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William James Middle School Human Performance Improvement Writing Intervention Project created for EDUC7103-1/8843-1 Walden University summer 2010



__ Executive Summary __ William James Middle School in Statesboro, Georgia has a history of performing well above the state average on the Eighth Grade Writing Assessment (EGWA). In the past few years, the students have significantly underperformed as compared to their previous scores, as well as in comparison to state scores. By increasing student time spent in actual writing tasks, to include the writing process of drafting, editing, and revising, students’ writing scores will increase by three to five percent annually, so that they will rise above the state average within four years’ time. This proposal outlines the cost, benefit, and use of increasing the available technology to enable students to spend more time writing. Research indicates the greatest benefit to students’ writing in programs which involve them in the writing process, and provide specific feedback for revision. By utilizing the online writing program, Essay Scorer, which is presently available to the school system, students will increase their time on task writing by 85 minutes, or 68% each week in the 36-week school year, while providing the necessary feedback to continue in the writing process. Forty-eight [|Dell Latitude 2100 Netbooks] costing $259.00 each will provide [|two mobile computer labs] which can circulate among the six language art classrooms at the school. With an investment of $20,231.98, William James Middle School will be able to provide 48 netbooks in 2 mobile carts to all students in their language arts classes. Show ** // __Module One: June 12, 2010__ // ** __Introduction__ **Technology Problem:** Technology is everywhere at William James Middle School. Each classroom is equipped with a SmartBoard, mounted projector, and new teacher laptop in order to integrate technology in lesson delivery. Although students have access to a class set of computers in the lab and several in the classroom, technology is not used to its full capacity to promote student writing. At this time, William James’ performance gap shows that student writing scores have plummeted to 68%, where they used to surpass 90% in 2006. This intervention plan proposes to address this gap with a goal of eliminating the performance gap in writing scores within a span of three to four years by increasing student centered technology solutions. __ Description of Problem __ The Georgia Eighth Grade Writing Assessment (EGWA) is used to determine student’s ability to progress to the next grade, as well as a secondary indicator determining the effectiveness of instruction, both of the school at the county level, as well as for individual teachers. This is the only indicator for student written ability for all of middle school years. This data reflects on the entire teaching staff, and all associated with WJMS. Writing scores for 8th graders have typically shown numbers of students who exceed or met the state standard in the 90’s. However, the past three years, the school has not performed nearly as well. After a drop in 2006-2007, the scores have steadily progressed, however not above 76% pass rate. At the same time, the numbers of students with disabilities who have met or exceeded state standards in writing for the past three years reveal numbers which are appalling: 0% in 2006-2007, 23% in 2007-2008, and 28% in 2008-2009, where there were 80% passing in 2005-2006. subgroup students with disabilities  ||   % passing subgroup students without disabilities   || GOSA (2007) __ Historical Overview  __ William James Middle School is named for Professor William James who was born in 1872 near Bartow, Georgia. Statesboro High and Industrial School was renamed William James High School in honor of him. Eventually, the name was changed to William James Middle School. Due to the population increase of students in Bulloch County, William James Middle School was moved to the newly remodeled and enlarged Northside School on Highway 80 in 1998. = // __ Module Two: June 17, 2010, July 8, 2010 __ // = = __Organization's History and Background, Part Two __ = Today, WJMS operates under the motto "Simply the Best." Their mission is to promote academic achievement and the social, emotional, and physical development of all students through the cooperative efforts of the students, parents, faculty, and staff so that they may become life-long learners and responsible citizens of the community. Student demographics from 2008-2009 show 49% white, 46% black, 2% hispanic, 2% multi-racial, and 1% asian represented in the student body. Of these, 53% were eligible for free and reduced lunches, delegating the school as a Title I school, with 11% of students designated with identifiable disabilities. There were 200 sixth graders, 191 seventh graders, and 159 eighth graders in the school in 2008-2009. Teacher demographics in 2008-2009 show 77% are white, and 23% are black, with 8 sixth grade teachers, 8 seventh grade teachers, and 8 eighth grade teachers. __ Performance Gap   __ The school’s goal for school year 2009-2010 was to achieve 79 to 81% pass rate, while