INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROPOSAL

Name of Applicant: Daniel Warzon

District/School: Gwinnett County Public Schools/ Collins Hill High School

Date: July 16th, 2017

Total Cost of Project: $18,068

Title of Project: Chromebooks for Education

To what organization will you submit this grant application in the future?: Gwinnett County Public
Schools (GCPS) Foundation

This grant is important to Collins Hill High School because it will increase student learning and

achievement by increasing student engagement through the use of technology tools. Technology

provides a learning experience beyond the walls of the classroom and allows students to experience

things they have not experienced before. The technology availability at Collins Hill High School has

increased over the years but still has room for improvement to ensure that all students have equitable

access. By providing more technology tools the school can increase student engagement, implement

research based strategies, and work towards digital equity with low socioeconomic status students and

]genders.

Every school year the local schools budget for different learning materials to increase student

learning. These materials come in a variety of avenues including print media, books, videos, and even

technology tools. Because of the great expenses of all of these resources schools have to choose on an as

most needed basis. Technology tools are often the most expensive items on the list and the school can

not fulfill all of its needs financially. This grant is important because it would provide more technology

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tools for the Language Arts and Social Studies classes. The Chromebooks would allow the classes to

access the internet quickly and reliably and use Google Tools for education, all while working to

improving writing skills to prepare students for the Gwinnett County Public Schools writing test, the

Gateway.

If the school was able to purchase these Chromebooks to be exclusively for the Language Arts

and Social Studies departments, it would increase the number of Tools that are accessible for these

classes. These tools would provide reliable access to the internet and all the learning tools that are

available. Freshmen and Sophomore Language Arts and Social Studies class focus a lot of their

activities around writing and preparing for the Gateway test at the end of their sophomore year. With

more digital access these classes will be able to work on their writing. Through the use of Google Tools

the students will be able to collaborate by working on writings together, editing each other's work, or

participating in project based learning.

Project based learning is a research based instructional strategy to increase student engagement

by involving them in real life problems. The students will then work together to solve these real life

problems. Most project based learning uses or is enhanced by technology tools. The Chromebooks will

provide the access needed for classes to engage in project based learning.

The Chromebooks will also work towards Digital Equity among the school. Collins Hill High

Schools population of 3,200 students is very diverse. Approximately 39% of the students at Collins Hill

High School receive or qualify for free and reduced lunch that creates a digital divide amongst the

population of the school. Though we strive to make sure that every student has equal access inside the

school building and out the divide is still present. It is our responsibility to provide way to ensure that

these students can have access in order to lower the achievement gaps in these students.

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Instructional Objectives

1. Use Research-based instructional strategies on as frequent basis

2. Assign activities that promote higher-order thinking

3. Differentiate in all assignments to meet learning styles of students

4. Increase student achievement scores on local, county, and state testing

5. Utilize the school's LMS and access to Google Tools for Education

Through the purchase of these Chromebooks the Social Studies and Language Arts departments

will gain seventy pieces of technology equipment. This project will strive to meet the vision and mission

of the school to make sure that all students are provided equitable access to technology and that students

are provided with 21st century skills that they will use after they graduate. By utilizing the

Chromebooks and project based learning the teachers will be able to increase the LoTi level of the

assignment by making it problem-based. The students will be forced to collaborate with each other,

research, utilize the tools that are available to them, and then work to solve the problem together. The

assignments will be differentiated to meet the different learning styles.

The increase in technology will also allow teachers to enhance their lessons regularly to progress

up the SAMR model. With proper implementation of research based strategies, teachers will be able to

use the technology from just using it as a substitution tool to a modify or redefine the task that the

students are required to complete. By redefining the tasks students are able to compete with technology

the students will be exposed to a deeper learning experience that was not possible before without

technology. Collins Hill High School has technology, but with this project it will increase the numbers

of tools available and allow for teachers to enhance the assignments on a more regular basis. Teachers

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will be able to utilize the schools LMS system more by using these tools to gain access. The teachers

will also have more access to Google Tools for Education.

This project will be completed by contacting a sales agent at Google once the appropriate funds

are granted. The agent will complete our order of seventy chromebooks and 2 storage/charging carts.

Once the Chromebooks and carts arrive they will be connected to our network by the school LSTC.

Chromebooks require Google accounts for sign in which is something that all students at Collins Hill

High School already have. Once checked in and set-up the carts will become available for reservation

just for Social Studies and Language Arts classes. This project will impact approximately 70 staff

members and all of the students in the school. The teachers will also be receiving training on the best

instructional based strategies using technology through professional development opportunities.

The timeline for assessing accomplishments and meeting objectives will be done with monthly

checks. The students will be assessed through the state and local standards that are provided for Social

Studies and Language Arts. The students will be assessed on what they have learned through local,

county, and state assessments. The use of the technology tools and the level of technology integration

will be assessed by administration walk throughs and the monitoring of eClass pages. By monitoring

student success and keeping track of teacher implementation we will be able to tell if the project has

truly affected the school in a positive way. The overall usage of the Chromebooks will also be monitored

by the check-out and reservation time sheets.

I am asking the the grant be made for fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). The remaining amount

will be will be asked to be funded by the local school education foundation called Collins Hill Education

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Foundation (CHEF). Based on the internet quote the following items can be purchased at the following

prices:

Proposed Budget:

A. 70 Chromebooks - $15,470
B. 2 Anywhere Carts- $2,598
Total $18,068
References

Edutopia (2007). Why Do We Need Technology Integration?. Retrieved 28 June 2017,

from https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-importance

Edutopia. (2008). Why Teach with Project-Based Learning?: Providing Students With a

Well-Rounded Classroom Experience. Retrieved 28 June 2017, from

https://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction

GCPS Foundation. (n.d). Retrieved 15 July 2017, from https://gcps-foundation.org/

Google For Education. (n.d). Retrieved 15 July 2017, from https://edu.google.com/products/devices/

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 INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROPOSAL
EVALUATION FORM/SCORING RUBRIC

Total Points (out of 200): __________

1. Impacts a variety of skill levels and/or learning styles or impacts an important target population.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

2. Clearly identifies standards and learning objectives/project outcomes being addressed.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

3. Pedagogically sound, based on research and/or best practices.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

4. Clear plan for assessment of project and goals with examples of implementation methods.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

5. Impacts large number of students and/or can be recycled/reused.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

General Comments:

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Adapted from: The Education Foundation of Oconee County, Inc.

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