Brigit+Mcaroy

Final Project can be access here:

Primary Email: brigit.mcaroy@waldenu.edu Secondary Email: brigitmcaroy@aol.com Skype user name: bmcaroy Time Zone: Central (Florida)

Hello Team, My messages and comments will always be in color to distinguish from my ongoing project. Brigit Hi Birgit! Pleased to be on your team.

This is work in progress so please feel free to make any suggestions or comments. Brigit

Remodeling Myrtle Grove Elementary to Accomodate New Technologies

Brigit McAroy  Your Student Number   brigit.mcaroy@waldenu.edu

EDUC-7103-3/8843-3 Leading and Managing Educational Technology  Dr. Carla Johnson   Walden University   Date Executive Summary On this page you will provide a brief summary of this proposal in no more than one page. This is similar to the Abstracts you have written for other projects. Think of this as your 60 second commercial. You have one page in which to convince someone of the value of your intervention. It is suggested you restate the problem, solution, cost, and benefits. Creativity in your summary will be appreciated.

**Remodeling Myrtle Grove Elementary to Accommodate New Technologies**

**Myrtle Grove Elementary** **Problem Summary** The Technology Learning Group Program is currently in its sixth year at Myrtle Grove Elementary. This program was designed after the principles of Richard DuFours Professional Learning Communities to help teachers collaborate and provide new technologies in the classroom ([]). Groups of 5 or more teachers were formed at Myrtle Grove to make a commitment to this continuous improvement model for two years. The problem is that a great deal of technology has been placed in all the classrooms and seldom used.

**Background of Organization** Myrtle Grove Elementary School is a public K-5 school in the Escambia County School District. Myrtle Grove Elementary began in 1878 in the community of Myrtle Grove of Pensacola, Florida. The clientele consists of the principal, Edwinna Williams, assistant principal, Carol McIntosh, 48 instructional staff, 4 custodians, 8 paraprofessionals, 2 data clerks, 1 secretary, 1 librarian, 1counselor, and 725 students. Below is a copy of Myrtle Groves Instructional Staff Demographics retrieved from []. Myrtle Grove Elementary is a Title One school that was threatening to loose there title one funding’s due to the decreasing schools grade. Mrs. Williams has received several grants as part of the Technology Learning Group Community and has purchased SmartBoards, Document Cameras, and iPads, and Laptops for the entire school. The problem is that several veteran teachers have never unpacked there technology equipment. These teachers are creating numerous help desk tickets to the tech coordinator. All the tickets have similar problems which all result in not having the appropriate training to use the equipment. The URL for Myrtle Grove Elementary is []. Annual reports can be found at [].
 * ** Total Number of Instructional Staff ** ||  ** % of First-Year Teachers **  ||  ** % of Teachers with 1-5 Years of Experience **  ||  ** % of Teachers with 6-14 Years of Experience **  ||  ** % of Teachers with 15+ Years of Experience **  ||  ** % of Teachers with Advanced Degrees **  ||  ** % Highly Qualified Teachers **  ||  ** % Reading Endorsed Teachers **  ||  ** % National Board Certified Teachers **  ||  ** % ESOL Endorsed Teachers **  ||
 * 48 || 4.2%(2) || 6.3%(3) || 18.8%(9) || 50.0%(24) || 41.7%(20) || 100.0%(48) || 4.2%(2) || 0.0%(0) || 33.3%(16) ||

**Stakeholders and Decision-Makers** The people who will be affected by this plan are: Principal: Edwinna Williams Assistant Principal: Carol McIntosh Tech Coordinator: Craig Rasmussen Grade Book Administrator: Brigit McAroy

Assignment 2.1: PII

The problem is that my school has purchased and equipped all the classrooms with new technology that is not being used. The performance gap is between the veteran teachers who have not successfully completed the required trainings to effectively use and implement the equipment. Start writing immediately after this level 3 heading and describe the history of the organization you are working with.
 * Performance Gap: Cause Analysis**
 * Actual Current Performance.** Myrtle Grove Elementary School has received expensive technology equipment for each classroom and the equipment is not being used by veteran teachers.
 * Desired Performance.** Myrtle Grove Elementary School would like to see all teachers highly qualified to work with the new technology equipment to provide the classrooms with the 21st century equipment to enhance education through technology that is required by the No Child Left Behind Act ([]) to help improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary schools.
 * Performance Gap.** The actual performance gap is that Myrtle Grove Elementary does not have enough mandated trainings and workshops developed to provide adequate training for teacher. The desired performance is to provide reasonable goals that can be met in a short time (Chevalier, 2007).
 * Cause Analysis.** The stakeholders and decision makers at Myrtle Grove Elementary think this problem developed due to the lack of training and time the school, county, and state provide for teachers.
 * Organizational History and Background**
 * Goals.** Myrtle Grove Elementary goals are to provide adequate training and workshops which are not time consuming for their teachers. Provide the students the opportunity to learn 21st century technology that will help them gain the necessary knowledge and use of technology through educational software.
 * History.** Myrtle Grove Elementary School is a public K-5 school in the Escambia County School District. Myrtle Grove Elementary began in 1878 in the community of Myrtle Grove of Pensacola, Florida.
 * Mission and Vision.** The mission of Myrtle Grove School is to provide students with an academic foundation in which all students will effectively develop communication, cooperation, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Achievement of this goal will require parental, community, staff, and technological involvement. Myrtle Grove strives to develop a student well rounded in all developmental and academic areas as well as, a student with the skills of self-discipline. Our staff will strive to provide experiences which will motivate the students to continue to seek knowledge and value the importance of education as they develop career and professional goals for their lives. In reading we will nurture the intrinsic love of reading and give our students the skills and strategies to obtain knowledge and know the JOY of reading as they become independent, life-long readers. To establish this vision, we nurture the intrinsic value of learning the skills and strategies to obtain knowledge in all content areas such as math, science, and social studies as well as in the arts. We strive to motivate students to understand the JOY of becoming independent life-long learners.

