Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Principals Meeting Presentation
Robert Simpson and Diane Schilder presented results from last year's SIW PBU implementation to a combined meeting of Malden Public School principals and curriculum directors on Tuesday, January 24th. Summary follows;
Teacher Learning Center Background
- Funded through federal grant funds 1999-present
- Hypothesis: Effective integration of curriculum and technology would result in student achievement gains.
- Teachers collaborate to build web-based PBUs
My Role (Simpson) as Teacher Learning Center Director
- Collaborate with district administrators, University faculty, and TRITEC partners to build curriculum/technology model
- Support teacher's acquisition of 21st century skills
- Disseminate student achievement results
Are we on the right track?
>these ideas are acting upon our world...
1. Flattening Malden Public Schools
Thomas Friedman's book "The World is Flat" is a good narrative on what he terms a "flattening of the World" due to 10 major events. > MPS teachers and students live in a global world.
2. The rise of the professional cyber athlete
60 minutes segment on how today's young people are more likely to look to video gaming for community and for role models.
3. Push toward one-to-one laptop initiative [MA DOE report PDF]
If MA moves in this direction, our success in PBU training and implementation means that the MPS environment could significantly benefit from the program.
What can we conclude from the SIW data?
Diane Schilder discussed how 2004/05 data were collected and analyzed and the impact on fifth grade science achievement.
Download One-page Evaluation Brief [PDF] or [FLASH].
Comments:
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Analyses of 2004/2005 MCAS and survey data reveal a strong and statistically significant correlation between the degree of SIW implementation and students' MCAS scores. In other words, students whose teachers taught the entire unit were more likely to perform better on related MCAS items, compared with students of teachers who taught less of the unit.
Previously, we analyzed 2003/2004 MCAS data to determine if there were differences between students who were taught using the PBU and comparison students whose teachers did not implement the PBU. We found a strong and statistically significant relationship exists. Students who were taught in the PBU classrooms performed better on MCAS-related items than comparison students.
Were these differences caused by the PBU? We know that a relationship between PBU implementation and MCAS scores exists. We also know that there is a strong relationship between the degree of implementation and scores. However, to definitively answer causal questions requires random assignment of teachers to either the PBU or traditional curriculum group. Random assignment would ensure that teachers would be as likely to be in the PBU group as the control group. Thus, each group would be as likely to have teachers with varying levels of education, familiarity with PBU content, and comfort using technology. However, it is challenging to assign teachers to groups and this has not yet been done.
Nonetheless, we do have evidence from different data collection and analysis activities that have occurred over multiple years. This evidence from multiple groups and over time does reveal that a relationship between the PBU and student outcomes exists. It is our goal to work with districts on a random assignment plan in the future so that we can definitively answer causal questions.
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Previously, we analyzed 2003/2004 MCAS data to determine if there were differences between students who were taught using the PBU and comparison students whose teachers did not implement the PBU. We found a strong and statistically significant relationship exists. Students who were taught in the PBU classrooms performed better on MCAS-related items than comparison students.
Were these differences caused by the PBU? We know that a relationship between PBU implementation and MCAS scores exists. We also know that there is a strong relationship between the degree of implementation and scores. However, to definitively answer causal questions requires random assignment of teachers to either the PBU or traditional curriculum group. Random assignment would ensure that teachers would be as likely to be in the PBU group as the control group. Thus, each group would be as likely to have teachers with varying levels of education, familiarity with PBU content, and comfort using technology. However, it is challenging to assign teachers to groups and this has not yet been done.
Nonetheless, we do have evidence from different data collection and analysis activities that have occurred over multiple years. This evidence from multiple groups and over time does reveal that a relationship between the PBU and student outcomes exists. It is our goal to work with districts on a random assignment plan in the future so that we can definitively answer causal questions.
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