Front Row
Type of Technology: Online Learning System
SAMR Model Rating: Modification/Redefinition
Grade Level: 3-12
Subject Areas: ELA, Math, Social Studies
Cost: Free-to-play model with subscription option for sites.
Front Row is a standards based online curriculum delivery system. It provides a variety of assignments in the realms of Math, ELA, and Social Studies. Students can be assigned customized materials, based on their reading and/or Math levels, which are determined by assessment tools within Front Row. The teacher interface provides real-time monitoring of students while they are working. It is an excellent resource for teachers who may be short on materials, need resources for remediation and/or extensions, or who are looking to integrate technology into their daily lessons.
Front Row provides different kinds of assignments, built by standards in ELA, Math, and Social Studies. The program is designed to start with a reading and Math assessment to determine student’s working levels. The reading level can be used to customize both the ELA assignments and the Social Studies assignments. The assignments for math include, videos, multiple choice, multiple choice with more than one correct answer, explain your thinking, graph and picture creation, and drag-and-drop fill ins. The ELA assignments include writing prompts, multiple choice, videos, sequencing, drag-and-drop, and writing. The Social Studies section provides videos, articles – customizable by reading level, multiple choice quizzes, and writing prompts.
Students can be assigned standards based on their levels. Teachers can build completely customized and differentiated units for each student. Once the student completes one of the two assessments, Front row can automatically generate a lesson plan for that student. The teacher, if they choose, can go into each student’s plan and modify it as they see fit. This means that a class of students can all be working on the same topic, but receive the instruction at their own reading level. Depending on how much teachers assign, students can work at their own pace or attack standards in small chunks, await feedback from the teacher, and then be assigned more work.
Teachers can watch student progress as they work. The teacher interface shows a progress bar for each student as they work. The progress bar updates with #Answered/#Total and a % Correct with color code. Teachers can see how fast students are working as well as which students are struggling – in real time! This can lead to further customization, differentiation, and support, in the exact moment that it is most relevant to the student.
Front Row seems to be an excellent addition for the 1:1 classroom or an intervention/extension program. It has the potential to redefine lesson delivery. In the online classroom, as teachers shift from arbiters of information to facilitators of systems and practices; adaptive and customizable programs with the power to differentiate for each student’s strengths and needs will become essential. Front Row is an early leader in this space.
