vBook

For 2014-2015, iLearn introduces a new program option for schools, teachers, and students: vBook.

How to Access vBook

Log into www.ilearn.com/login and click MyQ hub icon

next to “vBook.”

iLearn Hub for Students

What is vBook?

vBook is a student-choice mathematics instructional program, designed to allow students to select and learn any lesson or topic and to complete them with mastery-based requirements. Ideally, teachers use vBook to present instruction and practice in a group setting, or to verbally assign specific topics or lessons.

vBook Homepage

On the left, each grade level is listed from Grade 1 to Grade 8, and high school mathematics topics Algebra I, II and III, and alternatively Elementary Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra, and College Algebra.

Students can access all lessons and all topics in vBook at any time. Teachers manage student activity with the vBook reports.

How does vBook work?

vBook is available in schools where activated, but entirely optional to students and teachers. Students determine what lessons and topics they enter and complete, but are best guided by their teacher.

vBook is structured by grade level, then by topic, then by lesson. Grade levels are identified on the left as green buttons, which students click to access.

vBook Sidebar

Each grade, 1 – 8 and high school math have about 15 topics per grade level. Topics are separated by boxes, with the topic name at the top. In the example below, the topic name is “Numbers 0-10.”

vBook Topic Example

To access Topic Tests and Topic Practice, students click the topic name (“Numbers 0-10” here) and then select either Topic Practice or Topic Test.

vBook Topic Example

Each Topic has about five Lessons. Each Lesson is listed below the topic in recommended sequential order.

vBook Topic Example

Click a lesson such as “1.1 – Read and Write Numbers 0-10” here, and then select Lesson Instruction or Lesson Practice.

vBook Lesson Example

Program Interface

At the top of the screen are these four buttons: Option buttons

Change Program: Returns the student to the iLearn Hub.

Reports: Takes the student to view individual student reports.

Settings: Allows the student to move the keypad to the left or right.

Logout: Logs the student out of all iLearn. The student should log out using this button rather than closing the browser.

Teachers see when a student is in a Lesson Instruction or Lesson Practice by the program interface.

vBook LP Example

To the right of the vBook icon in the top left, the program displays the current element. If it reads Lesson Practice, Lesson Instruction, or Topic Practice, we recommend teachers provide assistance when needed.

If the program displays Topic test we recommend teachers do not assist the student. If a student needs help passing a Topic Test, we recommend teachers use their best judgment in helping, based on a review of the student’s reports and observation in class. Any parts of the program with a green background, as shown below, are test elements, and we suggest not assisting students in these elements.

vBook CT Example

The program interface provides important information for both the student and the teacher.

vBook Top Bar

The top bar reading “Missing Addend” is the title of the student’s current Lesson.

vBook Homepage Button

The logo on the left identifies the program so the teacher can easily see it, and is a button to return to the vBook homepage.

vBook Top Bar 2

This section displays the student name (the first three letters of the last name, allowing the teacher to verify the student is logged in on their own account and not as someone else), as well as navigation buttons, and the current activity. The navigation buttons for students are only active during Lesson Instruction. Students can click iPass Repeat Button

to replay a page, iPass Pause Button

to pause (if turned on by school administrators) , iPass Left Button

to navigate to a previous page of instruction, or iPass Right Button

navigate forward if they navigated to a prior page (students cannot skip pages of instruction, but can use the left facing arrow to review previous pages, and then use the right facing arrow to navigate back to the furthest page reached).

vBook Location and Page # Bar

“Page” shows the current page in the element, and the Question Status shows the number of questions the student has answered correctly. In this case, the student is on the second question, and has one correct answer. The first bar is green indicating a correct answer.

iPass Side Bar

The keypad is the on-screen tool for entering answers. Students may use the mouse to click the appropriate buttons to enter an answer. They can also use the computer’s keyboard to answer questions. The keypad is not active in Lesson Instruction where attention is focused on multimedia presentations.

Some lessons require students to enter operands, variables, and/or symbols. Orange buttons will display dynamically, i.e. when needed, to accommodate the characters needed to answer.

The calculator is available in only some lessons where instructionally appropriate.

