5.

3 Program Evaluation

Candidates design and implement program evaluations to determine the overall effectiveness of
professional learning on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills
and/or increasing student learning.

This artifact, the Current Reality was developed during the ITEC 7460 course, Professional Learning and
Technology Innovation. This artifact describes the current situation at one of the schools for which I
currently serve as an instructional coach. This document was used to drive effective change and support
best practices at the school. This artifact looks at the school from a variety of different viewpoints,
including funding, diversity, collaboration opportunities, and school evaluation. Following the
observation of the various characteristics of the school, recommendations for change were made.

This artifact demonstrates my ability to design and implement a program evaluation through
effective data analysis and evidence from school observations. Using this Current Reality, professional
learning at the school was examined to determine it’s impact on teacher content knowledge,
pedagogical skills¸ and student learning. During this assignment, the school was provided observation
and recommendation for each of the six professional learning standards and for KSU ITECs professional
learning standards. Overall, the school received excellent observations, but recommendations were
provided to the school in areas of need.

This artifact reminded me of the scope of an instructional coach. It is important when working as
a change leader in the school that we are well informed in all areas of the school. Prior to this
experience, I frequently visited most of the classrooms and had occasional talks with the various
department leads and administrators. However, this assignment allowed me to take a more in-depth
look at the factors that are impacting, or in some cases limiting change in the school. If I were to change
something about this product, I would have preferred to spend more time gathering data. I believe that
education is better served by larger data groups. No classroom, student, or teacher is the same and I
always struggle when trying to make changes that are “better for the whole” in a building. Education
should be personalized, but that requires deeper data pools and stronger data in order to effectively
personalize the learning for each student and classroom.

This artifact had an impact on faculty development and school improvement. This artifact was
used to suggest changes and see through the implementation of several recommendation for individual
teachers. This artifact led to specific professional development opportunities for the staff and also
helped us to identify our earliest groups of students to participate in the new Makerspace section of the
media center.