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

Evaluation Models:
There are many different evaluation models available for instructional design.  Two alternatives to Kirkpatrick's Four-Level and the CIPP is the Flashlight Model and the Spiral Instructional Model.

Flashlight Model: 
1. Technology:  Decide which technology you are going to use.
2. Interaction of technology and activity:  Did this technology allow you to accomplish your goal?
3. Activity:  What are the students going to do?
4. Interaction of Activity and Outcomes:  Did the activity help you accomplish the goal?
5. Outcomes: What students learned, their satisfaction and what changes would the students make?

The Spiral instructional design by Barry Boehm, edited and simplified by Cenammo and Kalk for instructional design purposes is an iterative design.  Iterative design is an instructional design that builds upon itself, constantly editing and building upon past knowledge and experiences.  Information I have read mentions that this instructional design follows the storyboard concept, where editing occurs constantly, like working in a circle or spiral. Each step of the spiral method calls for an instructional picture to be drawn, evaluated, and edited then repeated.  Through this method formative evaluation is taking place throughout the entire process. 

Source:  This picture is located at  http://www.instructionaldesign.org/models/spiral_model.html.  Click the link for more information regarding spiral instructional design. 

There are so many models available for you to use when planning and implementing your lessons.  Evaluation is key!  Using formative and summative evaluation, evaluating your materials, your presentation, and your students are all important factors in creating and implementing your lessons.  Our school district follows Gagne's method of instructional design which features evaluation tools within the design.  I like the idea of using the spiral method in conjunction with Gagne's, by evaluating your lesson and plan throughout each step. 

Technological Innovation:

Last year I created a blog for the high school library reviewing new books.  I was pumped about introducing it to the students, when my professor pointed out that students can click the next blog button at the top of the screen and go to a random persons blog, could be good or it could be bad!  This bothered me because I do not want to put any of my students in harms way.  I mentioned the problem to the technology director and he informed me that we could blog through our website next year!  Whoo hoo!  The new year is here and we have a blog through our website!! Whoo hoo!!  I love this idea!  The blog is very safe;  sstudents are not able to see other blogs from random people from this site, responses are monitored, I can edit the page easily, and it is connected to my website.  When the feature opened this year, it was easy to understand and worked just like the other pages available in our website system.  I created a new blog and was ready to go!    The only downside as mentioned above is that there is no RSS feed.  I wanted RSS feed because we just started a facebook page for the library and would love to link our RSS feed from our blog to our facebook page.  Good News!  I do believe that our next update of our website includes an RSS feed feature!  Now the only problem is managing my time to blog and update facebook! :)

Situational Leadership:

This assignment hits close to home!  The technology director and I are working together to create a series of professional developments for teachers implementing educational technology in the classroom.  How will I use Situational Leadership to facilitate this project? 

I think that teaching teachers is one of the hardest tasks!  Especially in implementing and learning new skills! 

* Building Interest:  I would first begin by introducing the new material to the teachers stressing the value and need for the educational technology being taught.  I think that through building interest in the technology, teachers may see how it can benefit them and how they need to know how to use it. 

*Assessing technology abilities:  Evaluating my audience's technological abilities would take place before any instruction began!  This will help me know how to instruct the teachers.  If they have no knowledge of the technology, I will need to be detailed and directive, but if they have knowledge of the technology I can move at a little faster pace and guide them rather than direct them. 

*Value:  Next I would build value into the technology being used through the successes of use and reward teachers improvements.  When teachers are successful at using the technology and feel good about using it, they are more likely to use it in their classrooms. 

*Results:  Now that they are making strides and are improving, I can ask them to create a product.  I would ask them to create a product and display it to a wiki for all to see.  (I loved this in one of my grad classes)  It is fun to see what others have created and gain new ideas and thoughts regarding the technology used.  I would then let the teachers brainstorm about a project that this technology can be used in to enhance student learning.  (making sure it is not based on the technology but the need)

*Monitor:  The project is up and running!  All the classrooms are working together using the technology!  I would be sure that I am there for support, encouragement and help!