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The Classroom Inc online system works only with the browsers in the list below. Our system
does not work with IE6 (Internet Explorer 6).
If you are not sure which browser you are using, please verify the version number or else
click on the following link to an external website which will display the browser version:
The system works only with the following browsers:
On Windows PCs: IE7+ (IE7, IE8, IE9+); Firefox 3+ (Firefox 3 through Firefox 9+); and Chrome.
On Macs: Firefox 3+; Safari 4+ (Safari 4 and 5+)
A. For installation information, refer to the Installation Guide, available as a PDF on your disk. Once the software is installed, refer to the simulation’s Navigation Guide in Teacher's Handbook 1. This Guide details all functions and tools available in the Teacher Panel, Student Panel, and in the simulation itself.
A. Log in to the computer as a student would (not as an administrator).Launch the simulation and go to the teacher panel, using the default password classroom to gain access.
- Add a team and exit the teacher panel.
- Enter the student panel and log in as the team you created.
- Quit the simulation (Press Alt Q on a PC or Command-Q on a Mac)
If you receive an error message during this process, or if the team you created disappears, it is likely that there is a problem with the student’s permissions to the student data folder. Please review the installation and Q & A sections of the installation guide or contact Classroom, Inc. technical support: (800) 258-0640 (Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST)
A. To change the teacher password in the simulation:
1. Launch the simulation and log in to the Teacher Panel.
2. The default password should be classroom. If it does not gain you access, use teacher.
3. Select the "Change Teacher Password” tab, and follow on-screen instructions. Your password is now changed.
A. On most school networks, both student and teacher accounts have limited permissions for software installation. Consequently, we’ve made administrative access necessary for most installations.
A. Please contact our technical support: (800) 258-0640 (Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST). In most cases, we’re able to provide alternative installation solutions.
A. Yes, but as wireless connections are volatile, we recommend stand-alone installations on laptops.
A. If your school has a reliable network and a file server visible to all users, a single installation might serve the entire network.
A. Currently our programs are locally installed and do not require Internet connectivity.
A. In order to accommodate the greatest variety of hardware, our simulations are designed at 800 x 600.
A. Our simulations are designed with school resources in mind. As a result, they can run on very low-performance processors and are ideal for NetBook and Virtual Terminal use. For more information, please refer to our System Requirements, the last section in the Installation Guide PDF located on your software disk.
A. Our software is designed to run on Microsoft Windows 2000 through Windows 7 and on Apple OSX 10 to 10.5. Later operating system versions may be supported, but have not been tested at this time.
A. The simulation does not have access to the student data folder. Either the data folder does not exist, or the program does not have permission to access the student data folder.
If you encounter this problem after installing the software, make sure you have chosen a data path that students can access when they are logged in to the computer. Please review the Installation Guide (the PDF on your disk) for more information on choosing a location for your student data. On Windows, you can choose a different data path by re-running the installer. On a Mac, you can choose a different data path by using the CRI Preferences Editor. (Review the Macintosh stand-alone installation instructions for more information on using the Preferences Editor to change the student data path.)
If you have been using the software successfully for a while before encountering this problem, it is possible that the problem has resulted from a change or a problem with your school network. The student data folder may no longer be accessible to students. Double check that you and your students are logged in to the computer and network as you normally would be. If you know where the student data should be located, verify that this location remains accessible when logged in as a student. If taking these steps doesn’t resolve the problem, please contact our technical support at (800) 258-0640.
A. The simulation does not have access to the student data folder. Either the data folder does not exist, or the program does not have permission to access the student data folder.
If you encounter this problem after installing the software, make sure you have chosen a data path that students can access when they are logged in to the computer. Please review the Installation Guide (the PDF on your disk) for more information on choosing a location for your student data. On Windows, you can choose a different data path by re-running the installer. On a Mac, you can choose a different data path by using the CRI Preferences Editor. (Review the Macintosh stand-alone installation instructions for more information on using the Preferences Editor to change the student data path.)
