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Some of you might be
interested in seeing this two page article on an independent study of Fast
Forward. The article also includes a good summary of policy implications
regarding programs touted as "scientifically-based". Eldo
Bergman, M.D. Texas Reading Institute.
An Assessment of Fast ForWord
This is the Abstract :
Although schools across the country are investing heavily in computers in
the classroom, there is
surprisingly little evidence that they actually improve student achievement. In
this paper we present results
from a randomized study of a well-defined use of computers in schools: a popular
instructional computer
program, known as Fast ForWord, which is designed to improve language and
reading skills. We assess
the impact of the program using four different measures of language and reading
ability. Our estimates
suggest that while use of the computer program may improve some aspects of
students’ language skills, it
does not appear that these gains translate into a broader measure of language
acquisition or into actual
reading skills.
And from the Conclusion:
In any event, results from our experimental evaluation, along with those in
Borman and Rachuba
(2001), suggest that the achievement gains schools can expect students to
experience from the FFW
program are likely much smaller than those claimed by the vendor of the program"
etc.
The actual paper can be retrieved from
www.ers.princeton.edu/workingpapers/5ers.pdf.
120,000 or more students have been through Fast ForWord, and still no good
recommendations coming from its authors concerning who is likely to benefit most
and who is unlikely to benefit. While the authors are scientists who have had
productive careers, they do not seem to have avoided the lure of typical
education product promotion. Unfortunately, there are few cases (Hooked on
Phonics is the only one that comes to mind) where the Federal Trade Commission
went after undocumented claims of education benefit.