Evaluation Plan

FRIT 7237
Spring 2018

Amanda August
Angela Clark
Alicia Evans
Patrick Stieve
Introduction:

The mathematics teachers in Braxton County, Georgia will collaborate with Great

Southern University to implement the New State Standards for Mathematics. Great Southern

University will provide professional development to the math teachers of Braxton County in

order for the teachers to be able to create lessons and utilize the New State Standards for

Mathematics and Problem-Based Learning. Great Southern University will used mixed methods

of qualitative and quantitative research to determine how the plan has been implemented. The

main participants are the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teachers; however, it can include other math

teachers with a maximum of 16 teachers. The teachers from Braxton County will receive a five-

day summer workshop, as well as a period of electronic consultation with Great Southern

University faculty, and two post-workshop meetings. The workshops will consist of small group

sessions amongst participants as well as with mathematics experts, instructional design and

technology experts, and an expert on the New State Standards for Mathematics. The project

evaluation will primarily focus on four questions; P1: Were the initial experience and follow up

activities implemented as planned? P2: What is the quality of the initial program activities? P3:

Who are the program participants and how were they recruited? P4: What is the quality of

follow up and support activities?

Implementation Evaluation:

This evaluation will be used by Great Southern University and Braxton County School

officials to make sure that the initial program requirements are being met. Once teachers are

briefed and trained on the modules, they will then implement to students. This initial rollout will

be a very important event for teachers, students, and evaluators. Once data is collected from the

initial rollout, Braxton County School officials and Teachers will meet with Great Southern
University officials to discuss questions and concerns. This will serve as a great time to make

adjustments for students or for teachers. The Administration of Braxton County Schools will be

influential in making the data available to the teachers and moving forward with implementation.

Project Data Collection Procedures Timeline

Implementation Methods and
Questions Sources

P1: Were the initial Surveys Teachers will take a survey Mid Project
experience and follow Focus Groups to determine their September 2018
up activities Observations perception of their abilities
implemented as including student and needs. End of Project
planned? work January 2019
A focus group of randomly
selected participants will
be formed to collect their
experiences throughout the
project.

Student work will be

collected.

P2: What is the Observations An evaluator will observe During the program
quality of the initial the initial program. activities
program activities?

P3: Who are the Surveys A survey will be emailed Notified in the first
program participants Interviews to all eligible teachers and few weeks of the
and how were they administrators who would selection process
recruited? like to participate.
Interview will be
conducted with preference
to 6th, 7th and 8th grade
teachers.

P4: What is the Surveys Participants will complete Mid Project

quality of follow up Focus Group a survey about follow September 2018
and support up/support activities.
activities? A focus group of a select End of Project
group of participants to January 2019
receive feedback of
participation.
Summative Evaluation

There are specific actions and reports to look for in the summative evaluation. The staff

at Great Southern University will analyze data collected throughout the implementation process.

The results will be matched up to the objectives of the NSSM program. If there are issues

through any collection method the staff will refer back to the program objectives to generate

suggestions that can be made the the Braxton County School administration. Evaluation of the

PBL modules and experiences will be completed using the following table. This table will be

used to measure the effectiveness and quality of the PBL modules and experiences.

Objectives Indicators Data Sources

Create PBL Modules based
on local businesses and
industries
Create PBL Modules
addressing NSSM
Integrate technology into
PBL experiences
Implement and evaluate PBL
Modules
Module refined and uses Pre-Project Survey Observations
information from local of activities in the classroom
business
Content, tasks, and Standard Alignment
assessments are aligned to Checklist
NSSM standards
PBL modules have Teacher Walkthroughs
technology incorporated in Observation Rubric
the activities
Post survey data and Post- Project Survey
observations data to Student Work Samples
determine the use of
technology

The five-day workshop will begin on June 25, 2018. All four objectives will be covered.

Activities and topics include reviewing the New Standards, visiting the local businesses and

industries, creating Problem-based Learning modules, and instructional technology. For the first

three weeks in July, the teachers and Great Southern Faculty will refine the modules through

electronic communication, using e-mail and wikis. During the fall semester of 2018, there will

be a mid-implementation of the meeting, teacher self-evaluation of module implementation.

Observations will not only need to cover linking the modules to the NSSM, but also focus on the
Standards for Mathematical Practice. This will cover objective four with the implementation of

the modules. In January of 2019, there will be a debriefing meeting in Braxton County.

DATA COLLECTION SCHEDULE

Project Director: Nancy Jacobs, Ph.D.

Title of Project Proposal: New State Standards for Mathematics and Problem-based Learning

Data set Date of collection Instruments already Data collected by:

developed?
Surveys June 25, 2018 Yes Great Southern Faculty
January 31, 2019
Observations September 28, 2018 Yes Great Southern Faculty
November 15, 2018
January 31, 2019
Focus Groups September 2018 No Great Southern Faculty
January 2019
Interviews Immediately after No Great Southern Faculty
chosen participants

Unanticipated outcomes from the data collection process could result in re-evaluation

among Great Southern Faculty and possible additional data collection methods. 22% to 34% of

the students in two of the three Braxton County middle schools failed to meet their CRCT scores

in 6th grade. In 8th grade, only one in three students met their CRCT score. The goal of this

training and evaluation plan is to increase the pass rate on the CRCT of the middle school

students in Braxton County. Problem-based Learning projects will bring technology and benefit

students and teachers evolving into the 21st century classroom.