U.S. Department of Education

PT3 GRANT PERFORMANCE REPORT

April, 2001

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

All consortium partners of Alabama’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (AlaPT³) are actively participating in achieving the grant goals and have collaborated on this report. The project is on track and is accomplishing activities within the major goal areas, which include conducting in-depth research into pre-service and first-year teachers’ use of technology, and teacher preparation practices that demonstrate successful integration of technology into the classroom. This research will yield technology standards as well as identify higher education faculty and P-12 teachers who can provide resources for statewide dissemination. MCI WorldCom is expected to join the AlaPT3 consortium, summer 2001. This partnership will result in additional resources linked with state curriculum. The AlaPT³ Associate Director, Ms. Stevie Ash, is also negotiating with a major education resource company to possibly add another partner to our burgeoning project.

Alabama’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (AlaPT3) Catalyst project is accomplishing statewide systemic reform by ensuring that successful technology use and integration standards are incorporated into all state –approved P-16 teacher preparation programs. The “Knowledge Development” and reform activities feature: 1.) designing/using intensive measurements to gather technology use/integration information from pre-service teachers, first-year teachers, and teacher preparation faculty; 2) using data to define successful technology use and integration components in existing teacher preparation programs; 3) achieving state board approval for including those components as standards in Alabama’s Teacher Education Program Approval Standards; 4) developing and disseminating technology use and integration standards and resources for achieving quality teacher preparation programs via web delivery, web casts, distance and on-site conferences, a Listserve, and CD-ROM applications.

The AlaPT3 staff officially began work on October 1, 2000. The timeline has been adjusted accordingly and the project is on target with the exception of conducting on-site interviews and capturing best practices in video formats. These interviews will supplement data already gathered through surveys of teachers, students, and faculties in all representative areas across the state.

Among other activities, the AlaPT³ website was established December, 2000. The project’s website receives, on average, forty (40) hits per week. The website address is http://alapt3.dnsq.org/pt3.htm.

The AlaPT3 staff has presented our project status to the state dean’s organization (ALATCE), in the summer, winter, and spring of this reporting year. Presentations have also been made to state and local school leaders and legislators to garner support and “buy-in” to gain the necessary approvals for the recommended state technology standards.

AlaPT3 has experienced substantial support through legislative action that promotes technology standards. The staff was involved in drafting the house and senate version of the bill. Both versions are out of committee with favorable prospects.

Another unexpected event was the declaration of proration (budget “shortfall”) for the state. This crisis will impact all schools, teacher preparation programs, and state agencies as well. Although this event has precipitated some initial budget concerns, this development has actually elevated the importance of receiving full funding from this grant. PT3 is enabling the “good work” to proceed, despite budget cuts.

AlaPT3’s first project principal investigator left the state one-month after the project began. The original co-principal investigator is now Director of the UAB Center for Research and Accountability and serves as the principal investigator for the program. Additionally, one of the evaluators left four months after the project began, and was immediately replaced with a project evaluator who is very familiar with the grant objectives. The staff directors are very satisfied with the principal investigator and primary evaluator, who have been working with AlaPT3 since its inception.

In summary, AlaPT3 has had a very successful year and Consortium partners are anticipating great changes in Alabama as a result of continued PT3 funding.

PROJECT STATUS

The following report lists the goals with accomplishments and GPRA performance indicators. Included are statements explaining the activities, obstacles and corrective actions, budget and partners who are assisting in the successful completion of the grant’s goals.

GOAL I

Goal	Accomplishments	Related GPRA Performance Indicators
Design/use intensive measurements to gather pre-service and first-year teacher, and teacher preparation faculty technology use/integration information.	§ Conducted a Vision Meeting to establish a relationship between AlaPT^3 staff and partner. AlaPT^3 examined a variety of instruments to assess technology integration. § Developed four survey instruments based on ISTE standards. § Surveyed ê 500 first year teachers in March 2001(21% of the first year teachers returned the survey) ê 1000 experienced teachers in March 2001(23%of the experienced teachers returned the survey ê 600 higher education faculty in April 2001 ê 600 student teachers in April 2001 ê 600 cooperating teachers in April 2001	· Indicator 1.2 · Indicator 1.4 · Indicator 2.1

Obstacles and Corrective Action:

§ The initially low response rate from the surveys of first year and experienced teachers prompted the staff to mail reminders to all 1500 sampled teachers.

