A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Preface

The Challenge

Evaluating educational technology programs can be a challenging endeavor. As more and more states, districts, and schools develop technology plans to ensure that technology will be used effectively to benefit student learning and achievement, the need to understand technology?s impact on improving student achievement will become even greater. Furthermore, the funding that states and districts receive to implement components of technology plans often requires some type of evaluation. The question thus becomes, how do you evaluate educational technology programs that vary in:

• the types of students they serve
• the curriculum areas in which teachers use technology, and
• the type of technology itself?

The Guide

This guide was developed for the U.S. Department of Education by the American Institutes for Research in conjunction with its formative evaluation of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund. The guide represents a joint effort among the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, the Office of Educational Technology, and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The guide should be viewed as a tool for individuals who have little or no formal training in research or evaluation. Its intended informal style and accompanying worksheets provide the basic principles of evaluation and are designed to help district and school personnel gain an overview of and ideas for evaluating local technology initiatives. The guide is not meant to be the key to conducting a perfect evaluation. There is no such thing as a perfect program and no such thing as a perfect evaluation. Rather, the goal of this handbook is to provide educators a resource with which to jump into the evaluation process, learning as they go.
-###-

[Title Page]

[Overview of Handbook]