990 likes | 1.01k Views
T/TAC 2 Local Improvement Plan Project. TTAC GROUP 2. Education for a Lifetime. Presented by T/TAC Group 2 December 11, 2003 Project lead: Dr Michael Behrmann. Introduction As a result of a grant from the Virginia Department of Education, we are working on
E N D
T/TAC 2 Local Improvement Plan Project TTAC GROUP 2 Education for a Lifetime Presented by T/TAC Group 2 December 11, 2003 Project lead: Dr Michael Behrmann
Introduction • As a result of a grant from the Virginia Department of Education, we are working on automating the Local Improvement plan process. • LIP process will be incorporated into the T/TAC online site under “School Improvement”. • The main goal of this online process is to disseminate success stories and to function as a performance tool for the Technical Assistants and the Local Education Administrators. TTAC GROUP 2
Project Outline Background to the LIP process Conclusions: Findings and Recommendations TTAC GROUP 2 • Analysis: • Performance Analysis • Development: • Wire Frames • Prototype • Design: • Personas • Use cases • Interface Content Modeling • Site Diagrams / Databases
Background • Community Forum • ‘No Child Left Behind’ • LIP Grants Proposals and Reports TTAC GROUP 2
T/TAC Online: As Is TTAC GROUP 2
No Child Left Behind • Three targets: • School Personnel • Service Providers • Administrators • January 8th, 2002 • Goal: every child meet state standards by the • 2013-2014 school years • SOL’s (Standards of Learning) • AYP: ‘adequate yearly process’ TTAC GROUP 2
LIP Grants • LIP (Local Improvement Plan) Grants • “Sliver” • Federal flow through money • $3.5 million • Fairfax receives the largest amount of any division: $285,088 since it has the most students in the state • LIP is comprised of Proposals and Reports • Seven section document • Focused on one or more of the five goals that are related to ‘No Child Left Behind’ program • Relates to 3 strategic directions and goals of • the VDOE TTAC GROUP 2
LIP Plan Map TTAC GROUP 2 http://immersion.gmu.edu/ttac/fall2003/group2/work/LIP/lipprocess.htm
Instructional Design Model we used TTAC GROUP 2 - Analysis - Design ADDIE - Development - Implementation - Evaluation
TTAC GROUP 2 ADDIE(Analysis)
Performance Analysis “Partnering with clients and customers to help them define and achieve their goals. Performance analysis involves reaching out for several perspectives on a problem or opportunity, determining any and all drivers toward barriers to successful performance, and proposing a solution system based on what is learned, not on what is typically done.” TTAC GROUP 2 Allison Rossett (1999)
Why Performance Analysis? • Preliminary study • Prior to a needs assessment • Task related: • Optimals • Actuals TTAC GROUP 2
Our Clients and Stakeholders • Clients • Dr. Pat Abrams: Associate Director, Special Education, VDOE • Dr. Michael Behrmann: Professor, Director Helen A. Kellar Center • Mr. Ken Olsen – Federal Technical Specialist - Mid-Atlantic region • Stakeholders • Dr. Pat Abrams • Dr. Michael Behrmann • Mr. Ken Olsen • Ms. Lucinda Zimmerman - T/TAC Online Administrator • VDOE Technical Assistance Staff (TAs) • Local Education Agencies (LEAs) • Dr. Shuangbao Wang – T/TAC Online programmer TTAC GROUP 2
Information Sources • Information Sources • Dr. Pat Abrams- Associate Director, Special Education, VDOE • Dr. Michael Behrmann - Professor, Director of the Helen A. Kellar Center • Ms. Lucinda Zimmerman - T/TAC Online Administrator • Ms. Mary Wilds - Old Dominion University T/TAC (Region 2) • Dr. Shuangbao Wang – T/TAC Online programmer • Ms. Lisa Carson (College of William & Mary) • Ms. Carol David (McLaughlin & Associates) • Mr. Jeff Schuyler (McLaughlin & Associates) • Educational professionals involved with grants proposal/reporting: • · School District Administrators • · Special Education Specialists • · Virginia Department of Education Technical Assistants TTAC GROUP 2
Our Research Strategy • “Triangulation” – getting input/feedback on the • same material from different points of view • Research methods • Internal discovery • Contextual Inquiry/Task Analysis • Focus groups, Interviews, Surveys TTAC GROUP 2 Allison Rossett (1999)
