals and outcomes usually can be found in teachers’ manuals, curriculum guides, scope-and-sequence charts, and some of the new curricular frameworks that are emerging in connection with outcome based education models. Teachers should examine these objectives to determine which objectives represent the acquisition of new content or thinking skills as opposed to reviews or practice of material that has previously been taught. The scope and sequence charts prepared by publishers, or a simple comparison of the table of contents of a basal series will provide a quick overview of new versus repeated material. A major goal of this phase of the compacting process is to help teachers make individual programming decisions; a larger professional development goal is to help teachers be better analysts of the material they are teaching and better consumers of textbooks and prescribed curricular material. Identifying Candidates for Compacting and Differentiating The second phase of Curriculum Compacting is identifying students who have already mastered the objectives or outcomes of a unit or segment of instruction that is about to be taught. This first step of this phase consists of estimating which students have the potential to master new material at a faster than normal pace. Knowing one’s students is, of course, the best way to begin the assessment process. Scores on previous tests, completed assignments, and classroom participation are the best ways of identifying highly likely candidates for compacting. Standardized achievement tests can serve as a good general screen for this step because they allow us to list the names of all students who are scoring one or more years above grade level in particular subject areas. Teachers also should use appropriate assessment techniques to document proficiency in specific skills, and select instructional activities or practice material necessary to have students master skills that may need reinforcement. The process is slightly modified for compacting content areas that are not as easily assessed as basic skills, and for students who have not mastered the material, but are judged to be candidates for more rapid coverage. First, students should have a thorough understanding of the goals and procedures of compacting, including the nature of the replacement process. A given segment of material should be discussed with the student (e.g., a unit that includes a series of chapters in a social studies text), and the procedures for verifying mastery at a high level should be specified. These procedures might consist of answering questions based on the chapters, writing an essay, or taking the standard end-of-unit test. The amount of time for completion of the unit should be specified, and procedures such as periodic progress reports or log entries for teacher review should be agreed upon. And, of course, an examination of potential acceleration and/or enrichment replacement activities should be a part of this discussion. Another alternative is to assess or pretest all students in a class when a new unit or topic is introduced. Although this may seem like more work for the teacher, it provides the opportunity for all students to demonstrate their strengths or previous mastery in a given area. Using a matrix of learning objectives, teachers can fill in test results and establish small, flexible, and temporary groups for skill instruction and replacement activities to determine how many students can use Renzulli Learning and for how long a period during the school day. This could serve as a way to motivate students to do their best work to try to earn the opportunity to experience other types of learning opportunities. Providing Acceleration and Enrichment Options Using the Renzulli Learning System The final phase of the compacting process can be one of the most exciting aspects of teaching because it is based on cooperative decision-making and creativity on the parts of both teachers and students. These enrichment materials can be accessed from the Renzulli Learning System. The RLS provides differentiated activities, resources, and lessons for each student. These tasks and lessons are part of the Enrichment Differentiation Database (EDD). The EDD contains talent development assignments and tasks that are selected automatically for each student after they havej completed a series of questions. Those questions help to create a personalized Talent Development Profile (TDP) for each student. This TDP includes specific activities in each of the fourteen enrichment categories specified earlier: Virtual Field Trips Real Field Trips Creativity Training Critical Thinking Independent Studies Contests and Competitions Websites Books (Fiction) Books (Non Fiction) Books (How-To) Summer Programs On-Line Activities Research Skills Videos and DVDs These enrichment experiences, self-directed learning activities, instructional materials that focus on particular thinking skills, and a variety of individual and group project oriented activities are designed to stimulate interests and promote hands on research and investigative skills. The time made available through compacting and differentiation can provide opportunities for exciting learning experiences and there are hundreds of these available in this exciting system. Decisions about which replacement activities to use are always guided by factors such as student interests, ability to focus, learning styles, and task commitment. We have also observed another interesting occurrence that has resulted from the availability of Curriculum Compacting with replacement activities based on interests, such as those provided by Renzulli Learning. When some previously bright but underachieving students realized that they could both economize on regularly assigned material and “earn time” to pursue self-selected interests, their motivation to complete regular assignments increased. As one student put it, "Everyone understands a good deal!" Summary Differentiation takes time and energy on the parts of both teachers and students. Yet, over the years, we've discovered that it saves teachers precious hours, once they're familiar with the process and now, with the types of opportunities available on Renzulli Learning, this process is much easier. Most educators who now compact effectively say that it takes no longer than normal teaching practices and with