the actual performance was only 68% pass rate (GOSA, 2007). This analysis addresses the gap in performance levels. By increasing scores 3-5% annually, with a steady progression, the school will get back to a pass rate of 80-83% in three to four years’ time. __ Present level of Performance   __ A team of language arts teachers who have achieved 8% fewer passing writing scores in 2009-2010 as compared to 2008-2009, also 11% below the state average for the same year. __Desired level of Performance__ A team of highly qualified language arts teachers who achieve an increase of 3% to 5% in passing writing scores annually, surpassing the state average. __ Reasonable Short-term Goal   __ A team of highly qualified language arts teachers who will achieve 75% passing writing scores on the Georgia Eighth Grade Writing Test in 2010-2011 (an increase of 5% in passing writing scores above 2009-2010). __ Cause Analysis   __ One factor affecting this decrease in number of students passing the writing assessment, is the change in staffing from 2008 to 2009, to teachers less experienced in teaching writing at this level. Additionally, the cross-curricular writing practice intervention utilized in school year 2008-2009 was not repeated again in 2009-2010. As we look more closely to the environment, we should consider expectations (information), resources, and incentives (Chevalier, 2007). Opportunities for communication of administration’s expectations for achieving passing scores in the writing assessment were limited as each scheduled monthly staff meeting was cancelled. In many respects, administration’s goals have addressed multiple areas for school-wide improvement, while resources were also divided among multiple areas, contributing to reduced clarity of expectations for all teachers. Teacher planning time was used to boost professional development in other areas, such as pyramid of interventions, and standards-based assessments, resulting in a reduction in time to do an effective job, as teachers were overwhelmed with multiple tasks. These have affected performance as a restraining force on passing writing scores overall. In considering individual teacher’s knowledge, skills, capacity, and motives to succeed (Chevalier, 2007), several purposeful activities were implemented to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to succeed in affecting increased writing scores. Training for all language arts teachers was conducted over the course of the year to implement the new language arts curriculum, and essay scoring program. The training is considered a driving force, as it had the potential to affect performance positively. However, the eighth grade teachers were not always present at these workshop dates, and never implemented the essay scoring components with students. The eighth grade teachers experienced issues with motivation, including personal tragedy which may also have contributed to a reduced capacity and motivation to succeed on the writing assessment. __ Key Personnel and Data Sources   __ Key personnel include the principal, and assistant principal. Two language arts teachers at each grade level and the language arts department lead teacher are also key personnel. The county’s technology specialist is also in charge of training for implementation of the new language arts curriculum, including the web-based writing program, Essay Scorer. Key personnel will all be responsible for implementing change to language arts curriculum, or training, and will need to implement any new hardware purchased. Available technology at WJMS includes two outdated laptop mobile laboratories, each with 24 laptops which vary in number of operational equipment on a daily basis. These have reduced battery life, as well as multiple issues affecting performance such as missing keys. The school has two brand-new classroom laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment including 30 computers each; these are seldom available on a daily basis as they are utilized for academic interventions. The school media center holds 30 computers in various locations around the room, which can be utilized by groups, or individual students, and is often booked for specific projects. Each classroom holds between two to four computers reserved for student use with limited access to internet, and each student county-wide has his or her own network file for storing data and computer files. Teacher resources include laptop with internet connectivity and installed SMART notebook software, SMART board, with mounted projector and sound system. ** // __ Module Three: July 15, 2010 __ // ** __ Alternative Intervention Strategies (Low-Cost, Medium-Cost, High-Cost)  __ __ Note: __ Restructuring or retraining of language arts staff would positively affect motivation and capacity of eighth grade teachers to achieve positive results on the Georgia Eighth Grade Writing Assessment. As part of a school-wide restructuring program, new teachers have already been assigned to eighth grade. This intervention, therefore, will address other known causes for the performance gap, as individual issues have already been addressed. Three solutions to enhance performance on the Eighth Grade Writing Assessment will focus on improving