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Riverdeep Software Usage of
New Hanover County Schools Secondary Teachers
by Beth Allred: System Analyst Patsy McQuiston: System Analyst Presented to Dr. John Morris: Superintendent
05/06/02
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Executive
Summary * Problem Statement * Proposed
Soluton * Delivery System * Product
List * Project Phases
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The New Hanover County Public Schools Technology department maintains
the network, software, projects, technical support, and staff development for
all the schools in the county. The
installation and use of the networked Riverdeep
software began at the beginning of the semester in all five high schools. Currently only twenty percent of New Hanover
County secondary Math, Science, and English teachers are integrating Riverdeep software in their
classrooms. This information is based
on lesson plans submitted by the teachers, observations by administration,
computer lab schedules, surveys, and interviews.
The goal of the technology department is for one hundred percent of New
Hanover County secondary Math, Science, and English teachers to integrate the
use of this software to supplement their instructional methods. This goal is part of New Hanover County’s
mission to integrate technology skills into the total learning environment.
Teachers will make use of various programs and teaching strategies to increase
technology integration in accordance with the NC Standard Course of Study.
Currently only twenty percent are using the Riverdeep software.
Instructional technologists agree that the problem originated from the
training offered to teachers. Riverdeep training conducted at the beginning
of the school year focused mainly on the technical aspects of the
software. Teachers learned how to
operate the software but did not receive training on integrated lesson plans. Due to the low number of teachers using the
software in each school, it is perceived by other teachers that the software is
not useful or beneficial. Teachers also
do not have much time available to create new units to include the
technology.
In order to increase the use of the software the technology department
must redesign the training materials to include successful lesson plans that
classroom teachers can use. The
instructional technologists’ training will be offered and delivered by
innovative teachers who have had success in the classroom with this
software. Training times will vary so
that teachers will have options in order to attend a session that best fits
their schedules. The technology
department should provide one day “mini-sabbaticals” for teachers who are opinion
leaders and are interested in designing units that their teams can use to
integrate the Riverdeep software.
These interventions eliminate time constraints and negative perceptions
of using this software. Once the
teachers have completed a new training session, they will have a packet of resource
materials to help guide the process of implementation. Included in the packet are lesson plans,
handouts, and technical guides.
The New Hanover County Technology Department installed the Riverdeep software into the high
schools’ network and provided training for teachers. The training was developed by a group of software experts from
the Riverdeep Company. Classroom teachers gathered in the
technology department labs and received training from Riverdeep instructors.
After several months of school, the technology department identified
only twenty percent of New Hanover County secondary Math, Science, and English
teachers that are currently integrating Riverdeep
software in their classrooms. This
information is based on lesson plans submitted by the teachers and computer
resource teachers, observations of classrooms and lab activities by
administration, computer lab schedules, surveys, and interviews of the
faculty. The goal of the technology
department is for one hundred percent of New Hanover County secondary Math,
Science, and English teachers to integrate the use of this software to
supplement their instructional methods. Computer lab schedules and lesson plans
submitted will represent the percentage desired.
By increasing the use of the software, technology integration increases
within the curriculum in the high schools.
Using new software programs in these schools to increase technology
integration in accordance with the NC Standard Course of Study, provides a model for more programs to
follow. A success rate with Riverdeep in the high schools will
provide an example of how middle and elementary schools can also accomplish
this goal with innovative software tools.
An instructor-led Riverdeep
Software Integration training is recommended.
This new set of training goes beyond the Introductory Riverdeep session. The introductory
session only focused on the operation of the software. Software integration
will be the primary objective or goal for the new session. The integration will include materials that
each teacher can begin using immediately in their lessons using Riverdeep.
Integration of the software should be the focus when designing a new
training session. The major difference
in designing this training and the previous training is that the instructional
technologists and computer resource teachers should collaborate with the
successful classroom users of Riverdeep.
Collaboration would add components to the training materials and delivery such
as sample lesson plans, successful classroom activities, and hands on
demonstrations of actual lessons.
Classroom teachers should conduct the learner analysis and determine
strategies for instructional delivery to other potential Riverdeep users. Once the analysis has been done,
collaborating teams would begin designing the training session.
