Joy Schwartz - Beaumont ISD, West Brook HS

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

A formative evaluation of a technology plan is to make sure the goals outlined within the plan are currently in place, being properly used, and that some type of assessment is also in place.  Formative evaluation has six stages: 1) design review; 2) expert review; 3) one-to-one; 4) small group; 5) field trials; and 6) ongoing evaluation.  Each stage should produce changes, corrections and/or adjustments to the plan.  By conducting a formative evaluation on a technology plan, a district can test to see if the intended goals would indeed by addressed before the plan is set in motion.  The strength of this type of evaluation is that it is constantly being changed and re-evaluated over time.  (Tessmer, 1993)

2.  Describe your instruments used in a formative evaluation.

“The various instruments used to collect the data are questionnaires, surveys, interviews, observations, and testing. The model or methodology used to gather the data should be a specified step-by-step procedure. It should be carefully designed and executed to ensure the data is accurate and valid.” (Clark, 2010)  The district currently uses the Star chart to evaluate teachers’ self-reported strengths and weaknesses with technology use, knowledge and skills.  Surveys or questionnaires can be designed and used with teachers and with students to evaluate the use of technology within the classroom.  Observations would also be an easy way to evaluate technology use.  As far as evaluating the budget portion of the plan, one could observe and review the technology portion of the budget for each campus.  Also, observe and make note of available technological resources.  To evaluate the administrative support again one could use a survey with teachers and staff.  Also, observe the amount of technological professional development training by faculty, and the amount provided within the district.  Surveys about the district’s training for use of technology could also be conducted and analyzed. Interviews could be used with teachers, students and administrators for any goal or strategy.

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

 I would like to interview BISD graduates as well as current students to see how they would rate the district’s technology preparation for college or life after high school. I would prepare a survey of approximately 10 questions and administer that first.  Then I would add any information the students wish to share.  I would also want to know how they are currently using technology, if at all, and what their comfort level is.  I would then interview/ survey administrators and teachers from all the campuses within BISD.  I think its important that the sample group include representatives from each campus.  This would be a great way to compare and check to see how equitable the use of technology is throughout the district.  I would like to interview Lamar University professors who work with students who are graduates of BISD and review their observations of students’ technology skills.  

To evaluate the budget portion of the plan, as stated earlier, one would just need to observe the technology portion of the budget at each campus.  Also, an inventory of technology equipment found at each campus would reflect what part of the budget is being spent on technology.

To evaluate the professional development component of the plan, I would like to see the past five years attendance percentages at the district’s spring technology training.  

Clark, D. (2010).  Types of Evaluation in Instructional Design.  Retrieved April 8, 2012 from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/isd/types_of_evaluations.html.

Tessmer, M.  (1993).  Planning and Conducting Formative Evaluations.  Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.