Final Project – PD Evaluation

By Brian Wetzel

My Project is actually a video created with Xtranormal. The following is a transcript of the video. Click on the link to access the video.

FINAL PROJECT VIDEO

1.  Are the goals SMART(specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound)?

a.  Professional development goals that will improve all students’ learning?

b.  Professional development goals that will improve teacher effectiveness?

c.  Professional development goals that differentiates the learning?

The goal of this opportunity is to increase the use of technology in the classroom of the teacher. With the addition of iPads in your classrooms, we need to learn the best ways that this mobile technology can be used to enhance the learning environment. While we do not expect teachers to use the iPads every day, we want to see the students working with them at least 3 days a week. While we understand it will take time to develop lessons which incorporate the use of the iPads, this should begin no later than the start of the second semester, which is approximately two months away.

2.  What activities are planned?

When considering a budget for the grant that provided these iPads, money was allocated for professional development provided by Apple. This money will be used to pay for each of you to attend two P D workshops. You will start by attending one of four sessions entitled iOS Devices. The workshops will be conducted here at school and the dates for these sessions will be announced soon. Once the dates are set, you will be required to sign up for one of the four sessions provided. Sessions are limited to 16 participants and are first come, first served. This is a two day workshop that explains the basic uses of i Pads and how they can be used in educational environments. You will explore the following topics: iPad navigation, downloading and using apps, accessibility features, Podcasting, and productivity software. After everyone attends this session, each teacher will attend a second workshop that focuses on the use of iPads in your specific content area. These workshops are one-day workshops and will happen the week following the initial two-day workshops. Each group of core subject teachers will be assigned a workshop on a specific day. These dates will also be announced soon.

3.  What are the expected outcomes?

Teachers are expected to develop ways to incorporate the use of iPads in their classrooms. The knowledge provided in your two sessions will not only help with basic understanding of iPads and their general use, but also how to create content specifically for your subject area. With these new skills you are expected to use this technology to enhance the current learning environment and create technology-enriched lessons for your students.

4.  How will the learning be measured?

Post-workshop, teachers will create one lesson for their classes that will be evaluated by an administrator. Administrators will be looking at how the students use the iPads and evaluate the how much the iPad contributed to the learning goals of that lesson. The rubric for this evaluation will be made available for teachers after the workshops.

5.  How will you ensure the learning returns to the classroom?

Other informal evaluations will be conducted periodically to evaluate usage of iPads in the classrooms. Additionally, your administrators will monitor and check lesson plans and encourage increased usage of iPads, if necessary. Also, surveys will be sent to random groups of teachers and students that reflect the usage of the iPads in the classroom. Teachers will be asked to answer questions that detail the frequency of use, benefits of use, and difficulties with iPads in the classroom. Students will be questioned on frequency of use, enjoyment of class, content understanding, benefits of use, and difficulties of use. The teacher and student groups will also provide suggestions for improvements.

6.  How will you measure the outcome on student learning?

We definitely will look at student achievement and measure it through a variety of assessments. Common assessments will be administered among core subject teams, and conducted on a quarterly basis. Impact on student learning will also be evaluated through the results of your achievement assessments which as we all know are given state-wide during the spring of each year. Finally students’ growth (value added measures) will be examined over the next 3 years.