You Can Now Share and Adopt Worksystems

Creating your Worksystems from ground up can be time consuming and challenging - especially if you are not familiar with breaking down work into small steps. Don't worry - help is on the way!

To make it easier for you, we have launched the Worksystem library. You can now share any Worksystem you have created with other users or simply adopt Worksystems from other Guides.

How it works

To adopt a Worksystem, go to "Worksystems" and click the link.

After selecting a Worksystem you like, you can use it as is or edit the Worksystem to fit your needs. Easy!

To share Worksystems, you go to your Worksystem list, select one, and hit "publish" to make it available to other Guides.

When you publish your Worksystem for others to enjoy, you can describe it and add some tags that will make it easier for others to find. 

That's it! Now, others can see the Worksystem you've created and adopt it to use with their Learners. If they make changes to it, those changes will not apply to your Worksystem - only to the one they have adopted.

Today, there are hundreds of Worksystems waiting to be adopted by you in the library. We're working on tools that will make it easier to find the Worksystem you'd like to use. This includes a search function and organization by tags (categories). if you have suggestions on how we can best improve the Worksystem library please let us know!

Thank you for using Lola!

You can now use Lola in "single player mode" (only one device needed)!

When we started Lola, we thought Lola should be used by teachers inside the classroom.

The idea was that teachers would create and run task lists for students. The students would complete the task lists. Lola, therefore, would be primarily be "driven" by the teacher (Guide) and the "receiver" would be the student (Learner).

This is still how Lola is used today. However, as we talked to students he heard that many of them wanted to use Lola on their own. Parents came to us and said their thought their kids would also want to create their own task lists (Worksystems) and run these systems on their own.

In other words, they wanted "single player mode"! In single player mode, a user is acting both as Guide and Learner. This "mode" is quite simple. All you do is to create your Worksystems, just as any Guide would do, and then run your systems from the top right menu.

When you run your Worksystem, it just shows up directly on your screen. To cancel, you just hit the cancel option. 

We're always looking for your feedback. Reach out to us if you have ideas on how we can make Lola better!

See how Lola works in this short video

We've made a lot of upgrades to Lola in the past few months. If you're new here and just want to see what Lola is all aboue - here's a quick video with just the highlights.

Lola is in use today in classrooms and at home. If you want to try it, just let us know and we'll get you a free trial account. Thanks!

An Interview with Tasha Walker

As a Behavior Intervention Facilitator, what does your work consist of in the classroom?

Typically when I work with a child in the classroom I sit across the room and watch to make sure that he or she is on task. If not I give a verbal or a gestural prompt, and sometimes I walk up to the child. I talk to him or her while they are sitting at their desk amongst their peers.

How has Lola benefited you?

With Lola this past year I have been able to monitor one of my students, and what he's working on from across the room. I can check to see what assignments that he has finished and what he is doing next. It also helps me to show what the teacher expects from my student; I know what's coming next and how long each assignment should take. If he's not on task I could message him and no one else knows what I'm saying.

There have been times in other classes where there's been down time, and I'm not sure what to have the student work on if he was finished with everything. Lola kept every student busy because they were all able to work at their own pace and not have down time or run out of things to do. This program takes my job to the next level by helping my child become more inclusive. He doesn't have an adult lingering over his shoulder to talk to him while he's sitting with his peers.

Have you had any specific challenges that Lola helped you overcome?

One of the challenges I had last year was that he got tired or me approaching him. He'd turn away from me as I walked up to correct his behavior. His peers would also hear it and stare, making it less inclusive for him. I felt bad because I knew I was embarrassing him. Lola solved that problem because I can still correct him and the other kids don't know. I can praise him and reward him with a break and no one knows but myself and the teacher.

Do you feel you've benefited from using Lola?

This program has helped my student tremendously because it helps to keep him on task. His assignments are broken down for him. He can ask questions and communicate with myself or his teacher from his seat. He has become more independent. He doesn't stand out as much from his peers. If an adult were to walk into the room and observe they might have a hard time deciphering which child was mine.

Here's what people say about Lola...

How would you know if Lola is for you? We asked a few people who use Lola daily about their experience with Lola. What do they get out of it? Here's what they said:

Did you know we have proof that Lola works for children with special needs?

“Brian” is an elementary student with an IEP who struggled to stay on task every day.

During a November IEP meeting, Tina, the supervisor at a non-public Service Provider Agency, presented the following data sheet, collected by Behavior Intervention Implementation Provider (BII's).

This student started using Lola after the summer break (September). You can clearly see the improvement in these charts:

We've summarized the findings here:

And that's why the Special Ed team unanimously wrote Lola into this student’s IEP.

Authentically and honestly establishing an inclusive classroom varies in complexity for each student with special needs, but can be a reality- with Lola helping.

Thanks to you all for getting this into schools, homes and the lives of the kids who are truly experiencing inclusion!

*Disclaimer: The data presented here is not meant to indicate that Lola will work for all children and results may vary significantly depending on many factors outside the control of the child, school, teacher, or BII's. We provide no guarantee that Lola will be effective for all children.

Lola helps at home too!

With the sucess of Lola in the classroom many parents have begun requesting to use Lola at home to help with some of the more difficult or stressful times of day. Parents are finding useing worksystems to aide with homework and bedtime routines are a huge help. Here are a couple examples of parents using Lola sucesssfully at home...

PATRICIA AND MADISON:

What was your experience at home with your child in the AM and PM before Lola?

Madison had a hard time focusing on the tasks for homework. She would get lost and not progress in getting her work completed. She became agitated and would argue about the tasks that needed to be completed. She cried while doing homework and was just not pleasant.

