About the Writers
Molly Buttitta, Head of School at Havern School in Littleton, Colorado, has dedicated over 14 years to the institution, assuming various roles such as Director of Education, Director of Enrollment Management, and Digital Marketing. Her leadership has been pivotal in supporting neurodiverse learners through personalized education and specialized therapies. Molly holds a Certificate in School Management & Leadership from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education and a Master of Education in Special Education from UMass Boston. Her expertise lies in curriculum development and educational leadership, with a strong focus on creating inclusive learning environments.
Maria Cunningham, the Director of Technology at Havern School, has over 20 years of experience in educational technology. She oversees technology instruction and coordination at the school, ensuring both staff and students effectively utilize digital tools to enhance learning. Maria holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Colorado Christian University and a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Her role involves integrating technology into the classroom, providing training and support to educators, and ensuring that the school’s technological infrastructure meets the needs of its neurodiverse student population.
Abstract
This case study examines the integration of Jotit, an educational tool, into the curriculum of Havern School, a specialized institution dedicated to supporting neurodiverse learners aged 5 to 14. Havern School's commitment to creating an inclusive environment is evident in its small class sizes, with a 4:1 student-to-staff ratio, and its provision of personalized attention and specialized therapies. The introduction of Jotit has had a profound impact on the school community. Specifically, the tool has significantly enhanced student engagement and improved handwriting skills, while also reducing instances of work refusal and fostering better executive functioning among students. This study explores the benefits of Jotit in a neurodiverse educational setting and discusses its implications for similar institutions aiming to support personalized and inclusive learning. The findings underscore the potential of targeted educational tools to address the unique needs of neurodiverse students, highlighting the crucial role of adaptive learning environments in promoting academic and personal development.
About of Havern School
For almost six decades, Havern School has dedicated itself to nurturing K-8th grade neurodiverse learners, addressing key issues such as learning disabilities, attention deficits, social skills, communication, sensory regulation, and mental health needs. The school’s multidisciplinary team—including teachers, occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, and psychologists—provides specialized instruction and integrated therapies in a close-knit environment with a 4:1 student-to-staff ratio. Customized, research-based curricula and daily personalized interventions without traditional constraints enable real-time, tailored support.
Occupational therapy at Havern enhances essential skills for daily activities and sensory regulation through personalized and group interventions. Speech-language therapists work on both functional and academic language skills via comprehensive assessments and targeted interventions, delivered in both group and classroom settings to address a broad spectrum of communication needs. With mental health professionals on campus, Havern proactively addresses students' mental health needs, facilitating individual and group interventions to create a nurturing and supportive learning environment. The school’s social skills curriculum is designed to equip students with tools to understand and navigate social interactions, crucial for building relationships and thriving in the community. As an independent school, Havern adapts immediately to individual learning styles, providing personalized support that encourages students to reach their full potential.
Havern School serves students with diverse learning profiles, often including mild, moderate, to severe dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and other learning disabilities; ADHD and/or executive function challenges; language or communication disorders; level one or two Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); auditory processing disorder; students with complex learning profiles, including multiple diagnoses; borderline intellectual disorder; some developmental disorders; and some genetic syndromes.
The detailed breakdown of the student population is as follows:
90% of students have more than one diagnosis
63% of students have a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading, writing, or math, or a combination of two or all three SLDs
71% of students have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
40% of students have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
23% of students have a language disorder
21% of students have anxiety
Background of Jotit Learning Environment
Jotit Educational Technologies emerged in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote learning posed significant challenges for students worldwide. The company's inception was driven by David Bleicher, Jotit’s cofounder, who personally experienced his son's difficulties in managing schoolwork across multiple platforms. Recognizing a gap in the educational technology market, he envisioned a solution that would streamline students' learning processes and reduce the cognitive load associated with managing various digital and traditional tools and resources.
