1. Describe the purposes for and various stages of formative evaluation of technology plan.

Formative evaluation is important because it focuses on continuous evaluation as a plan is being implemented. It doesn't wait until the end of the school year to determine if the plan was successful, it is continually evaluating how things could be done better. "Formative Evaluation is a bit more complex than summative evaluation. It is done with a small group of people to "test run" various aspects of instructional materials. For example, you might ask a friend to look over your web pages to see if they are graphically pleasing, if there are errors you've missed, if it has navigational problems. It's like having someone look over your shoulder during the development phase to help you catch things that you miss, but a fresh set of eye might not." (Northern Arizona University, 2009) Formative evaluation does not have to be an "official" process. It can be teachers simply asking ourselves, what about this is working? What is not working?


Summative evaluation will also need to occur, but the very nature of summative evaluation waits too long to address issues as they arise. "Summative evaluation provides information on the product's efficacy ( it's ability to do what it was designed to do). For example, did the learners learn what they were supposed to learn after using the instructional module. In a sense, it lets the learner know "how they did," but more importantly, by looking at how the learner's did, it helps you know whether the product teaches what it is supposed to teach." (Northern Arizona University, 2009).


2. Describe your instruments used in a formative evaluation.


A good example of coming up with formative evaluation steps can be explained in an example of a museum designing new exhibits. "Thus, in the formative evaluation stage, a hands-on exhibition needs not only exploration of audience reactions to exhibit ideas, presentation styles, etc., but also testing of individual exhibits for robustness, for ease of use, and for a match between visitors' reactions to their experience against the designer's aims for the exhibit." (McCLafferty, 1996)
Just as there are many aspects to consider in a new museum exhibit, so is there many aspects to consider when implementing new technology.


The best way to conduct formative evaluation of my technology plan will be interviews and surveys with teachers. I believe interviews will give the most and best feedback. These interviews will need to occur as soon as new computers, printers, or projectors are acquired, and installed. I will consult with these teachers to see if they feel that they have everything they need to adequately use technology in the classroom. The first interview will occur during inservice week of next year, since the district will be working on acquiring new equipment over the summer. I will conduct another interview after the first week of school is over, to see if teachers have encountered any problems using the new technology or if they have discovered that they need additional equipment (power strips, USB cords, etc.) I will conduct monthly interviews throughout the year to ascertain how the new technology is working for the teachers, and to see if they need any help.


3. Collect data according to a formative evaluation plan for a given set of technology plan or instructor presentation.

I will be collecting data via teacher interviews. There are many key ideas to keep in mind when implementing a new technology plan. "Technology initiatives are about people—the people who plan with, teach with, and learn with the technology. Relationships are key in schools, and investing carefully in people and relationships is the best way to ensure that an initiative will succeed. Building enthusiasm for a technology initiative is crucial; without it, the best laid plans will flop. To this end, we have found that soliciting—and using—teachers’ input is essential. Administrators must listen to teachers in each phase of the implementation process. Before you purchase equipment and before you plan professional development sessions..." (Overbay, 2011) 
I'm guessing there may be some reluctance among some of the teachers to use any new technology that the district purchases. This can be combatted by providing a plan to the teachers up front about how the technology should be used, and even how often they should try to use it. "Even when a purchase is highly appropriate and relevant to the school’s instructional program, you’ll need a plan for integrating the technology into instruction before the equipment arrives, or it will make precisely no difference in how teachers teach and students learn. Teachers need to see models of hardware and software in action. They should know in detail what they can expect the equipment to deliver in terms of meaningful learning activities and enhanced instruction." (Overbay, 2011)
I think the "relationship" aspect is why an interview with each teacher will be the most effective method of formative evaluation. It will be a way to analyze how well the technology plan has been executed, but it will also provide a means for me to check in with the other teachers to see if they need any help learning a new software, plugging in the right cables, etc. I will also be able to determine if enough teachers are having issues with a certain software that we need to have a staff development over this software. "Planning must reflect the instructional needs of the school as well as a realistic time frame for implementation." (Overbay, 2011)