DeniseOgden

(School's name and faculty names have been changed for identity purposes)
 * Sardenville Middle School**

**Problem Summary ** The overall problem at Sardenville Middle School is that it has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in three years. Math and reading scores of 7th and 8th graders were below the 20% level of proficiency on the state-mandated test in the 2008/2009 school year. Because Sardenville Middle has not made AYP and it is a Title I school, it has been granted funding for a lot of technology over the past two years. Even after the surplus of technological resources, the school did not make AYP in the 2009/2010 school year. Consequently, the principal feels as though the problem lies in the fact that teachers are not using the technologies to increase learning. She strongly feels as though effective technology implementation can improve student learning, thereby making it likely for the school to make AYP. Therefore, solutions need to be sought to address the problem of teachers not using technology, and decisions need to be made regarding the technology or technologies that are more capable of increasing student learning. Some factors causing this problem may be that teachers were not trained properly. Another factor may be related to teachers’ opinion of the technologies. Lastly, teachers’ attitude about change may impede the use of technology. **Background of Organization ** Sardenville Middle School is a Title One School, which serves approximately 600 students. It is one of Richmond Counties 10 middle schools. In the past three years, Sardenville Middle School did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The school’s clientele include students in grades 6 through 8 and their parents. Information which would be helpful to plan an intervention includes a report of the type of technology available, the efficacy of teachers regarding technology, the number of teachers, and generalization of teacher’s technology ability. Annual reports regarding employee profile, enrollment, student attendance, and academic profile can be found by assessing the school’s homepage. Documents and reports relating to the type of technology the school has and the usage will be gained from the school’s media specialist. **Stakeholders and Decision-Makers. ** The people who will be affected by this proposal include students, teachers, parents, principals, and board members. Ultimately, the people who make the decision to implement the plan are the board members and the principals. Key personnel in the organization that can play a major role in helping to provide insight include: the media specialist, LaToya Groome; the principal, Dr. Monic Louis; the assistant principal, Franklin Ramsey, the master teacher Francesca Dorsey; and the district board member, Dr. Dorothy Brown. **Performance Gap: Cause Analysis ** The gap between where administration believes the school is and where it wants the school to be is achievable if the right interventions are put into place. The principal stated that she would like to see all 7th and 8th grade language arts and math teachers (totaling 16 teachers) use the Promethean Boards to improve students test scores on the state-mandated test in the spring of 2012. The Promethean Board was chosen by the principal as the technology to implement because most of the school’s funding went towards this technology. The performance gap is stated as the following: **Actual Current Performance. **Morgan Road Middle School has not met AYP in three years, mainly due to low scores of 7th and 8th graders in language arts and math. In an effort to help the school meet AYP within the next two years, the system has purchased more technologies, such as Promethean Boards, graphing calculators, laptops, digital textbooks, clickers, and even has 50 new additional computers set up in two different computer labs. In addition, licenses to online learning programs have been purchased for student, teacher, and parent use. Currently, these technologies are not being used by all 130 teachers. On a regular basis, only about three teachers use the computer programs and other technology devices, and these are the teachers who teach technology. Only about three teachers use the computer labs. Promethean Boards are not used for virtual manipulatives, geoboards, math activities, games, graphic organizers, teaching research skills, and for teaching reading skills. Laptops (which can be checked out by both teachers and students) are checked out by only two teachers on a regular basis. Occasionally, a teacher may send a student to check out a laptop to use in the classroom when the classroom computers are being used. Only three teachers, a 6th grade science teacher, and two 7th grade social studies teachers use digital textbooks. According to the system’s technology department, the learning programs are not being implemented by content area teachers in classrooms or at home by students. In short, the school has a surplus of technology resources to assist in learning and teaching, but teachers and students are not putting these tools to use. **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Desired Performance. **The principal is strongly convinced that if all 7th and 8th grade math and language arts teachers (totaling 16 teachers) would implement the Promethean Board at the beginning of the 2011/2012 school year, that students will improve by 25% on the state’s Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT). The percentage for improvement is based on an analysis of 7th and 8th graders 2009/2010 reading and math CRCT results. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> ** Performance Gap. **The overall actual performance is that teachers are not using the tools that the school has purchased to help improve scores on the state-mandated test. However, since the 7th and 8th grade scores were 25% below the level of proficiency in reading and math, the general performance gap is that 7th and 8th grade teachers are not using the technology tools to help improve learning. Although the school has many technologies, the principals chose to focus on the school’s biggest investment: Promethean Boards. The desired performance or outcome is that all 16 7th and 8th grade teachers of math and language arts will use the Promethean Board for virtual manipulatives, reading skills, writing activities, research activities, and solving math problems to increase student test scores by 25% on the CRCT in the spring of 2012. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cause Analysis. ** The principal, Dr. Monica Louis; the assistant principal, Franklin Ramsey; the media specialist, LaToya Groome; the master teacher Francesca Dorsey; and the district board member, Dr. Dorothy Brown all believe the problem developed due to too much technology coming in at once, during the 2008/2009 school year. Because the Promethean Board has become the target technology the principal wants to focus on, a short survey was constructed and put into the box of all teachers. Out of 130 teachers, only 16 responded and returned the survey to the media specialist. The survey shows the gap exists because of teachers’ unwillingness to implement the Promethean Boards due to lack of training regarding content-use and classroom management. The administrative team tends to believe that part of the reason for the existing gap is also due to too much technology infusion (See questions and responses in Appendix C). The team’s belief is on the basis of hearsay and the media specialist’s inventory of incoming technology during 2008/2009. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Organizational History and Background ** <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goals. **The goals of Sardenville Middle School are as follows: To have all 16 math and language arts, 7th and 8th grade teachers, use the Promethean Board for collaborative, hands-on learning activities in math and language arts in the 2011/2012 school year, and to have 8th graders increase their math and reading scores by 25% in Spring 2012, on the CRCT.