The proposed Integration
training will give teachers actual lessons so they do not have to spend
additional time creating them.
Classroom teachers who use the software will demonstrate how the lessons
can be carried out in various classroom situations. The training will include success stories of how the teachers
were able to teach their NC standard curriculum by using the software. The experiences and hands on activities that
will be shared will provide teachers with reassurance that the Integration can
be done in their own classrooms.
The completion of the sessions would meet the needs of the classroom
teachers who currently do not use the software. Sessions would be offered at every school site for easy access to
the trainees. Primary
personnel needed for this new training already exists within the schools and
technology department. Hardware and
software needs are minimal because they are already operational.
Extended support will be provided by the CRT and classroom teachers
will ensure that trainees continue to share lessons and successes with the Riverdeep
software. A newsletter in circulation
among the high school will provide teachers with information of the amount of
software usage in the schools.
Review of Information on Delivery System
General Information
1.
Information
about instructors: Instructors will be computer resource
teachers and classroom teachers who use Riverdeep software successfully. These instructors will be a part of the
instructional design team who writes the instructor and student manuals. The
teachers and CRTs are from the high schools who are Riverdeep users and will take part in the planning and
implementation. These teachers play a
key role in the development of the training materials and delivery of the hands
on demonstrations of actual lesson plans. Consultations with Riverdeep trainers (previous trainers)
would be necessary as navigational issues may arise during the planning
process.
2. Information about the managers:
Design and development teams would consist of current school and
technology department personnel who have experience in technology staff
development, systems analyzing, and resource allocation planning. A project manager
should be hired to oversee the entire project.
3. Information
about the equipment and space: Working
networked labs exist in all the high schools in the county system. The maintenance records indicate that little
hardware support will be needed to implement this training project. Space is also available due to the current
classroom sizes and labs that exist to accommodate them. No school will need to train more than 25 teachers
at a time. Budget information is
available in Appendix C.
Product List – Print Materials
Instructor’s
Guide and Training Manual:
This manual will include a table of contents for easy navigation. The “How to use this guide” provides
explanations to the instructor about each section of the manual. The training logistics section will describe
required time and space for the training.
Number of participants, materials, length of lessons, and equipment
required must also be listed. Training
is divided into lessons and the manual provides the format for teaching each
lesson. Details included in the guide
the presentation such as objectives, time, structured activities, materials,
handouts, activities, references, and resource materials. The order of the
manual is as follows: Table of
Contents, How to Use This Guide, Training Logistics, Lessons, Presentation
Guidance by Lessons, References
Instructional
Materials for Students: The
student manual will follow the format as the instructor’s manual. It will only include a Table of Contents,
“How to Use This Guide” (modified for students), Lesson Objectives and
Activities, Handouts, and Lists of Resources.
The order of the manual is as follows:
Table of Contents, How to Use This Guide, Lessons, Resource Materials
Awareness
Materials – Brochures and PowerPoint Presentation: Brochures distributed within the first month
of school will promote the upcoming training to classroom teachers. The brochure will answer key questions such
as what is Riverdeep and who should
it. The brochure should include sample
lessons that will be given at the end of each session. A PowerPoint Presentation including screen
shot objectives covered by the Riverdeep software and descriptions of what will
be included in the training. The
presentation must explain benefits of attending the training.
Assessment
Tools: Surveys
that rate the training must be developed.
The trainees will also be assessed after the training is completed. School visits and observations of Riverdeep lessons must be
conducted. Checklists and evaluation
surveys must be created for these visits.
This project is comprised of ten phases. Each phase is contains several tasks. Each task is numbered in the description as it is numbered in the charts in each Appendix A. Team members for each task are listed in the appendices and described in the staffing plan in Appendix B. A detailed budget for this project is contained in Appendix C.
Phase 1 - 1) Start Project, 07-22-02 to 08-01-02
2)
Form
Planning Team -Once the
front-end analysis is complete, the superintendent of New Hanover County
Schools commissions The Technology Department to design and develop a new
training for the Riverdeep software.
