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South Forsyth Middle School in Cumming will be in the spotlight this week, as reporter, Donna Lowry, and 11Alive/WXIA feature teacher Jo-Anne Jackson’s sixth grade art class utilizing a hands-on unique study site called Qwizzy’s World. Qwizzy’s World is a local business, founded by Forsyth County resident, Julie Wilson, who created the ‘make-your-own-tests’ web site to help students better prepare for quizzes, tests and exams, including the upcoming CRCTs.

A seasoned teacher and current doctoral student, Jackson was introduced to Qwizzy’s World in the fall when South Forsyth Middle partnered with Qwizzy’s World to participate in the ‘QW School Campaign,’ whereby students are invited to sign up for discounted memberships to the site, allowing the school to earn money back, based on the number of memberships. Teachers at participating schools receive free lifetime memberships to use in their own classrooms.

Jackson’s dissertation topic, as she works toward her doctoral degree, includes the use of assessments learning, and she shared ideas with Wilson about her vision for a testing system that provides immediate feedback and enables actual learning to occur during a test. Through Jackson’s collaboration with Wilson, these ideas resulted in Qwizzy’s World’s latest feature: Just Logical. This feature allows for instant scoring, enabling students to find out immediately if they’re on the right track with a concept they are studying.

11Alive education reporter, Donna Lowry, recently visited South Forsyth Middle and spent time in Jackson’s sixth grade art class, filming and observing students participating in this hands-on approach to learning. As Jackson lectured, students got to work creating questions they anticipated could be on an upcoming test, using the Qwizzy’s World program.

“I encourage other teachers to dive in and embrace a radical idea -- assign students the task of creating their own tests on QW,” says Jackson. “Adults know that the best way to really learn something is to teach it. While test making is usually viewed as a teacher's role, let’s turn the tables and have students give it a try.” Jackson says that learning will occur through the process of designing the test alone -- and concepts are further reinforced when students take this active role in their own learning.

“QW is different from other study programs because it’s not pre-packaged. It encourages students to actively engage in their own learning and t-h-i-n-k,” continues Jackson. “My students design and use quizzes as a replacement for a teacher-provided study guide before tests.”

The 11Alive feature includes interviews with Jackson, Wilson, and Chasidee Kirkham, an eighth grade social studies teacher at South Forsyth Middle who uses QW regularly in her classroom. The segment also features an interview with Forsyth County student, Kelsie McGregor, who includes QW as part of her daily studying routine.

Tune in to WXIA during the 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 news on Thursday, February 25 to view the South Forsyth Middle School segment and learn more about this unique ‘hands on’ approach to teaching.

Schools interested in participating in the QW School Campaign are invited to visit www.qwizzysworld.com for more information.

To view other education stories by Donna Lowry/WXIA, please visit www.11alive.com.