<span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mission and Vision. ** The school has adopted a space-related theme, “Mission Minded.” The purpose of this mission is to involve everyone (teachers, students, and parents) in the motivation of learning and teaching so that state-mandated test scores will improve significantly in the areas of math, science, and literacy. The school’s theme is prevalent throughout the building, as it is heavily decorated and designed with spaceships, stars, astronauts, and other space related material. After the morning announcement and Pledge of Allegiance, the students pledge the following: “I will do my best to learn each day to accomplish the mission of passing the CRCT” (Criterion Reference Competency Test). <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Three Intervention Strategies ** <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">The three intervention strategies selected focus on increasing 7th and 8th grade scores on the CRCT. The Promethean Board is the selected technology conduit that will be used to help increase student learning. Therefore, the intervention strategies focus on training teachers how to use the Promethean Board in their specific content area to increase the learning of reading and math. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Low end intervention. **The low-cost strategy would meet the minimum needs to solve the performance gap but most likely will not be sustainable beyond the initial period of implementation (at a cost of approximately $5,000). This low-cost intervention allows the media specialist to receive training from the Promethean Academy for only 8th grade math. This subject area and grade level was chosen because it has consistently been the lowest score on the CRCT for four years straight. Afterwards, she will deliver training to the 8th grade math teachers. The Promethean Academy training comes in three levels, with level three being the most needed level, as it deals with specific curriculum and content design. Although the goal is to gain knowledge for using the Promethean Board to teach math content, the media specialist must first be trained and gain certification in the first two levels, which are introduction to ActivInspire and basic ActvInspire. The cost for all three levels is $1,200. ActivInspire software is not included as part of the training; therefore, an additional $300 is needed (Promethean US). <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> Training takes place online, asynchronously. Each level is eight weeks long. She will need to train at school on the Promethean Board. Since the school only has a part-time librarian assistant, who comes in two days out the week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, she plans to train during these times. However, for emergency reasons involving the workload and the assistant, $400 is set aside for a substitute teacher. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> After the media specialist has completed training and gained certification, she will train all 16 teachers on the first two levels for one full work day, and train only the four 8th grade math teachers on level three for two full days. Since the school has already made curriculum maps for each grade level, the training will consist of looking at sub areas of deficiency within the math domain of the CRCT scores from the previous two years, selecting appropriate learning activities from the ActivInspire (is the instructional software that is used with Promethean Boards) software to address those deficiencies, and designing lesson plans accordingly. At $75 a day, for 16 substitute teachers, the cost is $1,200. For training the four 8th grade teachers an additional two days, the cost is $600. Additionally, a substitute for the media specialist on two days (she plans to schedule at least one day of training on the day the librarian assistant is there) of training will cost $150. Additional expenses include the $1000 stipend for the media specialist and training manuals, which costs $75. The total for the low cost intervention is $4,925. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Middle end intervention. **The medium-cost strategy would resolve the performance gap over several years’ time (at a cost of approximately $25,000). This intervention involves sending four teachers to the Promethean Academy in Atlanta, Georgia for a two week face- to-face training, during the summer of 2011. The four teachers will include: two 7th grade teachers, math and language arts, and two 8th grade teachers, math and language arts. After their training and certification on all three levels of Activinspire software for the Promethean Board, they will redeliver the information in the form of guidance, training, and modeling to the other 12 teachers of the same content areas. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;"> At $1,500 per teacher for the two-week training, the cost is $6,000. Training manuals for the four teachers will cost $400. Activinspire content-specific software will be needed and purchased for all 16 teachers, which will cost $4,000. Exactly $7000 ($1750 per teacher) will be set aside for hotel accommodations, food allowance, and gas mileage to travel from Augusta to Atlanta. Training will take place during the summer; therefore, substitute teachers will not be needed. However, each teacher will get a $1,000 stipend, totaling $4,000. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"> Preplanning consist of four days. One full day will be devoted to training the remaining 12 teachers on the first two levels of the program, which are Primary and Studio Skills Level 1. Another full day will be to orient and introduce the teachers on ActivInspire Level 2: Curriculum Developer Course. According to the CRCT Interpretation Guide, the mean number correct and percent correct are reported for each content domain. Because these numbers are based on ten or more students, they can be used for evaluating curricular and instructional strengths and weaknesses (GDOE, 2008). Therefore, continuous in-depth collaboration and guiding will take place for at least 45 minutes of the teachers 90-minute planning at least twice a week throughout the school year. Dr. Lewis, the principal will require that these sessions involve analyzing the domain areas of the CRCT test scores for the previous two years and designing content specific lessons and activities from the ActivInspire software. All lessons and activities will address the areas of deficiencies from the CRCT content domains. She expects to see at least eight interactive learning activities in the monthly lesson plans. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">The principal intends to allow the first four teachers some experience with using the Promethean Board for interactive content area activities. Therefore, she plans to allow these teachers two months to get used to using the Promethean Boards before the other twelve observes them. During this time, she and other members of the leadership team will observe the four teachers and provide feedback.