The Technology Department assigns two of its members to head up the
project. One of these members is an
Instructional Designer. The other will
be the project manager. Their first
task is decide who needs to be involved in planning this project and design the
planning team
3)
Review
Existing Training Materials -
The Instructional Designer and the project manager bring in a subject matter
expert from the Riverdeep Company to review the existing training
materials before they meet with the planning team. This will provide information the ID and the project manager
information to present to the planning team.
4)
Project
Planning Session – This three
day session will take place during late July.
This is during the workdays before students begin school, therefore all
team members will be able to attend.
The task of the team will be to create a rough outline of the project
events and time frames. They will also
divide the tasks and decide who will need to be involved in each task.
Phase 2 –5) Content Analysis, 08-01-02 to 09-09-02
6)
Learner
Analysis - The Instructional
Designer and the Project Manager along with the computer resource teachers will
conduct the learner analysis. They will
do this by observing and interviewing classroom teachers. This will provide the team with information
they need to develop the content of the new training.
7)
Task
Analysis – At this point the
team members know that a discrepancy exists between what is and what should
be. They must determine the content
needed to close this gap. The
information that they have collected about the learners will enable them to
complete a task list. This task list will
contain the steps necessary to complete the goal.
8)
Write
Objectives – Once the task
analysis is complete it will help the team divide the content into units, which
will assist them in writing the objectives of the training. The objectives will be written in clear,
concise language and will address the problems that are needed to be solved.
9)
Develop
Assessment – Once the
objectives are written the team will develop the written assessment from those
objectives. They will also decide if
there needs to be any performance assessment.
If so, they will develop a checklist for that as well.
10) Develop Instructional Strategies – The objectives and assessment will provide a
base of knowledge for the team that will allow them to determine the
instructional strategies needed to achieve the objectives and goal. The instructional strategies will be learner
centered.
Phase 3 – 11)
Develop First Draft, 09-09-02 to 11-07-02
12)
Develop
Instructor’s Guide – This
training will eventually be delivered countywide. Therefore, there will be several different instructors. The manual the instructors will use will be
very detailed and provide all information needed to conduct the workshop. The Instructors Guide will be divided into
three sections, front-end materials, instructional methods, and a reference
section. The front end materials will
include a table of contents, a “how to use this guide?” section, a topic – by –
topic overview, a lesson – by – lesson list of all materials and equipment
needed, and a bibliography. The instructional
methods section will focus on how the workshop should be conducted. This section will include a complete copy of
the student guide, handouts, and any background readings on content and
equipment.
13)
Develop
Instructional Materials for Students – With the instructor guide developed, the team will turn their focus to
the student guide. The student guide
will be divided into two sections, front-end materials and lesson
materials. The front-end materials will
include a table of contents, a “how to use this guide?’ section, an overview of
the content, what is expected of the student, and a glossary of terms. The lesson material will include objectives,
a list of materials needed, relevant time consideration, step-by-step
instructions for each lesson, and assessments.
14)
Develop
Media – These are the
materials that the instructor will need to present the content. They include overheads and a power point
presentation.
15)
Formative
Evaluation Instruments- This
team will develop questionnaires that will be used to evaluate the first draft
of the material. These questionnaires
will be used in the three evaluations of the materials. These evaluations are one on one, small
group and field trials.
16)
Print
First Draft of All Materials-
Once the drafts are complete they must be printed for the one on one
evaluations. One copy of the
instructors guide with media materials and three copies of the student guide
will be needed.
Phase 4 – 17) Conduct Formative Evaluations,
11-07-02 to 11-28-02
18)
One on
One Evaluations and Revisions – Once the materials are printed the Computer Resource Teachers along with
the Instructional Designer and Project Manager will conduct the one on one
field trials with the target learners who are classroom teachers. During these evaluations the team will be
looking for errors in the materials as well as instructional problems. The learners will be observed and
interviewed throughout the evaluation.
They will provide feedback on content and presentation. Based on the information from these evaluations
the writer/editor will complete the revisions necessary and re-print the
materials for the next evaluation.
Fifteen copies will be needed.
19)
Small
Group Evaluations – This
evaluation will be more focused on how the workshop will actually be conducted. The learners will fill out a formative
evaluation questionnaire upon completion of the trial. This evaluation will provide information on
timing, sequence of instruction, the success rate of the instructional methods,
and any errors in the material that were not detected in the first
evaluation. The information collected
from this evaluation will also be given to the writer/editor to make
revisions. The materials will then be
re-printed for the final evaluation before implementation.
