5.3 Program Evaluation
Candidates design and implement program evaluations to determine the overall effectiveness of professional learning on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or increasing student learning. (PSC 5.3/ISTE 4c)
Artifact: GAPSS A and GAPSS B Review
Reflection:
The artifact that I am using to design and implement program evaluations to determine the overall effectiveness of professional learning to deepen teacher content knowledge, improve teacher pedagogical skills and/or increase student learning is the GAPSS A and GAPSS B Review created in ITEC 7460. The purpose of these artifacts was to complete a one-on-one interview with my school principal, staff and other stakeholders to create my school’s vision for technology integration, align professional learning to our school improvement goals, research sources for funding/incentives, and encompass a method of evaluating our professional learning programs. My individual contribution in creating these artifacts were to collaborate with my peers in understanding each professional learning standards through our interactive discussion boards, completing multiple case study activities to gain a thorough understanding of using the professional learning standards in the school setting, and lastly creating a GAPSS A and GAPSS B Review, so I could identify if specific standards are not addressed, emergent, or fully operational.
This artifact demonstrates mastery of the standard/element under which it is placed, because I had interview key personnel in my school to understand our school's vision for technology integration. Then I designed and implemented program evaluations by drafting the GAPSS A. After completing the GAPSS A, I gleaned that many school systems still fail to adequately integrate technology to enhance learning outcomes for students, because technology is used as a “quick fix prescription”. Furthermore, I researched my school's mission, vision, and LSPI (Local School Improvement Plan), to see if our current professional learning is aligned to our school’s goals. In addition, my school continues to provide department chairs, teachers, and collaborative team leaders with professional learning on the use of Gwinnett County Quality Plus Teaching, literacy, math, and writing strategies to improve local and district test scores. To increase graduation rates, many training sessions are now offered on classroom management, PBIS, teaching students with disabilities, and connecting with at-risk youth to reduce the number of discipline referrals. Lastly, our Title I committee employs frequent staff development opportunities on parental involvement, curriculum awareness, and effective communication to ensure parents support their child’s academic achievement. To determine the overall effectiveness of our professional learning, I drafted the GAPSS B Review. This was facilitated by looking at each Standard for Professional Learning, and identifying if my school’s professional learning was aligned to the standards. Moreover, I provided insight on why certain learning standards had not been addressed, are fully operational or emergent. Recognizing that the strengths of our professional learning were that we collaborate often to analyze student data, support job embedded professional learning/collaboration, and have established many partnerships to support student achievement. Standards that are emerging for our school and outlined in the GAPSS B include instructional leadership and development, establishing a school culture of continuous improvement, and using research to make informed instructional/school decisions. To deepen teacher content knowledge and improve teacher’s pedagogical skills while increasing student learning, more professional development have been employed in my school after sharing the GAPSS A and B to my leadership team. In addition, we have adopted more technology infrastructure by utilizing a Blended Learning model, integrated a unified curriculum with common authentic assessments, and have established many PLC communities to improving learning outcomes for all of our students.
After completing this artifact, I learned that you have to collect data by personal communication with stakeholders, understand how to gain access to the school’s LSPI, and thoroughly assess how well professional learning aligns to the Learning Forward standards. In addition, I also gleaned that every school must address diversity issues and seek funding for professional learning if it is not already included in the school’s budget. This could be accomplished by seeking funding from outside resources, to having teachers employ professional development within their local schools. What I would do differently to improve the quality of the artifact or the process involved in creating the artifact, is to encourage our leadership team to share the GAPSS A and B with my entire school staff. By having the staff see what's not addressed in our school and what’s operational, I believe more school leaders will emerge and fully support the school in the continuous improvement process. In addition, I would have a specific staff development on the Learning Forward standards and have all faculty complete the case study activities that I did, to truly understand the benefits of professional learning, and how it is used to improve student achievement, learning, and teachers pedagogical practices.
The work that went into creating the artifact impacted school improvement, because more professional development aligned to the Learning Forward standards has been implemented, with meaningful outcomes for our school. In addition, many teachers are beginning to step up and take on leadership roles now that they see what the areas of improvement are. Moreover, stubborn attitudes, mindsets and beliefs that professional learning “does not help” is being eradicated, because our school data is showing tremendous improvement in our teachers instruction and students learning. The impact of this artifact can be assessed by meeting and exceeding the goals as set forth by our school’s LSPI, teachers continuing to establish PLC communities that foster change, teachers having meaningful collaborative conversations, closing the student achievement gap, improved graduation rates, better scores on teachers TKES evaluations, and students in our school meeting and exceeding proficiency on all local, state, and system wide assessments.
