Vermont's Title II-D &quot;Enhancing Education through Technology&quot; Program. 2010-2011 Final Report
Author: Margolin, Jonathan
Date: 2011-11-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Student Projects,Teacher Collaboration,Active Learning,Program Effectiveness,Program Implementation,Program Evaluation,Grants,Incentive Grants,Competition,Interviews,State Surveys,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Professional Development,Audits (Verification),Student Motivation,Change Strategies,Outcomes of Education,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Electronic Learning,Learning Activities,Technology Uses in Education,Influence of Technology,Improvement Programs,Achievement Gains

American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted an external evaluation of Vermont's Ed-Tech Program from January 2010-June 2011. The purpose of the evaluation was to provide feedback on the implementation and outcomes of the competitive grant programs that were active during this time. The findings of the evaluation are intended to help VTDOE (Vermont Department of Education) learn from successful components of the grant initiatives--so these components can be continued or scaled up--and about less successful components--so these activities can be improved or funds redirected. This report addresses the competitive grant programs that continued or commenced during the 2010-2011 school year. The evaluation collected data from surveys and interviews with participating teachers, grant managers, principals and other key informants. Overall, grantees have made significant progress toward their objectives and are largely implementing their programs with fidelity. Professional development was considered by teachers to be of high quality and effective. The vast majority of teachers rated professional development as high quality, and nearly 75 percent of teachers across grant programs reported that their participation had a noticeable to very strong impact on their teaching practice. The Ed-Tech Program enhanced collaboration, which in turn supported implementation of the grant goals. The Ed-Tech Program appears to have promoted student-centered instruction. The majority of teachers reported that their Ed-Tech grant programs had a noticeable to very strong impact on instructional practices, with the exception of LNV (Learning Network of Vermont) teachers. Teachers perceive that their Ed-Tech grant programs have increased student engagement and motivation. Most teachers reported that their Ed-Tech grant programs made a noticeable or very strong impact on student engagement, with CBTG (Content-Based Technology Grant Program) teachers reporting the strongest impact. In the interviews, teachers noted several aspects of the program that promoted engagement and motivation: hands-on use of technology, project-based learning, and the opportunity to connect with outside experts and peers at other locations. The majority of the Ed-Tech grant programs have plans for sustainability. The Ed-Tech Program funded the creation of the VTVLC (Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative) program, which had 143 enrollments in 17 member schools during its first year. The following recommendations are offered: (1) Encourage effective professional development; (2) Provide opportunities for teacher collaboration; (3) Encourage administrators to actively support implementation of technology grants; (4) Consider expanding the programs; (5) Encourage grantees to plan for sustainability; and (6) Promote student interactions through use of discussion forums. Appended are: (1) Survey Instruments; and (2) Teacher Survey Tables. (Contains 41 tables, 11 figures and 5 footnotes.)