Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

Evaluation Models

Flashlight Triad Model – primarily concerned with evaluating technology and new uses of technology  find a full description at: http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/eval/eval_models.html
    

The Flashlight Model covers five distinct steps:

1. Overview and Confronting the Blob - Brainstorming and examining all aspects of a program/project/etc, including finances, resources and needs; Narrowing entire project and all aspects down to the main areas of concern (blob)
2. From Blob to Issue - Narrowing blob to specific elements of concern to be evaluated; Examples: What 3 things do you most fear will happen in the use of the technology? & What 3 things do you most want to achieve with the use of the new technology
3. From Issue to Triad - From each issue develop several “Triads”; Triads consist of:  type of technology you might employ, a specific activity that the technology enables, and outcomes expected from that type of activity
4. From Triad to Data - For the triads you have selected, generate questions to gather data; Questions can be delivered as surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc;Independent of method; At least five types of questions may be generated
5. From Data to Next Steps - Based on the evaluation data; Make decisions about your unit or course; modify how you use technology, scrap an instructional strategy, improve support networks of training/scaffolding

How would I use the “Flashlight Triad Model” in evaluating my lessons?

This model is overly complex for a single lesson or even a simple unit plan. Therefore, I would use it for whole course/semester evaluation of student success or lack thereof. Because I am going to be working as an administrator soon, I would also be able to use this model as a way to evaluate the efficacy of the lessons and methods of any given department within a school.

 

Judicial/Adversary Model – Put your lessons/projects/programs on trial 

        Find discussion at:  http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198004_worthen.pdf
 

All information is presented in favor of and against the issue under evaluation and is reviewed by a group of peers responsible for the decisions of whether to continue the program, etc. or discontinue, whether to keep everything as is or make minor or major changes. The group then comes to a consensus on what to do next. It is a system very much like putting the program, lesson, etc. on trial to determine its worth and productivity.

 

How would I use the “Judicial/Adversary Model” in evaluating my lessons?

One possible way to use this model in evaluating lessons would be to have an entire department cooperatively design and implement a lesson and then come together and review the outcome and methods of the lesson. In this case, it would not be entirely true to the model because the people who design and implement the lesson would also be the ones who would be evaluating it.

Recent Technological Innovation Within my Social System
 

In September of this year, my family switched to using smart phones with internet capabilities. While we have had internet access at home and at work, we have not previously had that access available away from those locations. At first, we expected the mobile internet to be very much just a smaller version of what we had been using on our laptops at home and work. After all, that was what we were told by the cell phone service representative. But, because the mobile internet has a bit different format, it was a bit more difficult to adapt to than we expected, but not overly difficult. Having lousy phones hasn’t helped anything, either. We are supposed to be getting better phones shortly. That will help a lot. This idea of being always connected was not something that we had really ever felt we needed. In fact, the only reason we decided to get it was because all the phones that we thought we wanted required either a data plan or a messaging plan. Since we don’t text, except just rarely, we decided to go with the data plan. This is not a technology that is incompatible with our beliefs or values, but was just an adaptation that we had not felt ready to make previously.
 

Using Situational Leadership:
Situational Leadership is the practice of adapting your style to the level of the team being led. Because this particular assignment involves the use of technology in the classroom by the teachers, the first thing I need to do is to determine the teachers’ levels of experience and current use of technology. Then, I will need to determine the technology available for the use of our teachers. Finding that our teachers are at a very low level of expertise in both technology and the implementation thereof, I realize that I must work through all 4 phases of the Situational Leadership process. With this in mind, I will design the professional development courses as a progressive series that start with direct instruction, hands-on training sessions in how to operate the different technologies available. This part (Phase 1) will necessarily be a direct management, directive role for myself, in which I will tell the learners (our teachers) exactly what is expected and guide them through step-by-step practice sessions. When that part of the training program is completed, we will be ready for Phase 2 in which the teachers will work more independently, but will be rewarded for their performance by having newer or more powerful forms of their preferred technologies available as they progress through their required training. Phase 3 is where the teachers will have reached a level of buy-in that allows the PD training sessions to be more self-directed with general goals and objectives outlined. Phase 4 is where the teachers will be so involved in the program and the implementation of technology that they will be simply need to be monitored for progress and compliance. At this stage, the training will be much easier, but the design will be more difficult because the teachers will be requesting training to specifically meet their own perceived needs.