How is vBook Structured?

vBook covers topics from Grade 1 to Algebra III (Pre-Calculus). The interactive activities are:

Topic Test – serves as both a pre- and post-test for the topic, with different questions delivered each time the test is taken. Topic tests cover material in the selected Topic and presents questions similar to those in the lessons therein. To complete the Topic Test, students must answer all of the questions, typically around 10.
Topic Practice – serves as a practice activity covering material grouped under that Topic and presents mixed questions from the Topic’s Lessons. To complete the Topic Practice, students must complete all questions, typically around seven.
Lesson Instruction – brief, multimedia presentations typically three to four pages, and five minutes in duration. Lesson instruction does not contain practice questions. To complete the Lesson Instruction a student must view all pages, clicking when ready to advance to the next step, page, etc. The student then selects the Lesson Practice.
Lesson Practice – typically, five to six questions based directly on the material presented in the corresponding Lesson Instruction. To complete Lesson Practice, students must answer the number of questions for that Lesson Practice in sequence. For example: if the Lesson Practice has 6 questions, the student must answer 6 questions correct in sequence, with one correct answer deducted for each incorrect answer. If a student answers 5 questions correct, and answers the 6th question incorrect, the student will have a total of 4 questions correct.

vBook Topic Test Example — Example question from Topic Test

vBook Topic Practice Example — Example question from Topic Practice

vBook Lesson Practice Example — Example page from Lesson Instruction

Who can access what in vBook?

Because vBook is based on student selection, students, teachers, school and district administrators can access any of the available content at any time. Students can select a Topic Test and prove mastery, but are not required to do so before moving to different locations (as in iPASS and MyQ).

How can vBook be used?

The best part of vBook is its flexibility. vBook allows any student to learn any topic at any point in the school year. As a teacher, you can give group presentations, and practice questions. You can also give class or individual assignments that parallel your grade-level instruction, and also assign critical content below grade level that supports your instruction. vBook reports allow you to monitor student activity and learning.

vBook can be used in any classroom setup, including traditional, flipped, blended learning, hybrid, after-school, etc. vBook can also be used for any student, whether regular, gifted, ESOL, special education, etc.

Suggestions of Use

The flexibility of vBook allows a number of different options for teachers to implement the program successfully in their classroom. vBook works with any learning environment and any student level. Below are some suggestions on how to use vBook in general, in conjunction with other iLearn programs, or by itself.

General Usage Tips

The design of vBook allows students to access any lesson, topic, or grade level content whenever they choose, but activity and mastery can be verified.

vBook is different from iPASS and MyQ. iPASS is a true mastery-based program in which students must master content before moving forward. MyQ consists of queues created by teacher, and the student can only work in the content a teacher includes, also verifying mastery before advancing. vBook on the other hand, allows a student to learn any topic or lesson at any time.

Monitoring vBook reports you can quickly and easily verify that students are learning the content you assign, and not something else. As in a textbook, or other easy-access content, it is always possible for students to select the wrong lesson, but you can use reports to keep them on track.

In Conjunction with Other iLearn Programs

Students could have access to a number of different iLearn programs. Each can be used independently, in conjunction with another specific program, or all other iLearn programs.

vBook and All Other Programs

The five programs and basic functionality are:

vBook – a student-choice instructional program giving access to any content at any time.
iPASS – a mastery-based instructional program that delivers only the content needed, starting with the earliest knowledge gap. Students proceed sequentially to higher content, based on skipping content by passing Challenge (Pre) Tests, and by passing Mastery (Post) Tests, with the program making content delivery decisions based on student performance.
MyQ – a teacher-controlled instructional program in which teachers assign queues of grouped content. Students can only access the content the teacher assigns, and only as assigned, in a Fixed Order or Any Order.
iKnow – a teacher-controlled assessment program allowing teachers to assign tests. Students can only access the tests assigned, which include benchmark, universal screener, and progress monitoring tests.
ThinkFast! – a mastery-based instructional program for fluency on basic math facts that delivers only the content a student needs. Students proceed sequentially, with the program making content delivery decisions based on student performance.

iLearn offers programs with content controlled by you the teacher, or the student, or the computer. We suggest understanding each program and planning a strategy to meet your goals. However, here are some suggestions on how to get started:

Start the school year off with a Universal Screening assessment in iKnow. This will allow you to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each student at prior grade levels.
Use iPASS with at-risk students, with advanced students, or ALL students to address critical needs below grade level, solidify grade level competence, and provide opportunities grade level
Use MyQ and/or vBook to assign grade level content to all students. Use vBook for verbal or written assignments, or MyQ to control access to the content.
Use ThinkFast! for any and all students who need extra fluency practice, or have difficulty passing the fluency sections in iPASS.

vBook by Itself

You can use vBook in limitless ways, but we suggest you use it to benefit your students the most. Use it to assign students homework, by having them complete a specific topic or lesson at home. Use it to supplement classroom instruction by having students complete practice sections on the topics covered in class, or by presenting Lesson Instruction in class. Also use vBook as a test preparation tool to review topics before a test. With such flexibility, vBook can help you and your students in any learning environment.