the number of choices available for students using Renzulli Learning, it is much easier. More importantly, they tell us that the benefits to all students certainly make the effort worthwhile. One teacher’s comments about compacting sums up the attitude of most teachers who participated in our research. “As soon as I saw how enthusiastic and receptive my students were about the compacting process, I began to become more committed to implementing this method in all my classes.” Teachers have also indicated that although they had been asked to target one or two students for this study, they were able to use the compacting process with a much broader segment of their students. Many teachers in our research studies explain that as the school year progressed, they had extended compacting to as many as eight or ten students in their classes. The many changes that are taking place in our schools require all educators to examine a broad range of techniques for providing equitably for all students. Differentiation using curriculum compacting and replacement activities in the Renzulli Learning System is one such process. Best of all, teachers do not have to spend hours looking for appropriate replacement materials for advanced students. This work has been done for them and the thousands of options that are available as a part of this system make compacting and differentiation much easier. Using compacting with the Renzulli Learning System gives teachers a flexible choice of replacement activities that make the compacting process easier to use. References Reis, S. M., Burns, D. E., & Renzulli, J. S. (1992). Curriculum compacting: The complete guide to modifying the regular curriculum for high ability students. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press. Reis, S. M., Westberg, K. L., Kulikowich, J., Calliard, F., Hébert, T., Purcell, J. H, Rogers, J., Smist, J. & Plucker, J. (1992). An analysis of the impact of curriculum compacting on classroom practices: Technical Report. Storrs, CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Renzulli, J. S. (1977). The Enrichment triad model. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press. Renzulli, J. S. (1988). The multiple menu model for developing differentiated curriculum for the gifted and talented. Gifted Child Quarterly, 32, 298-309. Renzulli, J. S., & Reis, S. M. (1997). The schoolwide enrichment model: A how-to guide for educational excellence. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press. Tomlinson, C. A. (1995). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Differentiation of instruction in the elementary grades. (Report No. ED 443572). Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. The Renzulli Learning System: Providing every Teacher with a Dozen Assistants in the Classroom Joseph Renzulli Sally M. Reis Every teacher has had the satisfaction of seeing a child “turn on” to a topic or school experience that demonstrates the true joy and excitement of learning. We have sometimes wondered how and why these high points in our teaching occur, why they don’t occur more often, and how we can engage more students in these kinds of highly positive learning experiences. Teachers witness first hand the boredom and lack of interest that so many of our young people express about much of the work they are assigned in school. Highly prescriptive curriculum guides, lists of standards, and pressure to increase achievement test scores have prevented us from doing more of the kind of teaching that results in those joyous but rare moments when we see a child have a remarkable turn-on. One teacher recently told us, “I could easily improve student enthusiasm, enjoyment, and engagement if I had about a dozen assistants in my classroom!” These types of comments in addition to the almost infinite resources that are now available through the Internet inspired our development of the Renzulli Learning System (RLS). With minimal skills in the use of the Internet, and only a small amount of your time, you can easily make use of a system that will give you the equivalent of “a dozen assistants” in your classroom. What is the Renzulli Learning System` The Renzulli Learning System is based on the following four basic principles of what is commonly recognized as the foundation for enrichment and advanced level learning: Each learner is unique, and, therefore, enrichment learning experiences must take into account the abilities, interests, learning styles, and preferred modes of expression of each student. Learning is more effective when students enjoy what they are doing, and, therefore, enrichment learning experiences should be created with enjoyment of learning as a major goal. Learning is more meaningful and enjoyable when content (i.e., knowledge) and process (i.e., thinking skills, methods of inquiry) are learned within the context of a real and present problem; and, therefore, attention should be given to enrichment opportunities that: (a) personalize student choice in problem selection, (b) create conditions that insure the relevance of the problem for individuals or groups who share a common interest in the problem, and (c) provide resources and strategies for assisting students in pursuing interests in ways that approximate the work of practicing professionals. A major goal of the Renzulli Learning System is to enhance knowledge and thinking skill acquisition with opportunities to apply what one is learning in areas of personal interest, relevance, and preferences for creative productivity. The Renzulli Learning System matches students’ interests and learning styles to many different learning opportunities that will both challenge them and help them to enjoy learning. All of the activities and options in the Renzulli Learning System are based on The Enrichment Triad Model, which has been cited as the most widely used plan for talent development in the world. In the Renzulli Learning System, an individual Talent Development Profile (TDP) is created for each student, and then an Enrichment Differentiation Database (EDD) collection of Internet and downloadable resources are located and made available in a personalized selection of activities that relate to student interests, and in some cases, their learning styles, and preferred modes of expression. Based on students’ responses to questions about their interests and how they