§ All surveys were distributed as mail-based instruments. This process constrained sample size, delayed feedback from respondents and may have reduced response rates. To address these problems in future administrations of the surveys, project staff will, within the next six months, develop the surveys for all levels (P-16) using Profiler. Doing so should not only provide a more efficient means of administering the surveys and collecting data, but it will also serve as a demonstration of technology use by project staff. Additionally, the administration of the instruments will be made available to persons responsible for technology integration at all twenty-nine (29) campuses and 129 school systems.

GOAL II

Goal	Accomplishments	Related GPRA Performance Indicators
Use data to define successful technology use and integration components in existing teacher preparation programs.	§ Recommendations to the Alabama State Board of Education will be influenced by survey data (see Goal 1). § Technology faculty and teacher leaders will be identified by information provided by the higher education survey and school district technology coordinators. These leaders will serve as models and develop the best practices component.	§ Goal 2 links Goals 1 and 3 for Indicators 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 4.1.

Obstacles and Corrective Action:

§ The most valid data concerning successful technology use and integration will be gathered from observations and interviews. These data are scheduled to be collected fall, 2001.

GOAL III

Goal	Accomplishments	Related GPRA Performance Indicators
Achieve state board approval for including those components as standards in Alabama’s Teacher Education Program Approval Standards.	Building Capacity § Political Action ê Researched and compiled legislative action in other states related to technology. ê Met with key state government representatives. ê Drafted Senate and House bills that were introduced to establish teacher technology standards Networking § Presented AlaPT^3 overview to Alabama Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (ALATCE), dean’s summer meeting. § Presented AlaPT^3 overview to the USAPT^3 Dean’s Technology Task Force in August 2000. §	§ Indicator 1.3 § Indicator 4.1

Goal	Accomplishments	Related GPRA Performance Indicators
Goal III Continued	§ Presented AlaPT^3 overview to local school system technology coordinators in October 2000. § Developed a coordination grid in conjunction with Alabama PT^3 Implementation grants showing statewide PT^3 technology initiatives. § Hosted the Vision meeting for AlaPT^3consortium and other PT^3 grant implementation recipients. § Developed a web site for dissemination of the grant status, technology information, and resources. This site was featured as the “site of the week” on the national PT^3 web site. (http://alapt3.dnsq.org/pt3.htm) § Attended the Dean’s Technology Task force formed by USAPT^3 1999 implementation grant in January 2001. § Presented to the ALACTE April meeting for the deans of the schools of education. § Organized the spring planning meeting for consortium members. § Submitted a proposal that was accepted to present an overview presentation of AlaPT^3 for the Alabama Education Technology Conference (AETC), June 2001. § Completed preliminary plans for the Technology Resource Development Summit in connection with AETC, June 2001. § Submitted a proposal for presenting an overview of the catalyst grant to include results of base line data collection, best practices of technology integration and proposed state technology standards at 2001 Grantees meeting in Washington, D. C. § Submitted a proposal that was accepted to present an overview of the catalyst grant at NSBA Technology+Learning Conference in November, 2001. The presentation will include results of baseline data collection, best practices of technology integration and proposed state technology standards.	Goal III Continued

Obstacles and Corrective Action:

§ State board consideration for the standards is not scheduled until fall, 2001. The accomplishments related to this goal to date, while preliminary, provide the groundwork for meeting the timeline.

GOAL IV

Goal	Accomplishments	Related GPRA Performance Indicators
Develop and disseminate standards and resources for achieving quality teacher preparation programs via web delivery, web casts, distance and on-site conferences, a Listserve, and CD-ROM applications.	§ Provided a context for dissemination of web casts developed by AlaPT^3 partner, Intergraph. § Hosted an October videoconference to discuss annual reports. § Held the Vision Meeting for the consortium partners. § Submitted a WorldCom Foundation grant proposal to fund a consultant to align state K-12 curriculum standards with MarcoPolo lesson plans and AlaPT^3 teacher preparation resources. § Ordered copies of two ISTE publications (National Educational Technology – Connecting Curriculum and Technology and National Educational Technology Standards) for dissemination to consortium members.	§ Indicator 1.1 § Indicator 3.1 § Indicator 3.3

Obstacles and Corrective Action:

§ The development of standards and resources was not scheduled until Year 2 and Year 3 of the grant. Accomplishments to date provide the foundation for achieving the goal according to the timeline.