student performance by tailoring learning activities using technology to promote individualized intervention strategies. __ Low-cost Strategy __ At a cost of approximately $5000, this strategy involves utilizing existing resources in a more efficient manner to increase student performance in teaching writing skills across the curriculum. This solution addresses the crucial concern of lack of instructional time to teach writing in the language arts block of 70 minutes daily. The low-cost intervention provides for a stipend to grade level language arts teachers to oversee a strategic implementation of a cross-curricular training of writing skills in each academic subject and stipend for the professional development of non-language arts teachers to implement the content-specific writing strategies in their courses. Teachers of non-language arts courses commented that they do not feel highly qualified to teach and assess writing skills in their own field of expertise. Language arts teachers responded that they didn’t know how writing was being taught or implemented in other academic areas to supplement the teaching of writing skills. This intervention provides for training with oversight from highly qualified individuals to create real-world, meaningful activities and assignments (Ally, 2008) which are related to specific content areas. These assignments might include projects and/or use of technology. To clarify the purpose of this intervention to students, projects completed in content-area classes, will glean a grade for content, as well as a grade for application of writing skills. Assessment of this intervention will include teacher grades, survey data, and 2010-2011 GEWA scores. __ Medium-cost Strategy __ The medium-cost strategy will include all the interventions included in the low-cost option. The new aspects to this strategy cost about $20,000 and empower students with individualized lessons, which allow them to pace their own learning, and self-monitor their own progress (Costa & Kallick, 2000). This strategy also addresses student lack of motivation to edit and revise their writing, and utilizes existing resources. Included in the costs for this intervention are 24 student mini laptops or netbooks for two classes of students’ concurrent use, along with two carts for charging and storage of them. The school recently adopted a new literature and language arts curriculum which includes an online essay scorer component. The essay scorer provides an online written prompt for students to respond to in the form of an essay. Students’ essays receive immediate feedback on recommended improvements in the areas of word choice, grammar, mechanics, and overall logical progression of ideas. Teachers may also provide feedback for each student, as well as a grade, if summative assessment is desired. Results from the use of the essay scorer indicate an increase by 80% in both number of words written, as well as increase in number of revisions created by students. Use of the online essay scorer has proven to boost student essay scores on the GEWA as indicated from another school within the county (Georgia Department of Education, 2010). By providing a technology rich environment, students engage in individualized lessons to close the performance gap as teachers tailor instruction to individual needs. Assessment of this intervention will include data from the essay scorer program, classroom grades assigned by teachers, and 2010-2011 GEWA scores. __ High-End Intervention __ The high-cost intervention will include the details of the low-cost intervention as well. This strategy requires the purchase of approximately 24 netbooks for use by language arts classes at each of three grade levels, for a total of 72 netbooks in storage/charging carts. Each student will have access to a netbook for instructional and assessment activities for writing and reading activities. This high-cost strategy costs approximately $50,000 for hardware and storage. The countless number of online strategies to improve student achievement offers an appreciation for the use of netbooks in the classroom. In the current situation, each child receives about 30 minutes of computer time each week. With the purchase of netbooks for each grade level, the time on task with the computer increases to at least two and a half hours weekly for the first year of implementation and increases each year as teachers improve instructional strategies using the technology. The technology will decrease motivation as a restraining factor as students engage in computer-based lessons including the essay scorer program. Assessment of this intervention will include an electronic portfolio maintained by the student on his/her network file held on the county network, writing assessment rubrics incorporating word processing and digital media, and data from the essay scorer program, as well as data from the 2010-2011 GEWA scores. //__ Selected Intervention Strategy: Medium-cost Strategy  __// // Using input from my learning community, key personnel, and after careful consideration of feasibility and manageability factors involved with stakeholders involved (see Table 4), I selected the Medium-cost intervention strategy described above: the purchase