Press Releases
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Al Renshaw
Phone: 1-800-577-9040
e-Mail: Al Renshaw
THE GRABLE FOUNDATION AND THE HEINZ
ENDOWMENTS GRANT $200,000 TO SUBSIDIZE QUANTUM® TUTORING SOFTWARE FOR
HIGH SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Funding is administered to schools
through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) Math & Science Collaborative
and is estimated to provide personal tutoring assistance to more than
12,000 students over a five-year period
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - August 10,
2005, The Math & Science Collaborative (MSC), in partnership with
Quantum Simulations, Inc., a developer of artificial intelligence
(AI) tutoring and assessment software, has secured support of $150,000
from The Grable Foundation and $50,000 from The Heinz Endowments to
offer subsidy for the Quantum Tutors® for Chemistry to high schools
in southwestern Pennsylvania.
In time for the No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) science assessments, scheduled to begin in the 2006-07 school
year, the fund-matching program will provide school districts with
the financial support needed to improve performance in chemistry,
a subject that is critical to success in science. These local foundations
have made grants to the Math & Science Collaborative to support 50
percent of the total subscription cost of the Quantum Tutors® over
a five-year period with an average cost to school districts of $10.00
per student.
"The Grable Foundation is very pleased
that more children will have the opportunity to use this superior
learning technology," stated Charles (Chip) Burke, Jr., Chairman at
The Grable Foundation. "We hope this program will give students a
head start and allow school districts to be proactive as they prepare
for the NCLB science assessments next year."
"Having the Quantum Tutors® available
to students in our own backyard is very rewarding to us professionally
- and personally," added Rebecca Renshaw, Executive Vice President
at Quantum Simulations, Inc., headquartered in Murrysville, Pennsylvania.
"We are grateful to The Grable Foundation and The Heinz Endowments
for these contributions to the Math & Science Collaborative in support
of this program for local educators."
Scientifically-proven to increase test
scores by as much as 50 percent, the Quantum Tutors® for Chemistry
and Applied Mathematics are accessed over the Internet
for use anytime, anywhere. Because of the "Enter Any Problem" feature,
the software is compatible with any school's curriculum and requires
no change to existing lesson plans, textbooks or homework assignments
used by teachers. Just like working with a human tutor, students receive
detailed explanations of concepts for every step in a problem, personal
feedback on their own work, and can request hints and ask questions.
"Since 1996, the MSC has gathered data
about successful course completion, including chemistry, across 11
counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania," stated Dr. Nancy Bunt, Director
of the Math & Science Collaborative at the Allegheny Intermediate
Unit (AIU), and administrator of the foundation grants. "As of 2002-2003,
looking at our regional average, fewer than 2/3 (62%) of the graduating
seniors successfully completed chemistry by graduation. That percentage
of successful completion ranged among districts across the region
from fewer than 1/3 to almost all students (31% to 98%). Research
indicates that this tutoring tool can help to increase the percentage
of students who have success with chemistry."
By using AI technology, the Quantum Tutors® scaffold learners based on their personal knowledge, including
explaining errors they make as they attempt to solve problems. Quantum's
patented technology gives students immediate guidance and instruction
so that they can correct their errors and achieve successful solutions
through true conceptual comprehension.
"By supporting access to programs such
as the Quantum Tutors® by local districts, we help more students find
success with these essential higher level courses in science," said
Dr. Bunt. "We are particularly pleased that the questioning strategies
built into the Tutors model the types of questions that excellent
teachers ask to assess and advance student understanding."
To date, ten school districts have been
selected to participate in the subsidy program, including:
. Carmichaels Area
. Derry Area
. Franklin Regional
. Jefferson-Morgan
. Monaca
. Penn-Trafford
. Rochester Area
. Sharon City
. South Allegheny
. Steel Valley
Funding for the Quantum Tutors® is currently
available to districts on a first-come, first-served basis for high
schools in southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information about the
fund-matching program, please contact the Math & Science Collaborative
at 412-394-5700.
About Quantum®
Quantum Simulations, Inc. develops artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring,
assessment and professional development software that empowers teachers
and inspires students from middle school through college to improve
their knowledge and appreciation for the sciences. Teacher tested
and approved by educators across the United States, Quantum's AI software
is proven in research studies to improve comprehension, problem solving
skills and test scores by as much as 50%. Quantum's intelligent tutoring
engines are integrated with existing web-based learning products,
providing a strong competitive edge for distributing partners. A "technology
think tank," Quantum® is funded and supported by the U.S. Department
of Education, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes
of Health. For a virtual demonstration of the Quantum Tutors®, visit
www.quantumsimulations.com/demo.
About the Allegheny Intermediate
Unit
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is an educational service agency supporting
schools, families and communities. As one of 29 intermediate units
commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Allegheny
Intermediate Unit supports the 42 Pittsburgh suburban school districts.
Through partnerships and collaborative leadership, the Allegheny Intermediate
Unit provides over 100 programs to meet the needs of a diverse community
of learners. For more information, vist www.aiu3.org.
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