EPIC-CAST Findings

An evaluation conducted by Dr. Kalyani Raghavan from the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh reported that the teachers who attended the CAST workshops had three main goals.

To incorporate technology in their classrooms
To broaden their knowledge and experience using technology
To design a technology-based lesson for their classes

After completing seven days of training, all teachers indicated that their goals had been achieved.

One of the purposes of the workshops was to generate leaders who could share their knowledge with others at their schools. In the workshops, the teachers were introduced to both pre-built, web-based simulations and build-your-own models. The teachers found that the pre-built simulations were easier to use and share with their peers. However, they also found that learning to build their own models gave them a deeper understanding of the simulations that they used with their students. When asked which of the three tools (Excel, VenSim, NetLogo) seemed most useful to them, all reported that they were most comfortable creating models in Excel, a tool that offered them both availability and familiarity.

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