The Augusta Chronicle

RICHMOND COUNTY NEIGHBORS

Thursday October 10, 2002

ANNETTE M. DROWLETTE/STAFF Algebra teacher Debbie Brigham helps Lauren Lee with a problem using the interactive Learning Logic computer program at Westside High School.
Mouse helps students navigate math mazes
	By Ashlee Griggs
	Staff Writer
	As an eighth-grader, Kalin Sellars made
	C's in her math class.
	Now a freshman at Westside High School.
	she's making A's in algebra and it's all
	thanks to the click of a mouse.
	"It's so much easier to learn," the 14-
	year-old said. "It teaches to the individual
	and doesn't let you move on until you under-
	stand it."
	Kalin is one of 50 Learning Logic students
	at Westside. Created in 1990 by the National
	Science Center Foundation, Learning Logic
	is a self-paced computerized program used
	to teach pre-algebra, algebra I and algebra
	II in high schools across the nation.
	Unlike a traditional classroom setting,
	the program allows each student to work at
	his own pace. Students who may become
	bored in a classroom with a teacher can
	move on and complete more advanced les-
	sons.
“There’s no wasted time,” said Lisa	she said there's no comparison.
Macuch, director of educational programs	"It’s probably more work than a traditional
for the National Science Center Foundation	class, . . . but you’re better meeting the needs
Designed to randomly generate home-	of the students," she said.
work, quizzes and tests, the program reduces	Ashleigh Tanner was in a regular class for
the risk of cheating. A daily activity report	the first two weeks of school before she deci-
generated that allows the teacher to monitor	ded to switch and, join the computer class,
each student’s progress.	"It's so much easier," Ashleigh said. “If I
Debra Brigham has taught math in the tra-	don’t understand something, it won’t let me
ditional classroom, but with Learning Logic	move on until I do.”
	Reach Ashlee Griggs at (706) 823-3552, or
	ashlee.griggs@augustachronicle.com