CONCLUSIONS

Teachers who participated in the second year interview were generally positive about the changes in their teaching and student learning as a result of the Urban Dreams Project.  Despite the technical problems, particularly in terms of internet connectivity, teacher enthusiasm was still evident in the teacher responses.  However, only 22 of the 50 teachers participating in the first cohort chose to be interviewed.  It is unclear whether the teachers who did choose to respond may be considered  representative of the entire first year cohort.   The major commendations went to project support staff.  Teachers were positive about the training and support they received in both technology and curriculum.

SUCCESSES

REFERENCES TO CHANGE AS A RESULT OF URBAN DREAMS

The 22 teachers participating in this second year interview made 44 general  references to positive changes in their teaching practice and use of technology as a result of the Urban Dreams Project.  In order to determine what areas teachers perceived as impacted by Urban Dreams, teacher interviews were coded and references to key code words were counted using Ethnograph software.  The major change reported was in the area of improved technology resources (40 references). Teachers reported improved computer literacy for themselves as well as their students (24 references).  Teachers also reported a significant increase in the use of the internet (22 references) for student and teacher research.  Improved student learning was reported in 14 references.

REFERENCES TO POSITIVE CHANGE 

Table: References to Change as a Result of Urban Dreams Project - (44 References in 22 interviews).

One key areas of interest for this evaluation was related to teachers' perceptions concerning successful integration of technology and curriculum.  Teachers made general references to the integration of technology and curriculum 30 times in the interviews.  The Urban Dreams project was to be focused on English and Social studies curriculum areas.  It was determined that curriculum remained a focus for teachers.  Combining the references to general curriculum and English and Social Studies (which were exclusive categories), 30 references were made to curriculum.  In addition, 22 references were made to the specific focus on human and civil rights.

References to Impact on Classroom Curriculum

EVALUATION PROJECT DESIGN

The second year teacher interview primarily investigated the second level of the project evaluation design.  The focus was on professional development and the development of technology-embedded curriculum for teachers of English and Social Studies.  The second year of the project moved beyond the planning stages and initial technology and curriculum training to integration of technology into classroom instruction.

For a more complete view of the original project evaluation design, go to: Urban Dreams Evaluation Project Site.  Below is an overview of the project in the form of an evaluation map.

Evaluation Results of Second Year Interview - Level II Process and Output Design

Included in this report are the Narratives and Inputs/Process/Outputs (IPO) Statements for the Level II Professional Development 2.0 and Curriculum Development 3.0 components of the original Urban Dreams Evaluation Research Design.  Outputs were examined and evaluated according to results of the second year teacher interview responses.  Shaded process and output cells in the IPO tables indicate that results of the second year teacher interview data support successful progress towards achievement of the desired output.  Shaded cells for process indicate that the components of the process have been put in place during the second level of the grant.  Shaded cells for output indicate significant progress toward accomplishing the goals of the Urban Dreams Project during the second year of the grant.

Level II Narratives and IPOs

2.0 Professional Development

The goal of the Urban Dreams professional development program is to provide high school teachers of Language Arts and Social Studies and support staff with new strategies and techniques necessary to help high school students improve expository writing and historical thinking skills in the context of human and civil rights.

Teachers will be trained in project based learning methodologies,  Internet research strategies, expository writing teaching skills and how to integrate technology in the context of the curriculum.

Project partners such as the Interactive University at UC-Berkeley, the Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University, and the World Affairs Council will provide enriched content and technological access to original source materials as well as technological expertise and tools to make the success of this project possible.

Building capacity and sustainability are additional goals of the professional development component and to that end a number of Teacher Leaders will be designated to work with each project partner. Teacher Leaders will work in partnership with project personnel to design materials suitable for inner city high school students and that address district, state and national content standards. Teacher Leaders will be asked to participate in the major Urban Dreams Summer Institutes and to provide coaching for other teachers who participate in the grant.

The overall design of the UD professional development will be to establish the Teacher Leader group to work closely with the project partners, the conducting of an 8 day Summer Institute for each year's cohort of teachers, provision for ongoing technology training throughout the school year and coaching, both on site and on line. The construction of an electronic community and of on line resources to support the teachers will be accomplished by the establishment of web pages, live and electronic access to staff development, and teacher access to electronic community tools.  KDOL, the district cable television station and distance learning will be to deliver content as well provide professional development options.

Level II Professional Development IPO Statement 2.0

Level II 3.0 Standards Based Curriculum Supported by Technology Narrative

Urban Dreams will integrate with and support the curriculum that has been developed by the district Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum teams. A major task to be undertaken by the UD grant is to help high school teachers become knowledgeable about content standards. Teachers will learn to construct standard based lessons with embedded technology.  These lessons will focus on assisting students to reach mastery of the content.

The current state of standards awareness, installed technologies, and technology practices in the curriculum will be assessed.  Strengths and weaknesses will be identified and used to guide the course of professional development.

The development of electronic resources to support the curriculum will be explored with the project partners. This will include the development of web pages, original source materials and collaborative tools to create learning communities.

The end results of these efforts will be to create meaningful, content rich, technology rich environments for both teachers and students. Curriculum embedded technologies native and transparent to teaching styles and content delivery will result in significant gains in LA and SS achievement for OUSD high school students.

3.0 Curriculum Development IPO Statement - Level II

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