If you have been using the software successfully for a while before encountering this problem, it is possible that the problem has resulted from a change or a problem with your school network. The student data folder may no longer be accessible to students. Double check that you and your students are logged in to the computer and network as you normally would be. If you know where the student data should be located, verify that this location remains accessible when logged in as a student. If taking these steps doesn’t resolve the problem, please contact our technical support at (800) 258-0640.
A. Yes. Enter the Teacher Panel, choose the appropriate team, choose View Team Files on the right, and then choose the episode that the team quit out of. Click “View.” The work the team completed has been saved. Use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to review it.
A. Ensure that correct permissions have been set for the students’ account. For assistance, please contact Classroom, Inc. technical support at (800) 258-0640.
A. Using your password, or the default password classroom, access the Teacher Panel. Click the name of the team you want to change the episode for. Then click “Select Episode” on the right. Click on the desired episode, then click Done.
A. All Classroom, Inc. programs come with a Teacher's Handbook or a Simulation Guide. Both these resources have a Navigation Guide (second tab). Pages 1–2 describe how to use the Teacher Panel to set up teams.
A. Try the default password, classroom. If that doesn’t work, please contact technical support at 1 (800) 258-0640. We will send you a utility that will allow you to reset the teacher password.
A. In Mac OS X, Ctrl-click (hold down the control key on the keyboard and then click) the CRI folder and choose Get Info. Under “Ownership & Permissions,” expand the Details Section. For "Groups", choose “Read & Write.”
For “Others,” choose “Read & Write,” then click “Apply to Enclosed Items.”
In Windows, right-click the CRI folder, then go to “Security” tab. Choose "Grant Full Control" to everyone/users (or students & teacher).
A. Yes to both. Students first take a Prior Knowledge Survey to help teachers gauge their students’ familiarity with the industry and its vocabulary. The results of this informal assessment help determine how much background information students might benefit from. The simulation includes some built-in informal assessments as well—for some activities, students cannot proceed if they have provided incorrect information or answers, and for others, students receive immediate feedback on their decisions.
Our formal assessments include a written reading/language arts test focusing on comprehension, vocabulary, and writing for each simulation episode, and, for those using our Complete Learning Environment (which includes a math program), math tests that include a pretest, five math topic tests, and a posttest. Assessment scoring guides or rubrics and class assessment record forms are provided. We also furnish rubrics for evaluating writing in the student handbook and for scoring content-area projects.
A. No. Since the program is designed to improve students’ collaborative problem-solving skills (they work in teams of three), self-guided individual use is not the best application of Classroom, Inc. curriculum materials. The program software is purchased by schools to be uploaded onto individual school computers or installed on a school network.
A. The nonfiction books have been chosen to match simulation themes and to span the multiple reading levels found in most classes today. Many of the overarching themes of the books—for example, civics and justice, the environment, the arts, and sports—are also
themes commonly featured in core reading or English/ELA anthologies. The libraries, which have five copies of five books and 25 copies of one book, were originally created to be part of a balanced literacy approach and to encourage students to pick the books THEY want to read. In addition, teachers can easily pair books with appropriate reading selections in their core curriculum, choosing different leveled books to support struggling and proficient readers alike. Your teacher planner will offer concrete suggestions for incorporating the Nonfiction Library.
A. The flexibility of our curriculum makes it perfect for many extended-day, after-school and out-of-school time (OST) programs. Our program has a wide variety of activities—including projects, the computer simulation, libraries and workbooks—to engage students in ways that the regular school day often does not. We will customize a schedule to allow our various program components to fit your after-school schedule flexibly. Recent examples of how we’ve been used successfully in these settings include enrichment programs and after-school programs that require a robust yet engaging academic component to add to a recreational program.
A. Classroom, Inc.'s interdisciplinary programs focus on literacy and math skill development, and we will customize our programs to meet your students’ course credit needs. Our curriculum can be tailored to provide a program for the number of hours your students need, for example, a 27-, 54-, or 108-hour course to meet NYC course requirements. Our experienced staff developer can work one-on-one with administrators and/or teachers to develop a course that fits students’ needs.
