Grantee: / The Curators of the University of Missouri—eMINTS National Center, Academic Affairs
PR Award Number: / U396B100038
Project Title: / eMINTS Validation Project: Assessing the Input of eMINTS Professional Development on Student and Teacher Outcomes
Project Director: / Monica Beglau
573-884-7202
Amount of Award: / $12,277,674
Length of Award: / 5 years
Absolute Priority: / High Standards and High-Quality Assessments
List of Partners (with states for each) / School District:
New Franklin R-I School District
Other:
CDW-G EarthWalk Intel Corporation learning.com SMART Technologies School Improvement Network Tech4Learning
Project Website: /
Description of Project: / The University of Missouri (UM) eMINTS National Center and New Franklin R-I School District will examine the efficacy of eMINTS professional development (PD) programs on the achievement of high-need rural Missouri middle school students through a Random Control Trial (RCT). The RCT will occur in 60 school districts that qualify for the project based on the geographic and socio-economic status of their populations. Sixty school districts agreed to be randomly assigned to one of three study groups for the project. Districts will receive intensive eMINTS PD (250 hours) and classroom technology (interactive whiteboard, student computers, and peripherals). American Institutes for Research (AIR) is the external evaluator for the project. The project expects to serve 10,500 students and 240 teachers over its five-year period. Project objectives and outcomes include:
  • Assessing and increasing 7th and 8th grade students' mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) performance by their exposure to eMINTS teaching styles and technology;
  • Assessing and improving 7th and 8th grade students' 21st century skills and academic orientation by their exposure to eMINTS teaching styles and technology; and,
  • Understanding eMINTS PD impacts on teachers' practice.
The project features intensive PD, in-classroom coaching, and technology-rich classrooms. Official partners: AIR, New Franklin R-I. Other partners: BrainPOP, CDW-G, EarthWalk, Intel Corporation, Learning.com, School Improvement Network, SMART Technologies, Tech4Learning, and 60 Missouri school districts meeting project eligibility requirements.
Description of Evaluation: / This evaluation is a random control trial in which 60 rural schools are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a traditional eMINTS PD intervention, a traditional eMINTS PD intervention plus an additional year of Intel Teach, and a control group. Confirmatory questions are (1) What is the impact of eMINTS PD on students' performance in mathematics and language arts? and (2) Does eMINTS + Intel Teach result in greater impact on students' performance in mathematics and language arts relative to eMINTS PD and to control? Additional exploratory questions on student outcomes (e.g., 21st-century skills) and teacher practice outcomes (e.g., inquiry-based instruction) will be examined.
Project Evaluator: / Christopher Brandt
(630) 649-6649
Organization: / American Institute for Research