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Teachers are more likely to adopt and implement a technology if they see their colleagues doing so (Laureate, 2009). A local magnet school, in which all teachers are implementing the Promethean Board on a daily basis, has been observed and identified by the board member, Dr. Dorothy Brown, as being the model for creative, active learning activities with use of the Promethean Board. Therefore, the last part of this intervention will allow all 16 teachers to visit Davidson Fine Arts Academy for two full school days, in order to observe and ask questions from selected teachers. The media specialist and Dr. Brown will work out a schedule to allow all 16 teachers to visit the school twice at different times. When scheduled, teachers will drive to the magnet school, instead of Morgan Road Middle, and stay with their assigned mentor the entire day. The cost for substitutes for 16 teachers for two days will cost $2400. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The last phase of this plan will enable the remaining 12 teachers to visit and observe the four trained teachers. In order to accomplish this, substitutes will be needed to watch their classes. See Appendix A for mentorship training schedule. The cost for procuring substitutes for two days will cost $600. For the third day, due to shortage of funds, either paraprofessionals or members from the leadership team will sit in for the teachers who are observing the Promethean Academy Trained (PAT) teachers. The total cost for this middle-end plan is exactly $25,000. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">High end intervention. **This intervention allows all 16 math and language arts, 7th and 8th grade teachers to go to the Promethean Academy for a six day face to face training during the summer of 2011. The Academy offers a cheaper rate and discounts for groups ten or larger. Therefore, the cost of the six-day training, which includes the Activinspire software, is $20,000. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;"> Teachers will have to share a hotel room at a rate of $100 per room for 8 rooms, totaling $5600. The church, in which the school rents the school auditorium to, agreed to allow the group to use its van for free. In addition, in lieu of paying three month’s rent, the church will donate $2,000 for gas and food. Each teacher will get a $300 stipend, totaling $4,800. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;"> The last part of this intervention includes a part-time technology/ curriculum design mentor/ombudsman who is certified in all four levels of the Promethean Academy, and who has taught for 14 years at the local magnet school, Davidson Fine Arts. She works part-time at Fort Discovery, the local science center, which coordinates and plans some professional development at training in technology for elementary and middle school teachers. In addition, she is on the team of curriculum developers for the Richmond County School System. This individual, Dr. Nancy Ashe has agreed to a one year, part-time contract of $20,000. Her duties will include observing these 16 teachers, creating best-practices for instruction with and without the Promethean Board, providing feedback to teachers and the administrative staff, and trouble-shooting the Promethean Board when needed. In addition, she will help design lesson plans that address the needs-improvement areas for math and reading. Dr. Ashe will visit the school once a week, but be on standby if a teacher needs her. She will have the emails and contact number to all the teachers and is willing to hold Skype calls. The cost of this high-end intervention puts the school $400 over its $50,000 budget. However, the administrative team already has a few fundraising activities in place to get this amount. For example one idea, which has always generated at least $1000 for the school, is to have a “Sardenville Middle Got Talent Contest.” The talent show, usually coordinated by the PTSA and a few teachers, generally runs two evenings. Since the PTSA determines how the funds from the talent show will be used, the principals intend to let the chairpersons know that $400 is needed to procure a part-time technology/curriculum designer mentor to help teachers use Promethean Board lessons to increase student learning in order for the school to make AYP. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Justification for Intervention Strategy ** <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The proposal will be for the middle-end intervention because it allows for four teachers, two from each content area in the needs improvement area, to receive two-week training from the Promethean Academy. After training, these teachers, along with the remaining 12 will be scheduled to observe colleagues from a magnet school for two full days. Another benefit of this plan is that the four PAT teachers will serve as guides, leaders, and mentors to the remaining 12 teachers that were not able to receive training. In addition, planning periods will center on content area teachers (all 7th grade math and all 8th grade language arts) collaborating and developing lessons from the ActivInspire software that address the deficient domain content areas, as derived from analyzing CRCT test scores from the past two years. This intervention includes the HPT model in that it focuses on human experience from practitioners (Laureate, 2009). <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The strength in the low-end intervention is that it does allow the media specialist to have some knowledge of how to use the equipment, and allows her to share what she learned with other teachers. The weakness of this plan is that it is not likely to become implemented by the teachers because the media specialist will not have enough time to provide ongoing guidance and mentoring due to her primary responsibilities. This intervention was rejected because the budget does not allow those who actual need professional development. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The strengths of the middle-end intervention are that it actually allows the teachers to get hands on training for using the Promethean Board for 7th and 8th grade math and language arts activities and it allows all 16 teachers to observe teachers from a magnet school who are experienced with using the Promethean Board. The limitation is that the remaining 12 teachers, who also teach in these needs-improvement areas, will not be allowed professional development. While it is a good idea for the four PAT teachers to serve as the peer models for this intervention, it is not guaranteed because there is no professional, long-term mentor available to help if and when any of the teachers become frustrated. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The high-end intervention has the best chance at creating long-term changes to address the problem of teachers not using technology to improve student learning. After the training is over, teachers will still have a technology/curriculum mentor who will provide strategies, suggestions, feedback, and even trouble-shooting advice on the Promethean Board. The limitation is that this person can only be hired part-time due to limited funds. However, her credentials and job description, as laid out in her contract, will make up for the limitation. This intervention was rejected because it does not allow a big stipend to teachers due to shortage of funds. Secondly, it was rejected because it relies on additional resources from outside sources, which may not be guaranteed. Chevalier (2007) explained the importance of an individual having three important elements: knowledge, capacity, and motives. This high-end intervention contains the first two elements, but the element of motives is questionable because teachers will not be sufficiently compensated for their time. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The problem centers on middle school teachers not implementing the wealth of technologies of which the school has spent thousands of dollars to address the needs of improvement. Therefore, in one of several mini interviews the principal decided to focus on the Promethean Board as the channel for delivering instructional interactive activities, which addresses CRCT content domains. Causal analysis was done in the form of a survey regarding the use of the Promethean Boards (i.e., their ability to teach with Promethean Boards), and especially on environmental factors that possibly prevent teachers from teaching with available technologies. The policies set forth by the NCLB are critical in determining causal analysis; therefore, they must include them when considering the consequences of the changes in the proposed implementation. Consequently, the middle-end intervention plan includes analyzing the past scores from the state-mandated test to design activities and lessons that address areas of deficiencies in 7th and 8th grade math and language arts. **<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Manager’s Many Roles ** <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.25in;">Januszewski & Molenda (2008) concurred with Andreadis, “Good management saves organizational resources, increases productivity, and increases the likelihood that projects will be successful” (p. 183). Januszewski & Molenda also pointed out that specifically the role of project management involves advance planning, setting and determining overall project objectives, scheduling for each phase of the intervention process, preparing operating procedures for the project, and securing funding. Therefore, in order to meet the roles as project manager, the first step was to set up management software to help organize activities, collaborate with the leadership team and teachers focus group, and to communicate expectations. Manager software, Team Lab, will be implemented to aid in organization and collaboration with the leadership team and the focus group. The management software, which is free, can be found by clicking on the following link: [|__http://ogdenintervention.teamlab.com/products/community/__] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.25in;"> Procedures that need managing in the selected middle-end intervention include the planning of training and scheduling for the focus group (of teachers, four teachers: two 7th grade teachers of math and language arts and two 8th grade teachers), and designing formative and summative evaluations for the four teachers to determine progress of the Promethean Academy Training and software programs (Januszewski & Molenda, 2008). Collecting and recording data from the evaluation is a management job. In addition, discussing with the leadership team how the data will be used to strengthen or further prepare the PAT teachers for peer training is necessary. Another procedure which needs careful attention is the planning and organizing peer training for the remaining 12 teachers. Peer training means that the four Promethean Academy Trained (PAT) teachers will share and train others in their content area. Therefore, a convenient location, such as the media center will have to be arranged, and equipment will need to be set up and checked before training begins. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.25in;">The project manager and the leadership team has already decided to observe the PAT teachers to make sure they are using the Promethean Boards for activities learned from training, which will address students’ needs in math and language art. Therefore, the job of the project manager in this phase entails working and collaborating with the leadership team to construct documents that clearly explain and define what is expected of the first four PAT teachers, and later the remaining 12 teachers. The project manager and the principal, Dr. LaMonica Lewis has already decided to require these teachers to write out monthly lesson plans that include the use of the Promethean Board and the ActivInspire activities and have set goals for teachers to implement at least eight interactive learning activities per month. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">Since observation of adept colleagues is included as part of the intervention, the project manager must confirm that arrangements have been made with the magnet school and the teachers involved. In addition, an observational tool needs to be drawn up by the project manager to ensure the observational visits are focused. Therefore, the project manager needs to work closely with Dr. Dorothy Brown, the board member, who is experienced in curriculum design, and who has previous training experience with Promethean Boards and other interactive tools and activities, to develop an observational tool and a list of best practices for teachers and the leadership team. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">The budget needs to be controlled by the project manager and communicated with the leadership team. The project manager must meet with the principal to determine how much, if at any, of the Title One funds is available for the school to use towards this intervention. Depending on the amount available from Title One, the manager needs to find companies that give grants to schools. Therefore, the project manager either needs to write grants or work collaboratively with the leadership team to write grants to companies to fund this intervention. Within the budget, the project manager will manage money for stipends, hotel and travel accommodations and substitute pay. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">According to Januszewsi & Lewis (2008), resource management includes careful control and management of resources systems and services, the context for delivering the resources, and how the content is managed for effective learning. Resources used for this intervention include Promethean Boards, clickers (learner response systems), slates, and ActivInspire software. Therefore, the manager must work with the media technologist to make sure the Promethean Boards are fully functional, that clickers have batteries, and that the ActivInspire software is compatible. The manager must also communicate with the teachers and media specialist what to do if the Promethean Boards or software breaks down. The school system has technicians that come to the school on a needs-only basis. The manager intends to work out a schedule to obtain at least one technician to come to the school once a week to update equipment. Since all equipment brought into the school must be coded by the media specialist, the manager will delegate her to keep track of the software and training manuals purchased under this intervention. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">The delivery system management techniques include peer training, face to face training, and on-going collaborative guidance during teachers’ planning, during preplanning, and during the summer months. Four teachers will attend the Promethean Academy Training, will return to observe savvy colleagues from a magnet school, and then provide guidance and training to the other 12 teachers. The Promethean Boards and the software will be implemented to address areas of deficiency of 7th and 8th grade students in reading and math. The principal has decided to make it a requirement that teachers use activities, which involve these tools, into their lessons. Teachers will be tracked for the implementation of these tools through leadership walk-ins, observations, and formative and summative evaluation measures. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">Information management techniques will include data from observations, feedback, evaluations, and student practice tests over a period of time. The manager will need to work with the leadership team to determine a satisfactory level of use of the Promethean Boards and ActivInspire software. Data from formative assessment will be derived from the administration of practice CRCT tests to 7th and 8th grade students in the areas of reading and math. If results indicate a low or no level of student achievement after teachers’ have implemented the tools for a period of time, steps will be taken to diagnose what needs to be done in order for the teachers to improve learning. The data will be stored on a spreadsheet and compared to other evaluations and student test scores. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Financial and Budget Information ** <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> Please click on the link that follows for the middle –end financial budget spreadsheet: __ 'Technology Budget-Register'!G1:K8 __ <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Purchases can be made at the Promethean Learning Website: [|__http://prometheanlearning.com/us/index.php#__] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">For travel and lodge information, either write, call, or visit the corporate address via the following information: 1165 Sanctuary Parkway, Ste 400, Alpharetta, GA 30004; phone number is 678-762-1500; and web address is [|__www.prometheanworld.com__] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Of the many hotels available, Homewood Suites has been selected as the best offer because it provides complimentary breakfast and dinner, Monday through Thursdays, at a rate of $99 per night. ( totaling $700 per teacher=$2, 800). Homewood Suites by Hilton® Atlanta is located at 10775 Davis Drive, Alpharetta,GA 30004. Phone number is 678-775-5908. In order to get the Promethean Academy Training discounted rate, the Group Code PRO must be used (Promethean World). <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Technical Information ** <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"> Interactive whiteboards require the use of a projector, which displays a computer image onto a touch-sensitive surface, and which in turn shows images such as Web sites and software programs that are visible to all students. Additionally, the touch-sensitive screens allow the user to navigate documents and Web sites using a cordless pen, which eliminates the need for a mouse (Promethean US). The PAT training consists of seven days face-to-face workshops for the following areas: Core Essentials Parts 1 & 2, Beyond Essentials, Active Classroom Assessment, and Effective User of Learner Response Systems. Curriculum Design workshop is two days. Sample software will be used during the workshops, but content specific software will need to be purchased. The software is compatible with // Windows: Windows XP SP3 and above (XP/Vista/7) Mac: MacOSX 10.4.11 – 10.6.4(Tiger/Leopard/Snow Leopard) Linux: Ubuntu 9.10 and 10.04; Debian Lenny and Squeeze; Linex Colegios 2010; Linkat 3; ALTLinux 5.0 (Russia //). In addition, it works with third party interactive-whiteboards, but does not require a whiteboard to function (Promethean World). Promethean software typically includes the following: · Larger text, icons and buttons for increased visibility · Menus, buttons, and icons that are easily accessible and mobile · Features that increase user involvement through discussions, choice, simulation/modeling or interactivity directly with the Board · Teachers’ notes to give guidance on how to best use the software in a group teaching environment or for team collaboration Additional features may also be available within individual software titles, including: Integration with Learner Response Systems, support for handwriting recognition technology, and flipchart format for additional interactive functions (Promethean World).