Research Phase – 1 • Gathered background data • Previous TTAC websites (Phases 1 through 6) • Presentations related to GMU T/TAC & T/TAC Online • Web-based community technologies such as Webinars, • chat groups, Discussion forums, Online communities • VDOE website • Grant Process - Developed Concept Map • LIP Process – Developed Concept Map TTAC GROUP 2
Research Phase – 2 • Interviewed and gathered information from the • following sources: • Dr. Michael Behrmann- Professor, Director Helen A. Kellar Center • Dr. Lynn Wiley - Project Coordinator T/TAC Region 4 • Dr. Shuangbao Wang – T/TAC Online programmer • LEAs and VDOE TAs • VDOE Project Coordinator • ‘No Child Left Behind’ Background • Past Grant proposals/reports • LIP program • Rubric for proposal/reporting • Goals TTAC GROUP 2
Research Phase – 3 • VDOE meeting in Richmond • September 24, 2003, interviewed Dr. Michael Behrmann and began • questionnaire. • Attended VDOE meeting in Richmond On September 29, 2003. • Questionnaire distributed to participants at the Richmond meeting. • Asked for responses by Friday, October 2, 2003. • Sent thank you notes to primary participants. • Conducted face-to-face interviews. • Attended focus groups. • Reviewed LIP evaluation report from McLaughlin group • (McLaughlin group performed preliminary survey of the LIP • grant process). TTAC GROUP 2
Questionnaire to participants at Richmond TTAC GROUP 2
Findings – Drivers for LEAs / TAs • VDOE personnel could use a systematic compilation of • data across projects. • Realization of geographical constraints. • Need to share best practices in a timely manner. • Frequent staff turnover, an organized system online • would require little or no training for the new hires. • A repository that would enable users to access old data • easily and in a timely manner. • Access to quantifiable data. • The ability to submit or access interim reports. TTAC GROUP 2
Findings – Barriers for LEAs / TAs • Operating systems vary. • Internet connection speed low in some counties. • No face-to-face interaction. • Due to time constraints, unable to complete a • proposal / report in one go. • Comfortable in using Microsoft Word / Excel • for LIP proposal and reporting purposes. TTAC GROUP 2
Findings – LEA Needs / Requirements • Keep the LIP process simple. • Make the LIP process sustainable. • Additional staff. • Local school administration/school board • support to promote the LIP project to the • individual schools. TTAC GROUP 2
Findings – TA Needs / Requirements • Reporting process should be part of grant • application. • Need interim reports. • Formally track problems. • TAs need training/support. • Want the ability to create and evaluate long- • term plans. • Want to quantify knowledge learned from LIP • grant process to apply to state goals/priority • projects. TTAC GROUP 2
Recommendations • Stakeholders see value in an online process for Local Improvement Plans. • Any process needs to be carefully designed to ensure it meets user needs. • Considerations are: limitations on time, connectivity, and user • knowledge. • Simple and well supported with help functions • Effectively use with minimal learning time. • Flexible to enable users to adapt easily • Enable users to receive and retrieve data using programs • that they are familiar with and have readily available. • Word and Excel templates to streamline data • reception. TTAC GROUP 2
TTAC GROUP 2 ADDIE (Design)
Personas “A user role is an abstract collection of (common) needs, interests, (shared) expectations, (common) behaviors, and responsibilities characterizing a relationship between a class or kind of users and a system”. TTAC GROUP 2 Constantine & Lockwood (1999)
Persona – Public • Characteristic/Background • Parent of special needs child • Married • Loundon County • Literate • 39 years-old • Work Environment • Accesses internet via dial up from home or work • Special needs volunteer TTAC GROUP 2 Michelle Gallager
Persona – Public • Responsibilities • Raising their child to the best of her ability • - Wants most information possible • Goals / Wants / Needs • Desire to select best school for child • Develop child’s abilities • Wants to know how schools are doing • - District • - States TTAC GROUP 2 Michelle Gallager
Persona – Public • Avoid • LEA jargon & technical terms • Frequency of Use of • “School Improvement” site • Infrequent : every 6 months • Quote • “My child deserves the best.” TTAC GROUP 2 Michelle Gallager
