New State Standards for Mathematics and Problem-based Learning

Megan Anderson and Shawn Davies

FRIT 7237: Evaluation of Educational Needs and Programs

Implementation of Evaluation:
When examining the successfulness of the professional development experience for

Braxton County Schools, it is essential to examine all aspects of the project. Before you can

evaluate the outcomes or impact of a project, you must examine how it is operating, whether it

is operating according to the proposed plan or description, and whether some modification is

needed (Frechtling and Mark, 2010). To assess whether or not the project successfully operated

according to plans, the project examiner must answer the four following questions:

Were the initial experience and follow up activities implemented as planned?

What is the quality of the initial program activities?

Who are the program participants and how were they recruited?

What is the quality of follow up and support activities?

Question Data Type Collected Data

1. Were the initial Scheduling was adamant. Teachers were engaged in initial
experience and Observation and follow up activities. Some problems with technology
follow up expertise caused time to delay. May need to break down
activities standards for each grade level.
implemented as
planned?

2. What is the Teachers stated that the instruction was needed and showed
quality of the Pre- and interest in professional development. Teachers also thought
initial program Post-Survey activities were relevant to classroom practices for PBL.
activities?

3. Who are the Attendance of 6th , 7th , and 8th grade mathematics teachers
program Personal from BCS was mandatory. Three middle schools. Fifteen
participants and Interviews teachers total, plus administrator from South Braxton Middle
how were they School. Ms. Carla Lawton emailed the required attendees,
recruited? administrator volunteered.

4. What is the Work Problem-based Learning modules examined during the

quality of follow samples of creation process. Helping teachers apply real-world problems
up and support participants to their modules was successful. Integrating technology could
activities? use more instruction for lower experience.
 Overall, the initial experience and follow up activities were implemented as planned. The

scheduling remained true throughout most of the project, with only a few errors. The teachers

were engaged throughout the entire instruction, proving an interest in learning more about this

subject. Expertise in technology was an unexpected variable throughout the course. Some of the

older educators have never practiced with the technology that was demonstrated throughout the

project, such as wikis and learning modules. This variable required additional time to

demonstrate the creation and implementation of the technology. It may also be suggested that the

teachers be separated into small groups determined by the grade level they teach, so that the New

State Standards can be broken down even further according to the grade taught.

The teachers also were surveyed at the beginning and end of the project to assess their

need, interest, and ability to use the information and project-based learning activities in their own

classrooms. Using the post-project survey, it was determined that the activities were relevant to

their classroom practices, the New State Standards, and project-based learning activities.

Through personal interviews, it was discovered that Ms. Carla Lawon, Braxton County Schools

Director of Professional Development, emailed the 6th , 7th , and 8th grade mathematics teachers to

ensure their participation in the professional development course. East Braxton Middle school

has one mathematics teacher per grade level, while South and West Braxton Middle School

employ two teachers per grade level. With a maximum total of 16 attendants, the administrator

from SBMS volunteered to attend the professional development course as well.

Work samples were evaluated from the activities that took place during the project

implementation. The overall quality of the activities were excellent. The teachers were able to

apply their understanding of the New State Standards and create their own PBL modules,
applying real-world problems throughout the process. In order to bridge the gap between high

experienced and low experienced educators, related to integration of technology, it may be

beneficial to include some type of instruction on the technology to be used.

Summative Evaluation
A summative evaluation is required to determine the impact that the professional

development had on the mathematics teachers in Braxton County. The evaluation will help to

determine the worth and merit of a project and when assessing the impact of the project, one

can determine the future of the intervention (Frechtling and Mark, 2010). To determine the

impact of the project the project director will assess the following objectives:

To what extent were teachers able to develop PBL modules that were connected to local

business and industries, aligned with NSSM, and incorporated appropriate use of

technology.?

To what extent were teachers able to implement and evaluate those modules?

Objective Indicator Data Source

1. Create PBL Modules draw on Teachers will be interviewed, at which time they will
Modules content and processes have to explain knowledge of local businesses as
based on local from local businesses industries and how they were incorporated into their
businesses and industries modules.
and industries

2. Create Module content, Teachers will be interviewed, at which time they will
PBL Modules tasks, and have to explain knowledge of the NSSM and how they
addressing assessments are used that knowledge to incorporated the standards
NSSM aligned with inside of the module content, task, and assessments.
appropriate NSSM

3. Integrate PBL modules contain Teachers will be interviewed, at which time they will
technology activities that have to explain how they effectively incorporated
into PBL effectively use technology into their modules
experiences technology
 4. Implement Record of Teachers will complete a pre- project and post-project
and evaluate implementation self evaluation surveys in which they will grade their
PBL Modules Record of ability to effectively implement the PBL modules and
self-evaluation how they effected their students learning.
Through the use of personal interviews the teachers will be given an chance to explain

the creation of their module. They will be required to explain; the connection between their

module and local businesses and industries, how their content, tasks, assessments were aligned to

the appropriate NSSM, and how their activities within the modules contained technological

effective activities. During the interview the evaluator will assess level to which the teachers

accomplished each of these task effective. Interviewing also allows the evaluee an insight to

what the teacher was thinking throughout the creation of modules, with the purpose of using the

knowledge to help with correct any misconception going forward if the projection is to continue

post-funding.

The use of surveys allows for the participants to give an assessment of their abilities as a

teacher to successfully complete the tasks given to them throughout the project. The information

obtained from the surveys will help determine the success of the project in regards to the training

of the teachers, as well as inform them of ways to improve the training if the the project is to

continue post-funding.

Evaluation Plan Form

Data set Date of Instruments Data collected by:

Collection already developed

Observation June 26th-29th, Observation GSU COE and CST staff

2015 Checklist

Pre- and June 25th, 2015/ Google Forms Project Director: Carlos Hedges,
Post-project January 4rh, 2016 survey Ph.D.
survey
Personal June 25th, 2015 List of open-ended GSU COE and CST staff
Interview interview questions

Work Samples July 20th, 2015 Rubric for GSU COE and CST staff
of participants evaluating modules