Note:

Indicator 3.2 was not addressed.

All surveys were sent by mail with the intent to use the AlaPT³-developed P-16 surveys in Profiler formats in the future. This will be addressed in year 2.

Consortium Partners

	Member Institution/Organization	Type of Partner	Date Added	Date Dropped
1.	Alabama State Department of Education	SEA	June 1, 2000	N/A
2.	InterGraph Corporation	For-Profit firm	June 1, 2000	N/A
3.	University of Alabama	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
4.	University of Alabama at Birmingham	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
5.	University of West Alabama	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
6.	University of North Alabama	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
7.	Stillman College	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
8.	Birmingham-Southern College	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
9.	Talladega College	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
10.	Troy State University	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
11.	Troy State University at Dothan	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
12.	University of South Alabama	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
13.	Athens College	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A
14.	University of Montevallo	IHE	June 1, 2000	N/A

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION.

During year one, the AlaPT³ project developed a set of measures to gather information from key groups of stakeholders in Alabama. Instruments, largely based on ISTE standards and essential conditions, were generated for first-year and experienced P-12 teachers, higher education teacher training faculty, cooperating teachers and their paired student teachers. All instruments addressed basic technology use competencies, as well as competencies relating to integrating technology as part of instructional practices. Instruments and brief descriptions are attached. During the first year of the AlaPT³ catalyst grant, all measures were disseminated and retrieved via traditional mail. Based on the results of the initial surveys, revised and improved web-based forms will be developed and used via Profiler in subsequent years.

The teacher survey reflects ISTE standards (basic proficiencies as well as integrative competencies) and “essential conditions” in P-12 schools and classrooms. The survey was developed based on a comprehensive review of extant measures. The survey was disseminated to stratified random samples of 500 first year teachers and 1000 experienced teachers in Alabama schools. The AlaPT³ catalyst grant will describe and compare responses from each group and use the results when designing training and making recommendations regarding state standards for teachers and teacher education programs.

The higher education survey addresses the extent to which core teacher education courses in Alabama prepare teachers to implement ISTE standards in their classrooms. Twenty surveys were disseminated to each teacher education program in Alabama. Faculty were asked to describe technology practices (basic technology use, integration of technology as part of instruction, and training preservice students to integrate technology) in a specific core teacher education course which they taught during the prior semester. Faculty were asked to nominate leaders in technology integration in their college for subsequent interview and observation by catalyst staff. Results of the survey will be used to: (a) provide a baseline description of the status of nature and extent of technology use in core teacher education courses across Alabama, (b) help to identify training needs that will be served by the catalyst grant, (c) help guide recommendations to the Alabama State Board of Education regarding standards for teacher education programs, and (d) identify and record in digital format examples of Alabama’s “best practices” in technology integration.

The cooperating teacher and teacher candidate (student teacher) surveys are parallel forms targeting the technology competencies of student teachers (basic skills and integration of technology) and essential conditions for technology use within the classroom and school. Each teacher training institution was asked to disseminate 20 pairs of surveys (600 copies of the self-report teacher candidate form and 600 copies of the cooperating teacher form were sent to all 29 teacher preparation programs). Results of these surveys will provide independent evidence regarding the perceived levels of preparedness of preservice students who are about to enter the teaching profession in Alabama. Significant areas of weakness, and areas of significant disparity between cooperating teachers and teacher candidates may signify areas in which colleges must raise standards and provide increased opportunities. Results will be combined with data from other surveys to influence recommendations regarding standards for teachers and teacher education programs.

AlaPT³ has participated in two opportunities to enhance the outcomes and benefits of the grant: First, state technology legislation research and a draft of house and senate bills for teacher technology standards were provided to the governor’s legislative committee. Second, AlaPT³ submitted a grant application to the WorldCom Foundation. This grant proposal will add an additional staff member to coordinate the alignment of content standards with more than 750 lesson plans and activities on the MarcoPolo website. Additionally, this staff member will coordinate training for higher education faculty in the use of MarcoPolo in pre-service curriculum. This supports goal 4.

AlaPT³ is linking Alabama’s implementation grants and mobilizing current and future PT³ implementation grants. Alabama’s implementation grants enhance and provide resources to implement technology teacher standards established through the work of AlaPT^3. .