of 48 netbooks stored in two separate mobile carts which serves to charge the computers, as well as automatically update the computers. //     This chosen strategy will increase student writing performance as indicated by the EGWA by increasing student time on task practicing writing skills. Utilizing the online writing program, Essay Scorer, provides for greater depth in the application of student writing in the entire writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and completing a final draft. Research (Fidalgo, R., Torrance, M., & Garcia, J., 2008, Vantage Learning, 2006, National Commission on Writing, 2003) indicates a clear benefit in student writing ability when practicing the entire process in writing, specifically revising and editing, which is only addressed in the medium and high cost strategies. Additional research indicates that reflective commentary allows students to more effectively revise their writing (Bardine & Fulton, 2008, National Commission on Writing, 2004). This technological intervention is a research-based intervention, which increases student access to technology for use in writing from 30 minutes weekly at present to 125 minutes weekly per student. Although it requires more than double the cost of the low-cost strategy, the intent to seek outside funding sources puts this medium-cost strategy within a reasonable budgetary range. At this point in time, the Medium-cost strategy will be the best intervention with which to close WJMS’s targeted performance gap. Although it is recommended for the medium cost strategy to include aspects of the low cost strategy intervention as well, stakeholders are unwilling to buy-in to the low cost option, due to time constraints. Therefore, the medium cost strategy will be implemented independent of the interventions in the low cost option. Use of the online writing program, the Essay Scorer, provides non-threatening support for student writing, so that students will focus on self-improvement. //**__ Module 4: __**// //**__ Rationale and Justification: July 25, 2010 __**// //__ Strengths and Limitations of Intervention Strategies  __// __ Low-cost Strategy   __ This strategy is the most cost efficient. By utilizing existing materials, costs are reduced considerably. This strategy increases student time on task by including writing skills in all content area instruction. Cross-curricular training benefits students/ overall learning experience as it provides wholistic concept building. This strategy addresses faculty need for professional development in teaching writing skills, while rewarding teachers who are highly qualified additional responsibilities they are qualified to perform. With the present economic situation, teacher furloughs, and increased teacher responsibilities overall, both language arts and non-language arts teachers respond in interview that they feel burdened with work-related responsibilities. This situation may potentially cause a level of stress resulting in lessened productivity and lowered job performance, a key reason for the rejection of this strategy since the success of the performance intervention would hinge upon teachers’ high level of support and diligence. __High-cost Strategy__ The strengths of this strategy include those of the low-cost strategy along with positively effecting student achievement through technology integration. Utilizing the online writing program, Essay Scorer, emphasizes in-depth student writing, including revisions on each essay written, student attentiveness to mechanics, grammar, structure, and the logic of their written stories, and student self-reflection throughout the writing process. This technological integration increases student access to computer to aid the writing process from 30 minutes weekly to 250 minutes weekly per student. Teachers would seldom have a need to use computers exclusively for writing this often during the week. The purchase of netbooks also supplies technology resources for students’ development of skills in areas outside of writing, such as reading, and creation of integrated products for all academic subjects. The limitations, however, make this option nearly impossible. The cost, at $50,000, is an extremely high price for the return on investment. This unnecessary cost doesn’t lead to a significantly higher return in changed student behavior over the medium cost strategy. //**__Module 4:__**// //**__Project Management__**//: ** // __July 25, 2010__ // ** __Project Manager’s Role__ The Project Manager will be responsible for defining the roles and responsibilities of project participants, clearly communicating the improvement intervention’s vision and scope, building a workable schedule, and, establishing a reasonable budget. Once the project begins, the manager will coordinate and control the work to be done in the following ways: identify, track and resolve project issues; proactively disseminate project information to all participants; define and collect data (ongoing assessment) to get a sense of how the intervention is progressing; provide performance feedback to teachers and staff; and, manage the overall schedule to ensure tasks are properly assigned, completed on time, and retained within the established budget.