A. Classroom, Inc.’s programs are interdisciplinary. Whether you are teaching language arts, social studies, business, or another subject, you can integrate one of our programs into your curriculum—or use it to extend your curriculum—because each program provides literacy and math skill practice, as well as practice in standards-based skills for at least one additional content area, such as civics, performing arts, health, and the environment. Our simulation industries are thematically linked to commonly used grade-level curriculum content.
A. As part of our professional development, CI stays with your class throughout your experience with the program. One of our experienced staff developers is assigned to you to provide customized on-site support keyed to the needs of your classroom and valuable implementation ideas. We might, for example, model or co-teach a lesson, or meet with a group of teachers for feedback or to address specific issues raised by the group. We make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most out of our program. Separately, we also conduct follow-up workshops on topics such as “Using Classroom, Inc. to Differentiate Instruction” or “Classroom, Inc. and Your SMART Board™: A Seamless Partnership.”
A. Teachers attend an initial full-day training session. There they get hands-on computer time to learn the simulation software, and they are introduced to all aspects of the integrated curriculum and how it aligns to local and state standards. Teachers practice using sample simulation activities and learn whole-class games that can be used to extend instruction. For small groups of teachers not located in NYC, we often conduct trainings via web conferencing. Implementation staff work with teachers at the training session to develop a customized planner which defines how our program will be used.
A. Definitely. As our program has always stressed workplace readiness, collaborative problem-solving,
the deep comprehension of informational text, and content-area literacy, it exemplifies key underpinnings
of the Common Core Standards. Find out more about how Classroom, Inc. addresses CCS's Anchor Standards
in Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language, as well as Literacy in the Content Areas and
Mathematical Practice. And go here to see full alignments of each of our simulations to CCSs.
A. Our internal research is conducted and analyzed by staff members who have substantial expertise in educational research and statistics. Director of Research Mary Schearer has a Ph.D. in Psychology; Vice President of Educational Programs Sylvia Barsion has a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation; and Classroom, Inc. President Jane Canner has a doctorate in Educational Psychology. Together they have significant experience in managing research and student testing programs and in conducting and interpreting outcome studies.
A. We routinely use end-of-program surveys to ask students, teachers, and administrators about their experience with our program. We ask them about the effectiveness of the program and its components, as well as to describe any challenges they faced. We are increasingly conducting these surveys via the web. We share these results with schools, districts, our staff, donors, and other interested parties.
We also have educational staff and consultants who visit our school sites throughout the school year and weekly during summer school. Their reports provide vital formative data to assess instruction and make program adjustments when needed. We less frequently conduct focus groups and individual interviews, usually when we are developing a new program or program use.
A. Internal and external studies have engaged students of both genders and all age, grade, and academic performance levels using the program. CI serves an ethnically and racially diverse population of students, a diversity represented in our program research. Our programs often include students with special needs or who are English Language Learners. Every effort is made to include all types of learners in our research. When CI is used in facilities for adjudicated youth, we have gathered feedback from those students, as well.
A. Scientific Research Base, a Classroom, Inc. publication, is well-documented and shows how our program is linked to the recommendations of nationally recognized education researchers in four primary learning dimensions: literacy, numeracy, problem solving, and collaborative learning. Please take a look at a downloadable copy of our Scientific Research Base
A. In CI and external studies of multiple school-year and summer programs over the years, researchers have documented improvements in students’ problem solving, collaboration, and technology skills, as well as in their career readiness and ethical reasoning.
A. The collective findings of CI’s internal research, as well as studies conducted by Metis Associates, Inc., Indiana University’s Center for Innovation in Assessment, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center, reveal improvements in students’ academic performance and applied learning related to reading and mathematics performance.
A. In recent years, CI has used the Reading-Level Indicator and Math-Level Indicator published by American Guidance Service, Inc. for pre- and posttesting. We only report aggregate results: the confidentiality of individual student data is scrupulously protected.
Here are our latest RLI and MLI results.
We also ask teachers to formally rate the extent of program-related improvements for individual students in several key areas (e.g., reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics, problem solving, understanding of careers and pathways to careers). Where student promotion or graduation is linked to successful program completion, CI also analyzes school or district-provided student attendance and promotion data, earned credits data, and standardized test scores.