<span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">**<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Project Assessment. **This project will be evaluated using several tools. The formative assessment includes Reflection Discussion Questions, (Use Source, see appendix D). Reflection is useful for formative evaluation because it allows those involved to communicate their perspectives and to share ideas and practices. Principals will use an observational tool to provide guidance and feedback (See PAT Observational Tool, Appendix E). Another formative tool will include a student questionnaire (this idea was provided by a Wiki member, ) (See appendix F). <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Summative assessment for the first phase of the intervention will measure the effectiveness of the face to face training of the four teachers who attend the Promethean Board Training from the academy (See Program Evaluation Tool in Appendix G). Lastly, to measure students’ achievement, a sample CRCT pretest (for formative use) and a post sample CRCT test (summative) will be administered to the students of the four PAT teachers only. The ultimate summative evaluation will come from the Spring CRCT test results of the students who had PAT teachers.

<span style="display: block; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">References <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Chevalier, R. D. (2007). // A manager’s guide to improving workplace performance. //New York, NY: American Management Association. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Georgia Department of Education (2008). CRCT Interpretation Guide. Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/DMGetDocument.aspx/2010%20CRCT%20Score%20Interpretation%20Guide.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F662EF7F296F10E9E7D973A1E6CF6CE5D7D6E55E97B2914660&Type=D <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). The performance gap. [DVD]. In Leading and managing educational technology. Baltimore, MD: Author. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Lopez, O. (Summer, 2006). Lighting the flame of learning for students with disabilities <span style="display: block; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"> through the use of Interactive Whiteboard Technology. // The Corporation for PublicSchoolEducation K16, White Paper, 2. // Retrieved from [|__www.cpse-k16.com__] <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Januszewski, A. & Molenda, M. (2008). // Educational technology: A definition with commentary. // New York, NY: Routledge. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Preston, C. (2009). Ambassadors for ACTIVlearning: Research into learning tools. South Hampton, NJ: MirandaNet International Research Centre. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Promethean US [|__http://www.prometheanlearning.com/us/__]