20)
Field Trial Evaluations and Revisions – The
final trial of the material will be the most like the implementation of the
material. One workshop will be
conducted at a school in the county.
The learners will evaluate the material on content, instructional
strategies, presentation, and look again errors. The learners will complete a formative evaluation questionnaire
upon completion of the workshop. This
information will be provided to the writer/editor for the final revision. The
documents will then be prepared for the final printing.
Phase 5 – 21)
Develop Final Draft, 11-28-02 to 12-13-02
22) Prepare
Awareness Materials –The text for the brochure will answer key questions such as
what is Riverdeep and who should use
it. The brochure includes sample
lessons that will be given to the trainees at the end of each session. A PowerPoint Presentation must be created
and saved on a data CD for easy transportation. The presentation must explain benefits of attending the
training.
23) Distribute
Awareness Materials – The brochures will be sent to all high schools and
teachers in subjects pertaining to Riverdeep. PowerPoint CD presentations must be given to the CRT of each
school.
24) Revise
Materials – Based on the formative evaluations and revisions, all materials must be revised at this point
to be ready for distribution.
25)
Print Final Draft Material – All final
drafts of manuals and other print material for the workshops must be
printed. Print copies will be
distributed to each school based on the number of trainees expected to attend training.
Phase 6 – 26) Instructor
Training, 12-13-02 to 12-23-02
27) Plan Instructor Training – Instructional designers will meet with
computer resource teachers in the conference room of the technology
department. They will review the
Instructor’s manual and plan to “train the trainers” using the computer
lab.
28) Train instructors -
This workshop for trainers will prepare the classroom teachers who will be
training other teachers at their school sites.
The instructor’s manual will be explained and trainers will have
hands-on practice with the software.
Activities and handouts will be discussed and practiced
Phase 7 – 29) Final Arrangements, 12-23-02 to 12-30-02
30) Arrange Workshop Location –
With the help of
administrators the CRT must reserve the computer labs for the days of the
training.
31) Arrange space – Based on the number of trainees for each site,
the CRT must be sure that enough space is available. Labs must be reserved prior to the workshops and administrators
will be informed of the activities.
32) Arrange refreshments – CRTs will purchase refreshments for each
workshop. Drinks should include bottled
water and fruit juices. Small snacks
should include crackers and cookies. A
cooler with ice will be needed to keep drinks cool. Napkins and plates will also be available.
33) Arrange equipment – Equipment must be set up prior to workshop
sessions. (Elmo projectors, screen,
computers for trainees, network access, and manuals) Supplies such as pencils,
notepads, and floppy disks for saving work, should also be provided for
trainees.
Phase 8 - 34) Conduct Workshop, 12-30-02 to 01-03-02 – Workshops will be conducted in each school lab at times specified by the computer resource teachers. Trainers will include the CRT and classroom teachers who use Riverdeep software. CRTs at each site will conduct part of the training. Classroom teachers who have successfully used the software will demonstrate these lessons for the trainees. Activities will include hands-on practice and interactive handouts. The amount of days of training at each site will depend on the number of trainees. Trainees will leave the training with a student/trainee manual that includes actual classroom lessons that can immediately be used in the classroom.
Phase 9 – 35) Extended Support Conducted, 01-03-02 to 01-10-03– Classroom teachers and CRTs will create a newsletter that circulates among the teachers who completed the training. In the text, teachers using the software will share stories of their successful Riverdeep lessons. Additional resources for further activities will be included in the newsletter. Experts from the Riverdeep company can assist in this section of the newsletter.
Phase 10 – 36) Summative Evaluation, 01-10-03 to 01-20-02– After all training sessions are conducted within the schools, the evaluation team must review the efficiency of the training and resources. In order to evaluate the software usage, time must be allowed for the teachers to begin using the software. A time period of three months should pass and the team will then make onsite visits to each school and observe teachers who are using the software. Evaluation lists will be checked during the observations. Teachers will be interviewed. Lab schedules will also be checked. Once the data is collected the team will be able to evaluate the fully implemented program.