 * ** Georgia Eighth Grade Writing Scores for WJMS 2004-2010 ** ||
 * Year  ||   % passing at state level   ||   % passing at WJMS   ||     ||   % passing
 * 2004-2005  ||   *   ||   93   ||     ||   76   ||   95   ||
 * 2005-2006  ||   *   ||   94   ||     ||   80   ||   95   ||
 * 2006-2007  ||   67   ||   58   ||     ||   0   ||   65   ||
 * 2007-2008  ||   78   ||   69   ||     ||   23   ||   77   ||
 * 2008-2009  ||   75   ||   76   ||     ||   28   ||   83   ||
 * 2009-2010  ||   79   ||   68   ||     ||   *   ||   *   ||

__ Resource Management  __ Resources needed for successful implementation of this intervention fall into the categories of finances to cover purchase of hardware and storage, and human resources. Financial expenditures will be approved by school administrators and tracked by the school’s bookkeeper. School administrators will track the procurement of the full-time Technology Coach position. Teachers and staff have already been trained and will continue to be supported by the Technology Specialist. The hardware necessary for use in this intervention will be purchased by the project manager. This equipment is tracked and maintained by the school’s Instructional Technology Support Assistant (ITSA) and by the school district’s Instructional Technology department. __Delivery System Management__ An in-source project delivery method will be the primary method used in this intervention. The Program Manager, and Technology Specialist will provide the required support for teachers and staff. School administrators will regulate financial matters related to the project. __Information Management__ Information management for this performance improvement intervention will be facilitated through the use of First Class email, and messaging. These are current resources which teachers already use, and are accustomed to. We will use the middle school language arts content folder on First Class to provide secure storage and real-time sharing and editing of intervention documentation. Training and classroom demonstration videos will be shared securely within the First Class suite. //**__ Module 5: __**//**__ Financial and Technical Information: August 3, 2010 (see Table 1) __** Having recently experienced hiring freezes, and spending cuts, Bulloch County Schools do not possess budgetary allocation for any new budget items. This entire proposal implementation will rely on granted funding. Also, the school district’s recent expansion of bandwidth, current file server and system network will continue to provide support for school-based networks, software upgrades, and Internet connectivity with no additional cost to the school or county. Likewise, provisions of the school district’s annual capital budget will cover school-based computer set-up and maintenance costs to any new equipment purchases. //**__ Module 5: Evaluation and Assessment  __**// The progress and effectiveness of the performance improvement intervention will be evaluated through both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments will use a teacher survey on classroom technology use and integration, and, on the effectiveness of professional development activities, to determine the progress of essay writing technology integration school-wide. These formative checks will occur at the conclusion of each semester. In addition, the language arts teachers will complete one peer observation with feedback of another language arts teacher annually during time spent implementing the writing program. The results of formative assessments and peer observations will guide decision-making regarding daily implementation of the program, project restructuring or project modification. An annual summative assessment will take place after one year of implementation. It will involve a teacher survey on classroom technology integration of the writing program, to include staff interviews. A Performance Improvement Intervention Committee (PIIC) consisting of the Project Manager, the Technology Specialist, Language Arts Department Head, and a school administrator will review the results of these assessments. The PIIC will make recommendations for any changes or modifications to improve the intervention process as a whole. Table 1 ** Tentative Budget for WJMS Performance Improvement Intervention  ** Technology Specialist ||  Part of existing general district budget Part of existing general district budget  || [|Dell Latitude 2100] ||  $259.00     __ X 48 __ __ $12,432 __ || [|Dell Mobile Managed Computer Station Cart] Each stores, charges, and automatically updates 24 netbooks ||  $3899.99     __ X 2 __ __ $7799.98 __        ||    Table 2 **  Availability of Technology for Writing   ** ||      (medium cost strategy)    ||    125 minutes    ||    25 minutes    || (high cost strategy)   ||    150 minutes    ||    30 minutes    || Table 3 ** Technical Information for WJMS Performance Improvement Intervention  ** || **  Human Resources  ** Office, Janitorial and Cafeteria Personnel Project manager Technology Specialist Language Arts Lead Teacher Media Center Specialist Language Arts Teachers Grade Team Leaders || District network access and Internet connectivity On-Site access to the system-wide professional development portal || Microsoft Office applications (Word, Powerpoint, Excel) District’s communications networks for teachers including dropbox for shared resources, email, and instant messaging (First Class) Web Tools and Applications (Google Docs, classroom blogs, and wikis) || Table 4 ** Synthesis of Interview   ** __Comments:__ This puts all the work on the language arts teachers. Even if we get paid, where will we find the time? No way! || __Comments:__ This would be a better intervention for writing skills. $20,000?? Too much! Great idea, but NO to combining this with low-cost. Still no time. || __Comments:__ Just too costly. || Table 5 ** Assessment Instrument for Medium-Cost Intervention  ** || 1. Attach score report for each class of students’ initial writing from Essay Scorer.