Jotit integrates with existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) used by schools, ensuring a cohesive educational experience. It reflects what teachers upload to their LMS in an organized manner for students. It also allows students to handwrite their assignments. Each course has a notebook section for notes and writing assignments, and sections for materials and assignments. Students can access regularly used class materials and write directly on them if they choose. Assignments have work that needs to be turned into the teacher. Students can access worksheets, write directly on them, and turn them in. Jotit also has a daily schedule showing students their classes and a daily planner for tasks. Jotit replaces the need for paper, focusing students on educational materials. Internet access is controlled, allowing students to access specific links posted by their teachers.
Jotit works on touchscreen devices—both e-ink tablets and 2-in-1/foldable Chromebooks. The e-ink tablets feature a passive, zero light-emitting screen that mimics writing on paper, suitable for younger grades. The 2-in-1 Chromebooks combine the benefits of a laptop with Jotit, suitable for higher grades with more online resources or typing assignments.
Pilot
During the last two months of the 2023-2024 school year, Havern School conducted a pilot program for Jotit, which included eleven second and third graders in addition to 13 sixth graders. During the pilot, these students completed their work that would normally be on paper on the Jotit platform, using e-ink paper-tablets. Jotit integrated with the school’s LMS, Google Classroom, keeping everything organized for teachers and students. Teachers uploaded assignments and materials to the LMS, students accessed them on Jotit, completed their assignments, and turned them in. Students could also take notes in the Jotit notebooks. According to Jotit’s usage reports, each student used Jotit for an average of 4.2 hours per school day.
The detailed breakdown of the pilot users is as follows:
2nd/3rd grade class (11 students):
11/11 have more than one diagnosis
5/11 have a SLD or combination of more than one SLD
6/11 have ADHD
6/11 have ASD
6/11 have language or communication disorders
4/11 have anxiety
6th grade class (12 students):
12/12 have more than one diagnosis
5/12 have a SLD or combination of more than one SLD
7/12 have ADHD
5/12 have ASD
4/12 have language or communication disorders
3/12 have anxiety
1 student has Oculocutaneous Albinism, which has associated vision impairments including low vision and sensitivity to light
Teachers and occupational therapists collaborated to integrate the Jotit software, optimizing it for students with handwriting difficulties. Handwriting can help in fine motor skill development and improve focus and retention (Berninger, 2012). Occupational therapists ensured the digital writing experience was comparable to paper and recommended adding a specific paper style to the software to assist the students.
Results
The implementation of Jotit at Havern School has yielded observable outcomes across various dimensions of student learning and engagement. This section details the key results observed during the pilot phase, focusing on the tool's role in addressing the specific needs of neurodiverse learners and enhancing the overall educational experience.
Increased Student Engagement: The introduction of Jotit software has been associated with a rise in student engagement. Teachers have reported increased participation in classroom activities and completion of assignments. The interactive and intuitive nature of Jotit, along with its user-friendly design, has made learning more accessible to students. Notably, a student with a history of work refusal showed a reduction in such behavior, indicating an increased interest in academic tasks when using the Jotit software.
Enhanced Differentiation and Flexibility: Jotit's versatility has enabled greater differentiation in the classroom. Educators can now tailor worksheets and assignments to meet diverse student needs, varying the format and content with ease. This flexibility benefits students requiring different levels of support and challenge. The ability to zoom in and out on the screen provides ample writing space, accommodating students with handwriting difficulties and allowing for more personalized learning experiences.
Improved Handwriting and Erasing Capabilities: Students with fine motor skill challenges have benefited from Jotit's advanced handwriting technology. The easy-to-use erasing function mitigates the frustration associated with traditional erasers. In traditional settings, students with fine motor difficulties often tear paper while erasing or leave behind pencil marks, which can lead to frustration and even the destruction of their work. Jotit's clean erasing capabilities eliminate these issues, reducing anxiety and preventing physical damage to assignments. This feature has led to a calmer learning environment, with students spending more time on academic tasks rather than dealing with the stress of erasing errors.
Decreased Writing-Related Frustrations: Jotit has reduced writing-related frustrations, leading to increased student focus on academic content. The ability to easily copy and paste text to the correct location has eliminated the need for repetitive erasing and rewriting, a common source of frustration for many students. This feature saves time and preserves the integrity of students' work, making the learning process smoother and more enjoyable. The reduction in frustration has contributed to improved attention and persistence with academic tasks.
