Level II Narrative

Evaluation

5.0 Evaluation Component

A Discrepancy Model Evaluation (DEM) plan has been created by project staff and the evaluation team that includes program narratives, component maps and input, process, and output (IPO) statements for each of the main program components (management, professional development, curriculum and community/parents) on three increasingly detailed levels. This plan will enable all stakeholders to examine the path of the project as it progresses though the five years of implementation to reach the identified goals. The plan is available on the evaluation Web site maintained by The Center for Evaluation and Research. (http://www.tchp.org/oakland/) and will be updated to reflect not only original resources, goals (outputs) and processes, but will reflect discrepancies in intended outputs (which can be positive or negative in relationship to the original intents) and elaborate on the nature of those discrepancies and other formative data contributing to project staff decisions for change grounded in that data. Since this method of evaluation provides a line of information that shows original goals and explains changes based on formative data, it helps in creating an accurate audit trail for the evaluation.

As would be expected in the first year of the grant, the primary focus during the 1999-2000 year has been to:

1. Create the DEM plan including Narratives, Component Maps and IPO statements (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3),

2. Put in place appropriate management and evaluation components,

3. Identify, procure and install instructional media at sites,

4. Identify teachers, students and other participants who will be involved initially and gather baseline data in regard to current resources and practices of teachers, students and parents through the use of surveys,

5. Identify innovative teaching practices that develop historical thinking skills, expository writing skills, project based learning techniques, and technology skills in the context of content.

6. Plan and begin professional development activities for teachers in curriculum, teaching strategies and technology skills,

7. Collaborate with partners to develop innovative tools, pilot projects, techniques, content enrichment and begin providing professional development on the use of those elements and,

8. Plan Summer Institute 2000 incorporating the knowledge gained from teachers and pilot projects.

Specific information relating to these project activities is documented in other sections of this report.