Assignment 3.1 Three Intervention Strategies **Three Intervention Strategies** The three intervention strategies proposed for Myrtle Grove Elementary include a low-cost strategy, medium-cost strategy, and high-cost strategy. The Technology Learning groups will implement a plan to the principal, superintendent, Title 1, and staff to propose effective strategies. **Low end intervention.** The low-cost strategy will only meet the minimum needs of providing additional training and incentives to solve the performance gap of remodeling Myrtle Grove for the use of technology in the classroom. The Technology Learning Group has $5,000 to enhance the in house trainings after school. This amount is insufficient because of the time and efforts needed to effectively train all instructional staff on SmartBoards, document cameras, iPads, and laptops. The $5,000 technology budget only allows three teachers from grades K-2 and two teachers from grades 3-5 to attend intense training twice each school year. These teachers will meet during our weekly faculty meetings to briefly demonstrate the basic use of the technology equipment at Myrtle Grove. This amount will not provide sustainable training to solve the performance gap. The goal is to have enough resources in place that will create intense and effective trainings for all instructional staff and overseers in each grade level that leads to successful implementation of technology in the K-12 classrooms. **Middle end intervention.** The medium-cost strategy of $25,000 will allow twenty extra teachers to be trained. This would eventually resolve the problem in about two years if every teacher was allowed to attend the yearly intense training. The goal is to provide all instructional staff intense training on all the technology equipment with overseers in each grade level. **High end intervention.** The high-cost strategy of $50,000 will allow all teachers to have the intense training at the beginning of the school year. This will resolve the performance gap and create a positive and effective learning environment for the staff as well as the students at Myrtle Grove.

Assignment 4.1 Justification for Intervention Strategy

**Justification for Intervention Strategy** The intervention strategy that I propose to the organization is the high-cost strategy of $50,000. This will thoroughly resolve the performance gap and adequately fund the instructional trainings so desired by Myrtle Grove. According to the chart below, Myrtle Grove has a budget of $17,776 for one day technology training with the SmartBoard –ImaginIt interactive web based curriculum. This web based program will provide the teacher’s access to customize planning and lessons for students, online progress reports, test-building with immediate soring and data collection, interactive and engaging reading eGames skill, electronic teacher’s edition, effective inquiry-based activities, and audio recording for fluency passages. Although this budget will resolve a portion of the training for the web based curriculum, there are still the issues of knowing how to use the tools and accessories associated with the SmartBoard, mounting the SmartBoards, projectors, and cables inside the classrooms, and iPad trainings on how to sync and download educational applications for students. The $50,000 high-cost intervention strategy will provide the necessary funding to resolve the remaining issues and have extra funds for additional iPads in the classroom.

The low-end cost will not be a sufficient amount to create an effective environment. The chart below requires a budget of $17,776 to train instructional staff on the web based curriculum. The $5,000 low-cost intervention is not a substantial amount for intense training on all instructional staff at Myrtle Grove. Although the middle-end cost would solve the curriculum based training for teachers, the proper intense training would not be resolved on all technological issues in the classroom. SmartBoard technologies are equipped with educational tools that provide teachers and students the ability to access and create engaging lessons, collaborative learning, share files, and multi-touching to increase the opportunity for classroom collaboration. Teachers can access free, ready-to-use educational resources, including thousands of standards-correlated SMART Notebook lesson activities, anytime on the SMART Exchange website. The middle-end cost would not resolve the intense training of the SmartBoard and iPad.
 * ** Evidence-based Program(s)/Material(s) ** ||
 * ** Strategy ** || ** Description of Resources ** || ** Funding Source ** || ** Available Amount **  ||
 * Great Leaps program to reinforce literacy skills and basic comprehension skills || Great Leaps materials and notebooks for teachers. || Title One || $500.00  ||
 * ** Subtotal: $500.00 ** ||
 * ** Technology ** ||
 * ** Strategy ** || ** Description of Resources ** || ** Funding Source ** || ** Available Amount **  ||
 * Provide SuccessMaker reinforcement software program || computer lab with Teacher Assistants to assist with programs || Title One || $48,080.00  ||
 * Accelerated Reading Program to encourage students to read and reach grade level reading goals || AR Program || Title One || $2,900.00  ||
 * Great Leaps reinforcement reading program for lower performing students || Great Leaps materials and teacher assistant to provide additional student direct tutoring || Title One || $20,026.00  ||
 * ** Subtotal: $71,006.00 ** ||
 * ** Professional Development ** ||
 * ** Strategy ** || ** Description of Resources ** || ** Funding Source ** || ** Available Amount **  ||
 * Provide training for teachers and the assistant to use the Great Leaps program || FDLRS provided training through Mary King Bailey. || FDLRS || $0.00  ||
 * Training on how to use the Web based interactive Imagine It resources || Technology Coordinator || Title One for one day of Tech Cord. || $17,676.00  ||
 * Training on the use of PD360. || Staff Development || Staff Development office || $100.00  ||
 * ** Subtotal: $17,776.00 ** ||
 * ** Other ** ||
 * ** Strategy ** || ** Description of Resources ** || ** Funding Source ** || ** Available Amount **  ||
 * N/A || N/A || N/A || $0.00  ||
 * ** Subtotal: $0.00 ** ||
 * ** Grand Total: $89,282.00 ** ||

