Case Studies & Results
Easily integrated into existing lessons—A middle school technology teacher returned from a conference and immediately used SCAN for a lesson she was doing on Internet safety. She was excited by how easy it was to do—and how easily and readily SCAN allowed students to collaborate. She has subsequently used SCAN many times and even had students develop and use their own scenarios!
Encourages participation—In VA, a Health teacher uses SCAN to helps students explore and engage in discussions around difficult topics – e.g. body image, discrimination, sexual harassment. Because students use anonymous usernames, they think and participate more freely.
Explore difficult topics—In NJ, a middle school social studies teacher uses SCAN to make complicated issues—e.g., eminent domain—more understandable. In the eminent domain lesson, as with all SCAN lessons, students examine a specific scenario from different points of view. Thus complex issues become more tangible as students explore what it might be like to face the situation as an owner of a family farm, or a local citizen, etc.
Improve persuasive writing—A social studies and language arts teacher uses SCAN to help enhance persuasive writing skills. He has students examine a controversial situation or topic—for example, oil drilling, banning books, or community curfews from different points of view. Then as homework, students write a persuasive essay advocating a particular stance and incorporating issues from other points of view. The teacher reports that SCAN has helped make these essays more organized, substantive, and compelling.
Teachers give SCAN high marks for its effectiveness in:
- Building student understanding of other points of view
- Empowering students
- Engaging students
- Being easy to use
- Building valuable life skills
- Building understanding of complex topics
- Encouraging collaboration
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