Enhanced Executive Functioning Skills: The structured and organized nature of Jotit has facilitated the development of executive functioning skills among students. They are now better able to locate worksheets, ensure assignments are completed correctly, and submit their work on time. This increased organizational capability has reduced the incidence of lost papers and misplaced assignments, a common challenge in traditional educational settings. The integration of Jotit with the school's LMS has further supported these improvements, providing a coherent and efficient platform for managing academic responsibilities.
Conclusion
The pilot has demonstrated significant benefits to multiple categories of neurodiverse students, including increased student engagement, improved handwriting and erasing capabilities, reduced frustrations, and enhanced executive functioning skills. Feedback from both students and educators suggests that Jotit effectively supports neurodiverse learners, indicating its potential for broader adoption in similar educational settings.
Following the meaningful impact of the Jotit pilot program, Havern School plans to integrate Jotit across all grade levels during the 2024-2025 school year. Elementary students will use Jotit on e-ink tablets, while middle schoolers will transition to using Jotit on 2-in-1 Chromebooks. This expansion aims to provide students with a consistent learning tool throughout their educational journey, enhancing their learning experiences and outcomes.
Havern School’s initiative to expand Jotit usage across all grades reflects a commitment to leveraging technology to support the diverse learning needs of its students. Research indicates that while digital tools can be highly beneficial, traditional methods such as handwriting still play a crucial role in cognitive and motor skill development (Konnikova, 2014).
The Benefits of Jotit Learning for Neurodiverse Students
Key takeaways and learnings from the pilot:
Enhanced Engagement and Motivation: The increased engagement observed is particularly important for neurodiverse learners who may find traditional educational methods challenging.
Flexible Learning Options: Jotit supports differentiated instruction by providing the flexibility to tailor educational materials to meet the diverse needs of students.
Improved Handwriting Support: Jotit's handwriting technology provides a platform that closely mimics writing on paper. It offers various stylus options to fit the personal needs of each student, assisting those with fine motor skill difficulties.
Easy Erasing and Editing: Jotit's erasing capabilities help avoid common issues associated with traditional writing tools, such as tearing paper and leaving pencil marks, which can cause frustration for students.
Reduced Frustration and Increased Focus: By simplifying the process of writing, editing, and organizing their work, Jotit reduces the frustrations that neurodiverse students often face, allowing them to focus more on academic content.
Enhanced Executive Functioning: Jotit supports the development of executive functioning skills by helping students keep track of assignments, ensure they are completed correctly, and submit their work efficiently. This structure aids in developing better organizational habits and reduces the likelihood of losing important materials.
Versatile Input Methods: Jotit allows students to choose between typing and handwriting their work, offering adaptability to different learning styles and preferences.
Jotit is a comprehensive, supportive, and engaging learning tool that addresses the diverse needs of neurodiverse students, enhancing their educational experience and outcomes.
The Benefits of Jotit for Educators in the Neurodiverse Students Space
Jotit offers features that can support educators in teaching neurodiverse students. The tool simplifies various aspects of teaching and learning, allowing educators to focus more on personalized instruction rather than logistical tasks. For example, Havern uses specific lines for helping students in handwriting. These were added to the system specifically for the students in need.
With Jotit, educators can centralize assignments digitally, reducing concerns about lost or destroyed worksheets. This digital storage ensures that important educational resources are readily available, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks and increasing the time available for instruction.
Jotit also allows educators to provide feedback directly on students' work. Its integration with the school's LMS helps streamline classroom management by making it easier to track students' progress, monitor assignment completion, and manage classroom activities without relying on paper-based methods.
References
Berninger, V. W. (2012). Evidence-based, developmentally appropriate writing skills K-5: Teaching the orthographic loop of working memory to write letters so developing writers can spell words and express ideas. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 27(4), 197-206.
Konnikova, M. (2014). What's Lost as Handwriting Fades. The New York Times. Retrieved from nytimes.com.
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