RCET Evaluations

Throughout its history, RCET has undertaken several evaluations of technology related projects.  Our evaluation work with local organizations not only connects us to the larger community, it enhances our knowledge of technology and teaching and learning.

OneCommunity (2008-present)

RCET researchers are involved in the evaluation of this project in order to address the adoption and effectiveness of the OneCommunity network, as well as the Discovery OnePlace platform throughout schools in Northeast Ohio. The evaluation questions address four general areas: training, access, adoption/use, and student performance.

Handhelds across the Curriculum, Franklin Parish, LA (2006-2007)

Handhelds across the Curriculum is a state-funded initiative by the Franklin Parish Schools in Central Northeast Louisiana which provided students with 24/7 access to handheld devices. The main goals of the project were to increase student academic achievement in the areas of Mathematics and English Language Arts (and to a lesser extent in Science and Social Studies, and to ncrease student technology skills. RCET's evaluation focused on the first goal, comparing 2006 state ILEAP scores to 2007 LEAP scores in order to determine if there were student gains in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

van ‘t Hooft, M. (2007). Handhelds across the curriculum : ConnectedTech – EETT Competitive Project Evaluation. Submitted to the Franklin Parish School Board, Winnsboro, LA.

Elyria City Schools SMART Board Initiative (2006-2007)

RCET is conducting an evaluation of teachers’ use of SMART Boards in Elyria City Schools. The goals of this evaluation are to determine the frequency and manner in which teachers use SMART Boards, and whether the use of SMART Boards and/or the frequency of their use is related to student performance in mathematics and reading/language arts. Data sources for this evaluation include students’ achievement test scores from the Ohio Achievement Tests (grades 3 through 8), student demographic variables, teacher checklist of students’ attainment of academic indicators, teachers’ possession status of SMART Board technology, teachers’ self-reported frequency of SMART Board use, principals’ perceptions of the frequency of teachers’ SMART Board use, and anecdotal data from teachers concerning their methods and techniques of SMART Board use. 

Lorain County Student Response System Project (2006-2007)

RCET is serving as the external evaluator for this project which focuses on the use of a student response system for classroom assessment and data management.  The goal of the project is to provide K-12 teachers with alternative strategies for managing very large amounts of data as they implement and monitor the Ohio Content Standards.   The grant evaluation includes teacher attitudinal and usage assessments as well as achievement comparisons.  The teachers will also be assessed on their understanding of the use of data and how it informs instruction pre-post.

Math Connections (2007)

Math Connections is a joint project of University Cirlce Interactive (UCI) and the Akron Public Schools which uses the resources of three UCI member institutions (Cleveland Botanical Garden, Western Reserve Historical Society and Cleveland Museum of Art) to deliver a high-quality standards-based distance learning experience covering essential 6th grade concepts in mathematics. Fifteen 6th grade classes in Akron are participating in the program (375 students and 15 teachers) which consists a series of 10 distance learning lessons that utilize the resources of the University Circle museums.  RCET’s evaluation of the project is designed to answer the following questions:

  1. How effective is each set of math connection lessons in assisting with student understanding of key mathematical concepts contained in the standards?
  2. Does student participation in this program lead to increased student achievement as measured by the 6th grade achievement tests in math?
  3. Does the videoconferencing format contribute to student understanding?
  4. Was the technology sufficient to support learning in the far-end classroom?
  5. How do teachers and students feel about videoconferencing as a tool in the classroom for teaching and learning?

ILILE: Institute for Library & Information Literacy Education (2006-2007)

The purpose of ILILE is to increase collaboration between university faculty and library media specialists, as well as collaboration between K-12 teachers and school librarians. RCET has assisted ILILE with several evaluations to determine the success of their initiatives, including the Teacher Education Faculty and Librarian Summit (TEFALS). Also, RCET has assisted in the development of surveys used to measure the extent to which collaboration between K-12 teachers and school librarians is presently occurring throughout the state and the country.

REFOCUSTT:  Redesign for Competent Use of Technology by Teachers Project  (2001 - 2005)

RCET served as the external evaluator for the University of Akron’s REFOCUSTT project, funded through a federal grant under the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) Program. The project was designed to ensure that future teachers will be equipped for tomorrow's classrooms with regard to content knowledge, pedagogy, and technology expertise. Pre-service course artifacts, pre-post student and instructor surveys, and observational data documented substantial changes in university courses and field experiences that led to increased experiences for preservice students to utilize technology.

Kratcoski, A. (2005). Evaluation of the Redesign for Competent Use of Technology by Teachers Project.  Final report submitted to The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.

The Multi-Media Real World Project (2001 - 2002)

Funded by Ohio SchoolNet through the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, Woodridge High School designed the Multi-Media Real World Project to engage students in multi-sensory, project-based learning through participation in multimedia projects including astrophotography, video microscopy, and personal electronic portfolios. RCET was contracted by Woodridge Local Schools as the external evaluator for the project.  Data obtained through pre-post teacher surveys and analysis of student work samples determined that the increased access to technology provided opportunities for students to be engaged in real-world tasks that emphasized critical thinking, problem-solving, synthesis, and evaluation. 

Kratcoski, A. (2002). The Multi-Media Real World Project: Evaluation Findings.Final report submitted to Woodridge Local Schools, Northampton, Ohio.

E3:  Electronically Enabled Education Project (2001 - 2002)

The E3 Project was conducted at Cleveland Heights High School through a grant awarded by Ohio SchoolNet through the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund. The project was designed to engage students in real-world problem solving through participation in multimedia projects. RCET led the external evaluation of the E3 project to assess the impact of the TLCF initiative on teaching and learning. Utilizing a framework grounded in extensive research and field-testing, a profile was created of the school’s progress with regards to six conditions that are essential for the effective use of educational technology. Analysis of teacher assignments and student work added to that profile by providing data regarding how increased access to multimedia technology resulted in opportunities to create learning experiences that emphasized high content standards as well as high standards for authentic intellectual challenge.

Kratcoski, A. (2002). The Electronically Enabled Education Project: Evaluation Findings. Final report submitted to Cleveland Heights City Schools, Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Federal Technology Literacy Challenge Fund in Ohio (2000-2003)

RCET was contracted by Ohio SchoolNet to evaluate the Federal Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF) in Ohio’s middle and high schools. Ohio used its TLCF to fund the technology initiatives, “Raising the Bar in the Middle Grades” (1998-2000) and “Raising the Bar at the High School (2001).  Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to gather and analyze data from various information sources that included document reviews, administration of the enGauge survey framework, site visits, and analyses of teacher and student work samples.  Triangulation of data sources determined that that TLCF impacted teaching and learning by providing schools with the equipment and resources to support new models of teaching and learning. The participants reported that the increased technology made possible through TLCF provided a conduit for focusing on improved teaching and learning through professional development activities that emphasized technology use within the context of specific teaching and learning practices, such as constructivism, problem-based learning, higher order thinking and problem solving skills.

Kratcoski, A. (2002). Lessons Learned: Findings of the Evaluation of Ohio’s Technology Literacy Challenge Fund-Raising the Bar at the Middle Grades. Paper presented at the Ohio SchoolNet Technology Conference, Columbus, Ohio.