Persona – Local Education Administrator • Characteristic/Background • Busy • Overworked • Understaffed • Not interested in becoming technological experts • 45 years-old • Work Environment • Access to computer at work operating on Window 98 • Access to internet via dial up • Dose not have access to latest software/browsers • Only special education administrator in her work location TTAC GROUP 2 Katherine Cox
Persona – Local Education Administrator • Responsibilities • LIP Proposal • LIP report - Final and Interim data for reports • Gathering baseline data for LIP proposal • Evaluate project against their goals • Goals / Wants / Needs • Need to get administrative buy in • - Accountability • Exchange best practices with other LEA’s • Store data as it is collected for LIP reports • Simplify the whole process • - Avoid the ‘tax return’ syndrome • Utilize past report-do not start from scratch TTAC GROUP 2 Katherine Cox
Persona – Local Education Administrator • Avoid • Creating more work due to the process being online • Last minute reporting • Frequency of Use of • “School Improvement” site • Infrequent: • Write proposal once every year • Entering in data for the report • Write final report once every year • Quote • “K.I.S.S.”-driving design • (keep It Sweet & Simple) TTAC GROUP 2 Katherine Cox
Persona – Technical Assistant • Characteristic/Background • Married with children • Busy • Not interested in becoming technological experts • 47 years-old • Work Environment • Centrally located with other TA’s • Less than one year on the job • High speed internet access TTAC GROUP 2 Justine Braxfield
Persona – Technical Assistant • Responsibilities • Helping LEA’s with LIP proposals • Evaluating LIP proposals using checklist/rubric • Keep the LEA’s on schedule with LIP • Responsible for 1 of 8 T/TAC regions • Issue status of LIP proposal-approval or not • Review and disseminate reports • Goals / Wants / Needs • Want ‘how to’ on the site for LEA’s • Ability to track progress of LIP project • Exchange best practices with other TA’s and their LEA’s • Rubric for evaluating proposals online • Easily disseminate the LIP reports • - Quantify the data and produce reports from that data TTAC GROUP 2 Justine Braxfield
Persona – Technical Assistant • Avoid • Last minute reporting • Complexity • More work because of an online process • Frequency of Use of • “School Improvement” site • Intermittent Frequent Use: • - Monitoring of LIP process: • Verifying that proposals/reports are submitted on time-for • 1 month-4hrs./day • Sending reports to Pat Abrams • Quote • “ I just started working here, I don’t know what • has been done in the past.” TTAC GROUP 2 Justine Braxfield
TTAC GROUP 2 We then created Use Cases…
Essential Use Case • Describes an interaction that is complete, meaningful and well–defined to a particular user. • Based on purposes or intentions of users rather than concrete steps or mechanisms. TTAC GROUP 2 Constantine & Lockwood (1999)
Purpose of Use Cases • We Want to know… • What System users • Are trying to accomplish (goals). • Need from the system to accomplish their goals. • How the system can provide what they need? TTAC GROUP 2
Use Case Process • Described the Tasks that needed to be performed. • Included Extension Use Cases as well. • Mapped relationships amongst use cases. TTAC GROUP 2
Essential Tasks • Read • Communicate • Write • Save • Edit • Review • Track TTAC GROUP 2
Use Case Mapping TTAC GROUP 2 Use system Write Communication connected to All Save Review Read connected to All Edit Track
Use Cases TTAC GROUP 2
Use Case: TA Review TTAC GROUP 2
Which leads to… • Interface content models • Site diagrams / Database TTAC GROUP 2
TTAC GROUP 2 Interface Content Models
Interface Content Models An abstract representation of the contents of the various interaction spaces for a system and their interconnections. TTAC GROUP 2 Some of the simplest modeling technology - paper and Post-it notes-works best. Constantine & Lockwood (1999)
Purpose of Interface Content Models • In implementation, each interaction space becomes a recognizable collection comprising part of the user interface. • Denotes specific interface components, such as toolbars, command buttons or selection lists. TTAC GROUP 2 Constantine & Lockwood (1999)
Interface Content Models TTAC GROUP 2 • Some of the simplest modeling technology • paper and Post-it notes-works best. Constantine & Lockwood (1999)
TTAC GROUP 2 Database Set – Up