WordCraft Project (for Island Readers & Writers)

WordCraft is an online student learning platform focused on writing developed by Island Readers and Writers, a nonprofit organization based in Maine. The program is organized around a series of writing topics including Story Ideas, Creating Characters, Building Worlds, Writing Dialogue, and Revisions. This program has targeted students in the upper elementary and middle school grades. Pilot projects were implemented during 2019 and 2020 in several Maine schools. Expanded implementation of the project is planned for Fall 2020. It was originally designed as voluntary learning experience for students facilitated by a children’s book author. Based on initial evaluation results, it was subsequently modified as a series of classroom lessons facilitated by the classroom teacher with support from the author.

Education Policy Research has conducted evaluations of both pilot projects assessing project implementation and its impact on participating students. EPR will be conducting a continuing evaluation of the planning implementation of the project. The evaluation involves interviews with teachers and students, student surveys, and review of student work.