Review of Schools & Families Centered on Technology Grant Proposal

S&F C on T Tech Grant Proposal.pdf

I feel that the most important components in program evaluation are:

1) Clearly indentifying the purpose of a project so that evaluation is guided both in it’s data collection and interpretation.

In the case of this grant, the project goals are clearly identified at the top of page 14 (as marked on the page, not the pdf document). They are bulleted, and set inside a box in order to have them stand out. In addition, each time one of the project goals is referenced in the text, it is bolded for quick identification.

2) Employing formative assessments in addition to the more commonly used summative assessments so that reflection occurs during the program and allows for the opportunity to change the methodology if needed. Education especially lends itself to formative assessments, as lessons/units/projects/etc. fall within definitive marking periods and are repeated on a yearly basis.

The project is based upon a small pilot that was completed in order to formatively evaluate the most effective and least effective strategies before implementing them in the larger program.
Additionally, the timeline of pp. 17-18 details a number of surveys and logs that are implemented in 2-week, 9-week, and progress report cycles.

3) Using longitudinal comparisons of mastery in order to determine improvement over time. Pretests in this case are like determining a “control” or baseline to which one may make future comparisons as the program is implemented.
The timeline on pp. 17-18 not only details numerous pretest and posttests ranging from attitude surveys to homework completion, but the grant proposal also indicates that the program administrators plan to use participant scores from the State of Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs) and Stanford 9 exams taken before entry to the program for comparison with the standardized test scores achieved during the program.

4) Triangulating the evaluation to include multiple quantitative and qualitative data sources allowing for increased reliability and potentially complete conclusions.

The grant proposes on page 16 to draw data from the following quantitative sources:
-Virginia Standards of Learning
-Stanford 9 exam
-Homework completion rates
-Tardiness/Attendance rates

The grant proposes on page 16 to draw data from the following qualitative sources:
-Log of technology uses and durations
-Attitude surveys towards technology
-Log of collaboration

In addition, various logs will be completed by the parents of the students in order to receive external corroboration of student activity at home.

5) Creating a timeline that includes both the implementation of the varied components of the project as well as the collection and subsequent analysis of the data.

The timeline table on pp. 17-18 include the “time intervals” detailing the collection of data. It also includes the “objectives”, or identification of the desired outcomes.
The timeline table includes “project activities” the participants will complete, as well as the “indicators” briefly describing how each activity will be assessed.

Overall, I am pleased with the project proposal’s evaluation plan, as it addresses each of my 5 components listed above. If anything, I imagine that by following through with collecting all the “indicators” listed, there may be too much data to expediently sift through and make succinct conclusions.