What were some of the challenges and examples of situations you had to manage?

Madison would come home from school and not take out her homework. When sitting down to start her work, she would stare at the work and not know how to start. Then she would get frustrated and cry.

How did you find out about Lola?

Her teacher introduced her to Lola at school.

What did you hear from your child when he/she told you about Lola?

She was excited to use a program on an iPad at school. She told me that it was a great tool.

When do you use Lola now?

Now, we use Lola for her homework routine on a daily basis.

How has it changed your situation at home?

Madison no longer argues about what work needs to be completed. It has calmed her anxiety about her work. Lola has made homework time more manageable. She is more confident in her work.

Something unexpected? Result or change with your child that you weren’t anticipating?

Madison does not have a problem organizing her homework and is now proud of her success in getting her homework completed. She does not argue while completing her tasks. She can get her homework done on her own.

Do you have additional feedback?

The program really helped for Madison to understand what she needed to do get her homework done. She is working more efficiently and confidently. I help her with corrections, but she is happy that she can get most of it done on her own. She does not like the unknown and Lola helps her get over that fear of not knowing what to do next. It has helped her with her executive functioning skills.

Madison 3rd grade

JULIANNA AND SCARLETT:

My experience with my daughter before using the Lola program was like most parents-I dreaded homework time. I don’t think we used Lola much in the morning. It was mostly for Homework and her bedtime routine.

Before Lola my daughter didn’t work much independently. After Lola she completed her tasks, took more responsibility and did her bedtime routine with little to no prompts and reminders.

One example of a situation is my daughter received up to 6 pages of math work sometimes. Completing them all at once was overwhelming. With Lola I was able to set specific amounts of time for my daughter, Scarlett, to complete each page. Then I was able to set break times for stretching and/or getting water.

At bedtime I was able to set specific amounts of time for Scarlett to brush her teeth, set out clothes for the next day and do reading before bed.

I found out about Lola from Scarlett’s former third grade teacher, Mrs. Karen Caruso.

When Scarlett told me about getting to use Lola in Mrs. Caruso’s third grade class last year, she spoke about it enthusiastically! She was excited to have been given the responsibility to remember HW assignments without me going into the class everyday and checking her backpack against what was on the board.

I use Lola now if I’d like to introduce a new routine of any kind. Lola has been a relationship saver. My daughter and I argue less when she knows I can setup a Lola routine for her to follow.

My daughter is in the fourth grade now and had trouble again remembering her homework at the beginning of the year. After we were asked to start using Lola for homework and bedtime routines, my daughter’s memory seems to have gotten better. Although, we were not able to set up tasks to help remind her to get everything she needed from her desk at school, just the act of knowing we would need everything for Lola seemed to have given her more incentive to remember to bring all of her materials home.

I’d like to add that I really love the Lola App!

Scarlett 4th grade

If you are a parent looking to create smoother transitions from after school through homework and into bed, discover what other parents have. Build the bonds and relationships, let Lola take some of the stress away, simply sign up online today. 

Lola made the cut in Charting the Course.

Lola has been named a case study for new and innovative technology in the new book Charting the Course, Special Education in Charter Schools, by Azure D. S. Angelov and David F. Bateman. 2016

You can pre-order your copy today... http://www.pubs.cec.sped.org/p6231/

Charter schools have expanded over the last 20 years, reaching 2 million students in 5,500 schools nationwide.

This book tells the interesting history of the public education system and how we have strived to serve the underserved with equality in education. It also explains how collaboration with policy makers, teachers, and parents using new ideas and innovative technologies to design individualized education programs is most effective for all students, including those with disabilities.

Case Study: The Era of Educational Innovation Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles, California

“Education is supposed to evolve. Technology can scaffold instruction in a whole new way. Ed tech should start with teachers. Teachers have the ideas and innovation to take our profession back. I feel like we’ve lived through the dark ages and are moving into an era of innovation in education.” Karen Caruso

“If your idea is driven by your students, keep them as your focus. Students should be your North Star.” Karen Caruso

Innovation was the theme of the times, and innovation could take place within the present system. Find some new idea or program, and then all that was needed was some in-service training and presto: education in your school would be improved! (Ray Budde, 1996, p. 72)

Read more with this sneak peak…. http://www.pubs.cec.sped.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/P6231-Chapt-1.pdf

Testimonial...

Testimonial:

Derrick Hill, Behavior Interventionist says:

"Lola is an amazing program, that assists students of all ages and grades to remain on task, focused, and equally important included. For example, as I walked into class one morning, I could not find my assigned student because he was so on task thanks to Lola."

__ Karen M Caruso, Co-Founder Lola Techsystems

Team Lola goes to the COP3 Summit

I got to spend an awesome day with other members of Team Lola for the COP3 Summit at the California Endowment Center! In between seminars, we had many visitors to our table, giving us an opportunity to share the benefits of how Lola helps students with Special Needs function independently in the classroom. A quick demonstration of the interactive student/teacher system is all it takes to see just how easy it is to implement and maintain.

Later in the day, Karen and Kaye gave a seminar on Executive Function and what it means in today’s classroom. Lately there’s been a lot of chatter about what EF is and what it takes to develop it. The seminar focused on what EF is, and how a lack of it significantly affects the majority of today’s students. This is a growing problem in today’s distractible world. Simply put: educators must find new ways to keep students on task and engaged if these kids are going to be and feel independently successful. Though the information in the seminar wasn’t new to me, I left feeling convinced that Lola is going change the face of learning.