Learning on the Move.  The Cool Conversations Quiz & Traveling-Tutor™ (CCQ) was launched at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) in Atlanta, June 2007, by Interactive Speech Solutions (ISS) in partnership with Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft.  This year’s NECC 2008 in San Antonio again features the CCQ Traveling-Tutor for K-12 students at the HP and Microsoft exhibits.  CCQ is a complete study, testing, assessment, content development and reporting application that gives any Microsoft Windows® based computer, including desktop PCs, laptops and other handheld devices the ability to deliver verbal instruction. Through the use of Microsoft Windows Mobile, CCQ Traveling Tutor merges the natural speech synthesis capabilities offered by today’s computers with the latest advances in mobile technology resulting in a walking talking computer that can speak to students in multiple languages.

The Strategic Use of the RIGHT Technology Will Raise Student Success Rates

• Nationally, barely 30 percent of rising freshmen can read at grade level (Lee, Grigg, & Donahue, 2007).

• More than 1.2 million U.S. high school students drop out every year—roughly 7,000 each school day. (Editorial Projects in Education, 2007)

• Moreover, high school dropouts are far more likely to be tax consumers than taxpayers, use welfare and public health services, and commit crimes. Researchers estimate that each high school dropout costs society at large about $209,000 over the course of his or her lifetime (Levin, Belfield, Muennig, & Rouse, 2007).

Research Based Strategy

The use of interactive speech, produced by computers, can provide a “talking tutor” that tirelessly reads aloud, asks questions, corrects errors, continually assesses performance, and addresses the reading level of each individual student. Controlled studies that compare the computer-based tutor with human one-on-one tutors and have a control group receiving regular instruction showed that the tutored group surpassed the control group in Word Attack, Word Comprehension and Passage Comprehension by significant amounts. Furthermore, the computer tutored group surpassed the human tutored group in 2 of the 3 measures. A pilot study with 4^th grade Hispanic students using the computer reading tutor method showed significant gains in English fluency, sight word recognition, and comprehension, outperforming a control group of students receiving established classroom reading instruction.
Source: Progress in Interactive Speech Improves Literacy and Numeracy Instruction © Louis V. Ruffino, P.E. (August 2006)

Hewlett-Packard’s 1:1 Computing Program:  HP research indicates that when personal, portable technology is integrated on a 1:1 basis, it increases student engagement, motivation, time on task and self-directed learning. 

Based on an SRI International Center for Technology Learning study:

• 93 percent of teachers in their user group believed handheld computers have a positive effect on students’ learning.

• 72 percent said handhelds were easier to integrate into classroom activities than desktop computers.

• 89 percent responded that handheld computers were an effective instructional tool.

Available for Desktops, Laptops and Pocket Computers

If you don’t have an immediate budget to make the PDA a classroom and “take home” learning tool, CCQ will run on all of your school’s PC’s. 

Cool Conversations Quiz (CCQ) and Traveling-Tutor™ is a complete study, testing, assessment, content development and reporting application that gives any Microsoft Windows® based computer, including desktop PCs, laptops and other handheld devices the ability to interact verbally with users.  You can even get second language support in SPANISH if it will benefit some of your students!  Take a look at the PDF overview file for more details.

To request purchase information for your classroom, school or district, fill out the request form at this link:  CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON PURCHASING

Get a copy of our CCQ Introductory Newsletter (click here).

You may take a look at our on-line demo and tutorial section at: 
GO TO DEMOS

We look forward to helping you put this research-based anytime, anywhere learning solution to work for you students.  CCQ is easily customizable to their needs.  The verbal interaction will speed learning and increase engagement.  The reporting features will let you monitor their progress. 

CCQ Traveling-Tutor™ Extends the Classroom with Anytime, Anywhere Learning

The CCQ Traveling-Tutor™ program empowers students by merging computer-based speech technology with the latest advances in mobile technology and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). The result is a pioneering “walking, talking computer”.

 The April 2007 issue of Technology & Learning the magazine stated “…the digital divide’s newest defining characteristic is 24/7 access to a personal computing device.” 

From the June/July 2007 issue of Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine:

CCQ is at the forefront of creatively using technology to help America’s students… “A reading tutor program helps with advancement in reading; and with students and parents…a mobile tool (the CCQ Traveling-Tutor™) that can read to you …is like having a personal tutor.”  - Article entitled, “Bringing Mobility to the Ultimate Information Workers: Students” by Nathan Clevenger and Bill Hagen. 

CCQ Traveling-Tutor™ requires no connection to the Internet to function, bridging the opportunity to students without access to Internet-based programs outside of school. Once content is loaded on the mobile device, students can work in school, on the bus, at home, anywhere and anytime. The CCQ system stores a report of all of the student’s activity which is transferred to the teacher’s computer when they return to the classroom.

Proven Methodology.  Years of experience and trials as well as comparative studies of conventional methods of teaching and learning have demonstrated that the interactive speech methods used by the CCQ Traveling-Tutor™ are engaging for students and result in better acquisition of new knowledge and development of reading skills.  Presentation of computer-generated speech reinforces acquisition of the phoneme-grapheme relationship and reading aloud to the student reduces effort in reading skill development.  Studies included instances where 3rd graders starting 3 years below grade level averaged 2 years of progress in eight months.  CCQ is an anywhere, anytime education system to support America’s teachers and help insure that more students are able to successfully progress from elementary school through high school. 

The Traveling-Tutor™ is ideal for ESL (English as a Second Language) students and their families with second language support provided in Spanish and options for any of over 20 language combinations.  CCQ Talking Tutor can also be used for English speaking students who want to learn or improve their proficiency in another language or need to take classes in another language.  Benefits extend to other family members in the home environment; helping families reach new levels of achievement. 

CONTACT US

Interactive Speech Solutions, LLC

100 N.W. 70^th Avenue, Suite 115

Plantation, Florida  33317

email:  info@getccq.com

Phone:  954 793-4858

Fax:  954 793-4859

Click HERE for more information.