The artifact that I am using to design and implement program evaluations to determine the overall effectiveness of professional learning to deepen teacher content knowledge, improve teacher pedagogical skills and/or increase student learning is the GAPSS A and GAPSS B Review created in ITEC 7460. The purpose of these artifacts was to complete a one-on-one interview with my school principal, staff and other stakeholders to create my school’s vision for technology integration, align professional learning to our school improvement goals, research sources for funding/incentives, and encompass a method of evaluating our professional learning programs. My individual contribution in creating these artifacts were to collaborate with my peers in understanding each professional learning standards through our interactive discussion boards, completing multiple case study activities to gain a thorough understanding of using the professional learning standards in the school setting, and lastly creating a GAPSS A and GAPSS B Review, so I could identify if specific standards are not addressed, emergent, or fully operational.
This artifact demonstrates mastery of the standard/element under which it is placed, because I had interview key personnel in my school to understand our school's vision for technology integration. Then I designed and implemented program evaluations by drafting the GAPSS A. After completing the GAPSS A, I gleaned that many school systems still fail to adequately integrate technology to enhance learning outcomes for students, because technology is used as a “quick fix prescription”. Furthermore, I researched my school's mission, vision, and LSPI (Local School Improvement Plan), to see if our current professional learning is aligned to our school’s goals. In addition, my school continues to provide department chairs, teachers, and collaborative team leaders with professional learning on the use of Gwinnett County Quality Plus Teaching, literacy, math, and writing strategies to improve local and district test scores. To increase graduation rates, many training sessions are now offered on classroom management, PBIS, teaching students with disabilities, and connecting with at-risk youth to reduce the number of discipline referrals. Lastly, our Title I committee employs frequent staff development opportunities on parental involvement, curriculum awareness, and effective communication to ensure parents support their child’s academic achievement. To determine the overall effectiveness of our professional learning, I drafted the GAPSS B Review. This was facilitated by looking at each Standard for Professional Learning, and identifying if my school’s professional learning was aligned to the standards. Moreover, I provided insight on why certain learning standards had not been addressed, are fully operational or emergent. Recognizing that the strengths of our professional learning were that we collaborate often to analyze student data, support job embedded professional learning/collaboration, and have established many partnerships to support student achievement. Standards that are emerging for our school and outlined in the GAPSS B include instructional leadership and development, establishing a school culture of continuous improvement, and using research to make informed instructional/school decisions. To deepen teacher content knowledge and improve teacher’s pedagogical skills while increasing student learning, more professional development have been employed in my school after sharing the GAPSS A and B to my leadership team. In addition, we have adopted more technology infrastructure by utilizing a Blended Learning model, integrated a unified curriculum with common authentic assessments, and have established many PLC communities to improving learning outcomes for all of our students.
After completing this artifact, I learned that you have to collect data by personal communication with stakeholders, understand how to gain access to the school’s LSPI, and thoroughly assess how well professional learning aligns to the Learning Forward standards. In addition, I also gleaned that every school must address diversity issues and seek funding for professional learning if it is not already included in the school’s budget. This could be accomplished by seeking funding from outside resources, to having teachers employ professional development within their local schools. What I would do differently to improve the quality of the artifact or the process involved in creating the artifact, is to encourage our leadership team to share the GAPSS A and B with my entire school staff. By having the staff see what's not addressed in our school and what’s operational, I believe more school leaders will emerge and fully support the school in the continuous improvement process. In addition, I would have a specific staff development on the Learning Forward standards and have all faculty complete the case study activities that I did, to truly understand the benefits of professional learning, and how it is used to improve student achievement, learning, and teachers pedagogical practices.
The work that went into creating the artifact impacted school improvement, because more professional development aligned to the Learning Forward standards has been implemented, with meaningful outcomes for our school. In addition, many teachers are beginning to step up and take on leadership roles now that they see what the areas of improvement are. Moreover, stubborn attitudes, mindsets and beliefs that professional learning “does not help” is being eradicated, because our school data is showing tremendous improvement in our teachers instruction and students learning. The impact of this artifact can be assessed by meeting and exceeding the goals as set forth by our school’s LSPI, teachers continuing to establish PLC communities that foster change, teachers having meaningful collaborative conversations, closing the student achievement gap, improved graduation rates, better scores on teachers TKES evaluations, and students in our school meeting and exceeding proficiency on all local, state, and system wide assessments.
