Classwide Peer Tutoring: Learning Management System

The CWPT-LMS combines all the benefits and features of the "standard" CWPT program with computer technology and a computerized teacher support program that provides a formative evaluation system, a CWPT advisor and teacher mentor, and the capability for creating data and performance graphics.

Implementation materials include:

• The "Together We Can" CWPT-LMS manual and computer software (See Sopris West Publishing Company (publisher of the CWPT program implementation manual and charts called "Together We Can" ClassWide Peer Tutoring-Learning Management System). 

Installation materials include: 
The hardware/software requirements for the CWPT-LMS program that uses the 32-bit instructions available on 80386 and higher processors for stand-alone use are as follows:

• A Pentium-class PC running Windows 95 or higher
• A CD drive, sound card and speakers (or Macintosh equivalent with Soft Windows PC)
• Macintosh users will need PC software that emulates Windows 95
• For LAN users, the CWPT-LMS runs on a file server running Windows NT or Windows 2000

The CWPT-LMS program software can help all students by immediately making the teacher aware of the progress or lack thereof for any individual student as well as the entire class. This information can immediately prompt the teacher to make the necessary adjustments to ensure academic success for all students.

The CWPT-LMS core program is that of the "standard" CWPT program, and the computer support learning management system has also been researched and proven effective with the same student populations as the "standard" CWPT program which included:

• Students with special needs
• Students at risk of school failure
• Students who are culturally and linguistically diverse
• Students with ADD and ADHD
• Students from pre-school to high school

In traditional classroom instruction, the teacher is the main content delivery person, and the basic content delivery system is through teacher lecture and passive student learning and exposure. In a "standard" CWPT classroom, the students become the content delivery persons for one another, an active multi-modality delivery system drives the one-to-one practice sessions, and students are provided with numerous opportunities to respond directly with the content being learned. Couple those aspects of the "standard" CWPT program with the CWPT-LMS computer software and data management system, and this is a totally comprehensive and powerful academic instructional package.

CWPT-LMS benefits for the classroom teacher include (but are not limited to):

• Streamlining the amount of time spent planning for ClassWide Peer Tutoring,
• Offering computer assistance for many of the manual implementation operations of the "standard" CWPT program (i.e., pairing the teams, timing the tutoring sessions, identifying students who are above or below the pre established criterion levels on both pre- and post assessments, revealing the difficulty level of the content being taught, etc.),
• Providing a visual or graphic display of individual and classroom achievement levels and trends,
• Providing a "click of the button" classroom data management tool for multiple content areas, and
• Accessing quick and helpful advice for furthering student achievement and improvement.

Students have all the benefits of the "standard" CWPT that includes the following:

• Significantly increased "opportunities to respond" and student participation in all academic skill areas,
• Close learning "coaching" with immediate error correction and positive feedback from both the classroom teacher and their peer partner,
• Improved achievement scores, gains, and unexpected academic successes,
• A learning strategy that taps into the various learning styles or modalities to process academic information via their strongest learning modality,
• Increased opportunities for positive social/academic interactions with the classroom teacher and other student peers,
• Being aware of your own individual progress and achievements, and
• A fun way and great opportunity to become excited about learning in all subject areas.

With the student benefits listed above, CWPT-LMS adds the opportunity to allow students to input data and scores into the LMS computer system. However, the greatest (LMS) benefits are for the teacher. The LMS allows for more streamlined data entry, computerizes student monitoring, provides instantaneous data analysis and graphics, and ensures overall CWPT program management.

CWPT-LMS is just as flexible and adaptable as the "standard" CWPT program because it has the capability of providing computer support and monitoring in all of the same areas as the "standard" CWPT program that includes:

• Reading and comprehension
• Spelling
• Math
• Language Arts
• Geography/History
• Sciences
• Any and every content area

The CWPT-LMS program can run on the classroom computer and/or the school network and will provide the tools necessary for planning, improving, and monitoring the "standard" CWPT program. The three main components of the Learning Management computer System are Program Support, Progress Monitoring, and Data Management.

• The Program Support component allows the user to set up the "standard" CWPT program by creating student pairs and teams, timing the tutoring sessions, recording the tutoring points, recording the pre and post test results, and other basic CWPT implementation operations.
• The Progress Monitoring component of the LMS program provides several student progress monitoring options including fast display of results and charting to name a few. This component also links the user to a computer expert advice component that operates directly from the data and student progress each week.
• The Data Management component allows the user to copy, back up, delete, and restore any of the program files.

Research Articles

Greenwood, C. R., Arreaga-Mayer, C., Utley, C. A., Gavin, K. M., & Terry, B.

J.(2001). Class-wide peer tutoring learning management system:
Applications with elementary-level English language learners. Remedial and 
Special Education, 22(1), 34-47. 

Greenwood, C. R., Hou, L.S., Delquadri, J., Terry, B., & Arreaga-Mayer, C.

(2001). The ClassWide Peer Tutoring Learning Management System 
(CWPT-LMS). In J. Woodward & L. Cuban, Technology, curriculum, and 
professional development: Adapting schools to meet the needs of students 
with disabilities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. 

Websites

Juniper Gardens Children's Project

The CWPT program was researched and developed at the Juniper Gardens Children's Project in Kansas City, Kansas through grant initiatives affiliated with the University of Kansas. 

Sopris West Publishing Company 
The Sopris West Publishing Company is the publisher of the "standard" CWPT program called "Together We Can" and the "Together We Can" CWPT-LMS manual and computer software.