Professional Development and Student Achievement: Making the Link

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Professional Development and Student Achievement
Making the Link

• NECC 2003, Seattle, June 30, 2003

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Generic Evaluation Model

• Predicated on technology access

• Requires evaluation at each stage

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Global Connections

• Technology Innovation Challenge Grant (1998-2003)
  in the Phoenix Union High School District,
  Phoenix, Arizona
• Comprehensive professional development and
  integration support to take advantage of a major
  infusion of technology

• Web resources (http//www.globalc.org)
• Technical support
• International teacher connections
• Ongoing, teacher-led technology training

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Professional Development

• School-based technology cadres Technology
  educator, grant facilitator, subject-area
  members)
• Annual cadre training and materials development
• Multiple-source training During and
  after-school, small-group and one-on-one,
  web-based independent study.
• Incentives Professional growth credits, bonuses.
• Evaluation Technology Integration Modules,
  Training Evaluation Form, Teacher Technology
  Survey.

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Participation in Training

• Based on 1,321 respondents to the 2003
  Technology Survey...
• 48 of teachers (636) have recorded some hours
  in GC technology training
• Of those who participated, average hrs 22
  (ranging from .5 to 230.5, with median hrs 8.5
  )
• 13 of teachers (171) have served on the cadre
• 39 of teachers (516) report taking one or more
  Technology Integration Modules

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Teacher Technology Use
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Teacher Technology Use
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Teacher Technology Use
Teachers making at least weekly use of
applications
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Teacher Technology Use
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Nature of Technology Use
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Nature of Technology Use
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Correlations with Training Levels of Use
All correlations are significant at plt.05
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Correlations with Training Growth in Use
2000-2002
Bold correlations are significant at plt.05
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Relating Students to Teachers

• Problem High school students take courses with
  multiple teachers.
• Solution
• STEX (Student Technology Exposure Index)
• Identify technology-using teachers.
• Use transcripts to tally each students number of
  semesters with those teachers.
• Compute of each students transcript taken with
  technology users.

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Teachers Who Integrate Technology
We assume technology integrators...

• Report above-average numbers of technology
  related student activities in their classes.
• Report above-average frequency of technology use
  in their classrooms.
• Have passed a Technology Integration Module or
  served on the Technology Cadre.
• Have a high Technology Integration Scale score
  when observed (criterion not used 2001-2002).

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Student Data Set
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Technology Exposure Class of 2002

• 1,677 students, incl. 982 graduates (59), 206
  retained (12), 484 withdrawn (29), 5 other.
• Examined transcripts for 2000-2001 and 2001-2002.
  
• 66 (1,102) had at least one class with a
  technology-using teacher between 8/00 and 5/02
• Avg. semester courses 31 (3 to 50)
• Avg. classes with technology users3.5 (1 to
  15)
• Avg. with tech users (STEX) .12 (.02-.67) for
  graduates, retained, and withdrawn students.

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STEX Correlations
Correlations in bold are significant at plt.05
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Summary Findings
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Issues

• STEX is useful to the extent that it is based on
  an accurate identification of teachers who
  integrate technology. Valid and reliable
  assessments of technology integration are still
  being developed (see NETS http//cnets.iste.org)
  .
• The Usual Suspects in uncontrolled variables are
  still on the loose quality of teaching, nature
  of integration, curriculum/instruction/
  assessment alignment (see CARET
  http//caret.iste.org).
• General (dispersed) interventions are likely to
  have general (dispersed) effects.
• Specific studies are needed to inform specific
  decisions.

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Beyond General Effects

• 2003-2004 study will focus on technology-enhanced
  classroom experiences that are
• Assessable
• Outcome measures exist
• Content and instruction can be described
• Comparable
• Comparison groups and alternative methods exist
• Replicable
• Based on available technology and resources
• Tied to common curriculum

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Example Teaching U.S. History

• Web-based resources and training.
• Assessable via district Criterion-Referenced Test
  (quantitative) and teacher lesson plans
  (qualitative).
• Content-specific units and professional
  development.
• Discrete cadre receiving initial training.

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Draft Research Plan
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Until next year...

• For more information on Global Connections or
  ISTE
• Talbot Bielefeldt ISTE Research
  Evaluation talbot_at_iste.org.
  (http//www.iste.org)
• Dr. Mary Ann Barden Phoenix Union High
  School District barden_at_phxhs.k12,az.us
  (http//globalc.org)