<span style="display: block; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="display: block; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">Appendices <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix A……………………………………………………………………Interview Questions <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix B……………………………………………………………Transcript from interviews <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix C……………………………………………...Teacher Promethean Board Skill Survey <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix D……………………………………………………..Reflection Discussion Questions <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix E…………………………………………………………….PATs Observational Tool <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix F………………………………………………………………….Student Questionnaire <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix G…………………………………………………………………....Program Evaluation <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">Appendix H……………………………………………………………………...Mentor Schedules





Appendix G For Middle-End Intervention

Mentor Schedules PAT=Promethean Academy Trained


 * wk 3: paraprofessional or someone from leadership team sits in for the teacher**


 * || PAT 7th grade math || PAT 7th grade language arts || PAT8th grade math || PAT 8th grade language arts ||
 * 7th grade math teacher #1 || AM—wk 1

PM—wk 2 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 7th grade math teacher # 2 || PM—wk 1

AM—wk 3 ||  ||   ||   || PM—wk 3 ||  ||   ||   || LA teacher #1 ||  ||   ||   || AM—wk 1
 * 7th grade math teacher # 3 || AM—wk 2
 * 8th grade

PM—wk 2 || LA teacher #2 ||  ||   ||   || PM—wk 1
 * 8th grade

AM—wk 3 || LA teacher # 3 ||  ||   ||   || AM—wk 2 PM—wk 3 ||
 * 8th grade
 * 7th grade LA Teacher #1 ||  || AM—wk 1

PM—wk 2 ||  ||   ||
 * 7th grade LA teacher #2 ||  || PM—wk 1

AM—wk 3 ||  ||   || PM—wk 3 ||  ||   || teacher #1 ||  ||   || AM—wk 1
 * 7th grade LA teacher #2 ||  || AM—wk 2
 * 8th grade LA

PM—wk 2 ||  || teacher #2 ||  ||   || PM—wk 1
 * 8th grade LA

AM—wk 3 ||  || teacher #3 ||  ||   || AM—wk 2 PM—wk 3 ||  || user:DeniseOgdencost for substitutes for two weeks = $600
 * 8th grade LA