like to learn and apply what they have learned in creative ways, specific activities are identified in each of the following Resource Storehouses with the EDD: Virtual Field Trips Real Field Trips Creativity Training Activities Training in Critical Thinking Independent Study Options Contests and Competitions Websites Based on Personalized Interests High Interest Fiction Books High Interest Non-Fiction Books How-To Books For Conducting Research and Creative Projects Summer Program Options In Special Talent Areas On-Line Activities and Research Skills Videos and DVDs An Overview of the Enrichment Triad Model The Enrichment Triad Model was developed in 1977 and implemented in hundreds of school districts in the United States and several overseas nations. A wide range of programs based on the Enrichment Triad Model were developed by classroom teachers and gifted education specialists in different school districts across the country serving diverse populations of students at all grade levels. Many examples of creative student work were completed as part of the enrichment opportunities built around the Triad Model. Teachers using the model worked very hard to access resources to provide enrichment for students, but the many responsibilities of classroom teachers and the amount of time required to track down resources made this a daunting task. In the Renzulli Learning System, thousands of resources and enrichment materials are provided for teachers and students with the click of a mouse! And what makes this system unique is that these resources are individually tailored to students’ abilities, interests, and learning styles. The resources can be accessed in school, during after-school programs, or even at home when students want to pursue enriched learning opportunities on their own. The Enrichment Triad Model was designed to encourage advanced level learning and creative productivity by: (1) exposing students to various topics, areas of interest, and fields of study in which they have an interest or might develop an interest, (2) providing students with the skills and resources necessary to acquire advanced level content and thinking skills, and (3) and creating opportunities for students to apply their skills to self-selected areas of interest and problems that they want to pursue. The three interrelated types of enrichment included in the Triad Model are depicted below: Type I enrichment is designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines, topics, occupations, hobbies, persons, places, and events that would not ordinarily be covered in the regular curriculum or that are extensions of regular curriculum topics. In the Renzulli Learning System, Type I enrichment includes virtual field trips, on-line activities, exciting web sites, books, and other exposure activities that are included as part of independent projects, and some of the other components of the system. Type II enrichment consists of materials and methods designed to promote the development of thinking and affective processes. Some Type II training is general, including the development of: (1) creative thinking and problem solving, critical thinking, and affective processes; (2) a wide variety of specific learning how-to-learn skills; (3) skills in the appropriate use of advanced-level research methods and reference materials; and (4) written, oral, and visual communication skills. Teachers can use general Type II Enrichment activities (e.g., a lesson in creative thinking) that are available on-line for whole group or small group instruction, or an on-line activity can be recommended for individuals or small groups to follow on their own. Other forms of Type II enrichment are specific to a particular project that a student might be pursuing. It cannot be planned in advance and usually involves advanced methodological skills in an interest area selected by the student. For example, a small group of students might become interested in mechanical engineering after a Virtual Field Trip dealing with some of the world’s most imaginative bridges. Using Renzulli Learning, they can locate resources on the Internet that provide instruction in designing, planning, and building a model of a bridge. They also found a number of model bridge competitions to which they subsequently submitted their designs. In the Renzulli Learning System, Type II training is embedded across many of the Resource Storehouses listed above. A quick tour of the various categories will help you become familiar with the vast array or resources that can be used for all three types of enrichment in the Triad Model. If you have several students using the Renzulli Learning System it will be fun and informative to take a “tour” through the Resource Storehouses with them. Our experience in using the Enrichment Triad Model over the years has shown that Types I and II enrichment and/or interests gained in the regular curriculum or non-school involvements will motivate many students to pursue self-selected topics in greater depth. We call these advanced types of involvement Type III Enrichment, which is defined as individual or small group investigations of real problems. When students choose to become involved in Type III enrichment, they usually are interested enough in a topic to pursue a self-selected area of study. They are usually willing to commit the time necessary for advanced content acquisition and process training in which they assume the role of a first-hand inquirer. The goals of Type III enrichment are: to provide opportunities for applying interests, knowledge, creative ideas and task commitment to a self-selected problem or area of study, to acquire advanced level understanding of the knowledge (content) and methodology (process) that are used within particular disciplines, artistic areas of expression and interdisciplinary studies, to develop authentic products that are primarily directed toward bringing about a desired impact upon a specified audience, to acquire self-directed learning skills in the areas of planning, organization, resource utilization, time management, decision making and self-evaluation, to further develop task commitment, self-confidence, and feelings of creative accomplishment. In the Renzulli Learning System, the Type III component can emerge from almost any of the choices that students can pursue. They can, for example, get