 * ** Recommended Resources  **  ||  **  Description  **  ||  **  Cost  **  ||
 * ** On-Site Professional Development  **  ||  First Class: dropbox for shared resources, email, instant messenger
 * ** Student Netbooks  **  ||  48 Student netbooks:
 * ** Netbook Equipment Cart(s)  **  ||  2 locking mobile carts:
 * || **  Total  **  ||  **  $20,231.98  **  ||
 * Minutes Weekly   ||  Minutes Daily  ||
 * Present Day ||    30 minutes    ||    6 minutes    ||
 * With acquisition of 48 [|netbooks]
 * With acquisition of 72 [|netbooks]
 * Principal, Assistant Principal
 * ** Technology  **  ||  Existing classroom equipment including computers,
 * ** Software/ Web Resources  **  ||  Online writing software (Essay Scorer)
 * Staff Members Interviewed ||  Principal, Assistant Principal, media Center Specialist, Lead Language Arts Teacher, 6 Language Arts teachers, Technology Specialist, 3 Head Grade Level Teachers  ||
 * Responses Received ||  10  ||
 * Response to Low-cost Intervention ||  6 in favor, 4 opposed
 * Response to Medium-cost Intervention ||  8 in favor, 2 opposed
 * Response to High-Cost Intervention ||  10 opposed
 * 2. Attach student classroom grade for Language Arts (yearly average). ||
 * 3. Attach score report for each class of students’ final writing from Essay Scorer. ||
 * 4. Attach score report for each class 2010-2011 GEWA. ||
 * 5. Using completed score report, each teacher will compile an excel spreadsheet for each class of student in which scores are arranged in descending order. ||
 * 6. Language Arts teachers will turn these in to the Project Manager, who will compile a correlative report on Essay Scorer results in comparison to GEWA results. ||
 * 6. Language Arts teachers will turn these in to the Project Manager, who will compile a correlative report on Essay Scorer results in comparison to GEWA results. ||

 References  Ally, M. (2008) Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In Anderson, T. (Ed.). // The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. // (2nd ed.). (91-118). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.  Bardine, B. & Fulton, A. (2008). Analyzing the benefits of revision memos during the writing and revision process. // Clearing House //: // A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 81 //(4) (149-154). Washington, D.C.: Heldref Publications.  Chevalier, R. (2007). //A manager’s guide to improving workplace performance//. New York: American Management Association.   Costa, A. & Kallick, B. (2000) // Activating and engaging habits of mind. //Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.   Cotton, K. (1988). //Teaching composition: research on effective practices//. Retrieved from [] Fidalgo, R., Torrance, M., & Garcia, J. (2008). The long-term effects of strategy-focused writing instruction for grade six students. // Contemporary Educational Psychology, // // 33 //(4) (672-693). Georgia Department of Education (2010). // Grade 8 writing assessment //. Retrieved from [] GOSA. (2007) // Georgia //// ’s education scoreboard //. Retrieved from []   Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Mason, L., & Friedlander, B. (2008). // Powerful writing strategies for all students. // Baltimore, MD: Brookes.   International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). //NETS for teachers//. Retrieved from []   National Commission on Writing. (2003). //The neglected r: the need for a writing revolution//. Retrieved from [] National Commission on Writing. (2004). // Writing: Writing: a ticket to work, or a ticket out. //Retrieved from [] Simic, M. (1994). Computer assisted writing instruction. // Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication. //Retrieved from [] Vantage learning (2006). // Necessary components for effective writing instruction. // Retrieved from [] <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: -0.5in;">

=June 10, 2010=

created wiki