**The Manager’s Many Roles** Project management techniques: The project manager’s role for this intervention strategy is to make sure that the funds are available for all teachers to acquire the necessary intense training on the SmartBoards, iPads, and setup the classroom environment.

Resource management techniques: The resources that will be used for this intervention will originate from technology grants, Title 1 funds, and educational bonuses. The funds will be tracked through the school’s principal, secretary and data clerk.

Delivery system management techniques: The technology coordinator will provide refresher trainings through the school year along with the overseers of the project. The technology will be implemented through teacher evaluations of instructional staff and students using the equipment.

Information management techniques: The information related to this intervention strategy will be stored on the principal and assistant principal’s evaluation iPods and written up on the teacher evaluation web site.

Chevalier, R. D. (2007). A manager's guide to improving workplace performance. New York, NY: American Management Association.

__Chart downloaded from: []__

Preview video interview here:

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Assignment 5.1 Financial and Budget Information **The Manager as Change Agent** According to Everett Rogers (2003), “Change Agents operate interventions, defined as actions with a coherent objective to bring about behavior change in order to produce identifiable outcomes”. To be a good change agent one must present themselves with a strong background to lead and to be organized in a systematic business like environment that brings on a quality that everyone could relate to. Chevalier (2007) suggests these tips on being a change agent:
 * Seek support from seniors and peers before implementing change
 * Analyze before you act
 * Multiple solutions are necessary for complex problems
 * Create and communicate a clear vision of the desired future state
 * Be prepared for resistance to change
 * Measure results in terms that senior management will understand

**Financial and Budget Information.** Recommendation for Financial Budget
 * DESCRIPTION ||  Quantity  ||  TOTAL COST  ||
 * Training of Web Based Interactive School Curriculum- ImagineIt Resources w/SmartBoard for all instructional staff || 1  || $17,676.00 ||
 * BG705LL/A -iPad 2 32GB Wi-Fi 10 Pack (Black) with AppleCare Protection Plan || 1  || $6,380.00 ||
 * Extra iPads @ $699.00 each || 8  ||  $5,592.00  ||
 * Apple Professional Development Program (Two Day)-Apple Professional Development Workshops are designed for 16 participants and are instructor-led workshops (two consecutive days) @ $4,500.00 each || 3  ||  $13,500.00  ||
 * Subs for two days (divided throughout the beginning of the year) @$68.00 a day for two days for 48 instructional staff || 96  ||  $6,528.00  ||
 * || Total  ||  $43,676.00  ||

Purchases and trainings for the above tentative budgets are from the Florida Differentiated Accountability Program 2011-2012 School Improvement Plan ([]). The curriculum for the school is the SRA ImagineIt Web based program. Instructional staff will be trained on how to use the web based progams and resources on the interactive SmartBoard and how to implement the resources inside and outside the classroom.

The Apple iPad Learning Lab streamlines the management of classroom sets of iPad devices. Each lab includes 10 iPad (8 extra iPads will be purchased) devices and a sturdy and secure mobile cart. The cart can store, charge, and sync up to 30 iPad devices and has room for a MacBook computer. The cart rolls easily around campus, so multiple classes can benefit, and it can be locked to secure the devices ( [] ). The Apple

Professional Development Program will allow all instructional staff to have intense two day trainings on the iPad to help integrate technology into teaching and learning in the classroom.

**Project Assessment.** The project objectives will be evaluated by using surveys at [|www.surveybuilder.com]. The following link will provide a formative evaluation for the project objectives ([]). The formative evaluation will allow the instructional staff at Myrtle Grove the ability to share what they already know.

Chevalier, R. D. (2007). A manager's guide to improving workplace performance. New York, NY: American Management Association.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Leading and managing educational technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.Chart downloaded from: []

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.

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