A. In general, we examine three types of student outcomes, each one related to our mission: student achievement, student engagement, and
21st-century skills. We select those most pertinent to the objectives of a given program implementation. To assess these outcomes, we have used a variety of assessments including:
• standardized reading and/or mathematics tests;
• district-provided standardized test scores, attendance, and promotion data;
• teachers’ and administrators’ reports of number and type of high school credits earned;
• teachers’ and students’ ratings of student learning in reading, math, the world of work, and critical thinking skills; and
• teachers’ and students’ ratings of students’ engagement in school, confidence in tackling challenging tasks, and time on task.
A. Over the last decade, university-based researchers and private research firms have collaborated with CI to examine various aspects of our program. Since 2005, Metis Associates, Inc. has formally evaluated school-year and summer implementations for Classroom, Inc. The Educational Research Institute of America and CI have recently developed a literacy test that equates to the New York State ELA test. Prior to that, teams from Indiana University’s Center for Innovation in Assessment, the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center, and researchers from Fordham University Graduate School of Education studied CI’s work.
CI welcomes research related to our program—on topics of mutual interest. We have been pleased to have graduate faculty and students examine elements of the CI materials and approach. Those interested in partnering with CI on research should contact our Director of Research, Mary Schearer, at (212) 545-8400.
A. Yes. For over 15 years, CI has systematically examined its programs. We assess student outcomes and program implementation for regular school-day, extended-learning-time, and summer-school uses. Results of short- and longer-term investigations have provided the basis for ongoing refinement of our work.
A. The different packages of our program can be used during the school year to supplement regular content-area classes or serve as an
after-school, summer-school, or Saturday-class curriculum. For more information, see How and Where Classroom, Inc. is Used.
A. Classroom, Inc. provides customized teacher planners and comprehensive teacher training and support that ensures success in any academic situation. Simulations can be matched to both content and skills.
A. When students use our program, they make real career-world decisions while having fun. They get a first-hand opportunity to see how their academic and life skills will benefit them in real-world workplaces. Our instruction is inquiry-based and follows a learn-by-doing model. In all of our simulations, students—including those who are struggling—are the decision-makers. Classroom, Inc. makes all students responsible for their instruction, and they in turn respond positively and achieve at a higher level.
A. We encourage you to look at our results. Because our program is aligned to standards and was developed to both engage students and help them improve their literacy and math skills, students not only score better on tests after using our program, but their teachers report increased engagement and attendance. Classroom, Inc. focuses on the core academic and workplace-readiness skills students need to be successful.
A. Our research confirms that students at all levels like to learn using the computer—that they enjoy playing the role of a responsible employee working in a decision-making team and that they often discover hidden talents. Since our program themes are of interest to middle and high school students alike, it is easy to “scale up” by choosing a simulation that might be too challenging for struggling readers but would meet the needs of grade-level achievers perfectly. For guidance in selecting the best package for on-grade-level students, contact one of our business development managers.
A. All the industry-specific curriculum packages featured in our program support core literacy and math skills, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, and 21st-century skills. All focus on core content areas by placing students in decision-making roles within an industry directly related to that content area. Additionally, all are leveled, and we work with your instructional team to find the right match for your students’ grade, reading, and achievement levels. Here are some examples of program content-area matches:
The Chelsea Bank: Math; Financial Literacy
The Community Clinic: Health; Life Science
What’s Up Magazine: English; Journalism
The Green Mountain Paper Company: Life Science; Environmental Science, Geometry
West End Law: Social Studies; Civics
A. That might depend simply on how much time you have to implement Classroom, Inc. materials. The Complete package works best in semester-long courses, summer school, and in after-school programs. The Expanded package is ideal for credit-recovery and bridge programs, where instruction is limited to 50–60 hours. Our Core package is a perfect supplementary curriculum to reinforce academic skills in content-area classes. All packages provide standards-aligned skills. Classroom, Inc. supplies customized lesson planners for your specific purpose.
Of course, the best way to find out the perfect fit for you is to contact our sales team; they will provide numerous examples of how educators have used our Learning Environments.
A. We primarily serve students in Grades 5–12. We have had particular success with students who struggle in school and with unengaged or reluctant learners.