an idea for what they might like to learn more about by becoming involved in a virtual field trip, or a real field trip. They might find an idea from a creativity training lesson or a critical thinking activity. The most logical way for them to become involved in a Type III project is by pursuing an independent study or by becoming involved in a contest or a competition. We have also found, however, that students may become interested in doing in-depth research by using any of the other components of Renzulli Learning: Websites, Books-Fiction, Books-Non Fiction, Books How-To, Summer Programs, On-Line Activities and Research Skills. There are also numerous options in Renzulli Learning for students to pursue Type III studies in specialized areas (e.g., Math League, Invention Convention, National History Day Competition, to mention only a few of the hundreds of available options). Type III Enrichment is different from the types of projects and reports that students typically do in connection with their regular schoolwork. The best way to describe this difference is to list the three things that make a problem "real" to a student. First, real problems are based on a sincere interest of the student rather than one assigned by the teacher. It is something the student wants to do rather than something he or she is assigned to do. You may discuss and provide guidance in helping a student find and focus a problem, and the problem might be within the general curriculum area you are covering, but the subject or theme on which a student chooses to work must represent a personalization of the topic for him or for her. The second distinguishing feature of working on a real problem is that the student will use the methods of investigation of the practicing professional. They’re going to do what the real geologist, scenery designer, or community activist does, even if it is at a more junior level than an adult professional working in one of these fields. This focus will help to distinguish a bona fide Type III project from the ritualistic reports that student typically complete by merely gathering and summarizing information from reference books or Internet sites. The most powerful tools for giving students the know-how of authentic methodology can be found at our Resource Storehouses entitled How-To Books For Conducting Research and Creative Projects. Take a quick tour of this site to get a “feel” of the many exciting books provide the skills for helping students become practicing professionals. And think about using some of the material in these books for whole-class and small group lessons on teaching research and investigative skills. We have found that teaching young people a practical data gathering technique such as questionnaire design, for example, will motivate them to identify a problem that enables them to use their new skill on a problem in which they have a personal interest. The third characteristic of a real problem is that it is always geared toward an audience other than or in addition to the teacher. In the adult world, practicing professionals carry out their work because they want to have an impact on one or more relevant audiences – others who voluntarily attend a performance, read a newsletter, or go to a science fair. Presenting to your classmates occasionally may qualify as a real audience, but such presentations should be viewed more as nearly practice sessions for more real world settings such as a presentation to the local historical society, submission of one’s writing to magazine that publishes poetry or short stories, or entering an invention contest. Our Resource Storehouse entitled Options for Participating in Contests and Competitions will give you and your students many ideas about opportunities for audiences in all areas of student interest. And the Storehouse entitled Websites Based on Personalized Interests includes many organizations and professional societies that produce journals and newsletters where high quality student products might be included. These organizations are also excellent sources for resources in specialized areas of study, and some of them even provide on-line mentoring services for students. The goal of Type III Enrichment is to transform the role of the student from a person who merely acquires information to a role in which she or he is thinking, feeling, and doing like the practicing professional. And the teacher’s role becomes more like a coach and guide-on-the-side rather than a disseminator of knowledge. You can learn more about the role of the teacher in facilitating Type III Enrichment by reviewing the short article on this topic in the Teacher Resource section of this web site. One of the questions that teachers frequently ask is, “Where will students find the time to do Type III projects?” All students can use the Renzulli Learning System, but we have found that above average ability students – those who can master the regular curriculum at a faster pace than others – can “buy” some time for enrichment activities through a sub-component of the RLS called Curriculum Compacting. Essentially, compacting is a process through which the teacher uses formal and informal assessment at the beginning of a unit of study to determine which students have already mastered basic skills, and therefore do not need the same amount of practice material as others. Indeed, it is sometimes this excessive practice of skills already mastered that causes many of our more able students to become bored with school! And in subjects such as science and social studies, students may not know the material to be covered, but are eager to select an option that allows them to cover it at an accelerated pace. Many students are especially eager to select this option if they know that it will “buy” them the time to work on Type III enrichment as well as other options in the RLS. We have provided a brief article on the steps teachers use in Curriculum Compacting in the About Renzulli Learning section of this web site. We hope you enjoy the many Teacher Resources that are available on our teacher web site. Now that you have some information about the rationale behind the Renzulli Learning System, you can learn more about the following ways to use the system by reading about the many Teacher Resources provided on this web page. 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