Technical Assistance

• April 2, 2007 Elluminate Session
• Alabama IMPACT Assist Guide
• May 14, 2007 Evaluation Section Development Workshop
• June AETC Full-Day Workshop on Developing Goals, Indicators, and Data Collection Strategies
• AETC Session on the new IMPACT
• AETC Session on the Cohort 1 Pioneer Work

April 2, 2007 – Elluminate Session Overviewing the New IMPACT Document and Procedures

This Elluminate session will overview the structure of the new (2007 - 2012) IMPACT plan and highlight those areas where local systems will need to do something different than has been the case in the past.  Items to be covered include:

• Changes in terminology (e.g., there are now 4 goals, and multiple objectives)
• A mandatory local teacher and administrator survey
• A new online system for entry of tech plans (Jerome’s “template”)
• The ability to create “local interpretations” of each goal
• The ability to create unique local objectives (up to 3 per goal)
• The need to create “what will this look like” statements (i.e., basic indicators) for each goal
• The need to outline a data collection strategy (which may be as simple as taking the required survey or as complex as the full “Pioneer” process) for each goal

After this session, districts will be able to access – and take – the new statewide surveys and will be able to access the ALSDE online template for entry of their updated tech plans.

Districts will also be introduced to the Alabama IMPACT Assist Guide (see below) and told how to access this for further information on the new planning process. Districts will be told that there will be follow-up, more in-depth, training offered starting with the May 14 face-to-face session (see below).

IMPACT Assist Guide

This is a print and online (downloadable) guide that provides background and additional information on the various components of a local system tech plan.  More than just a set of instructions, the Assist Guide is intended to help districts understand the purpose behind creating meaningful visions, goals, and the newly required evaluation components (“what this looks like” statements and broad data collection strategies).  The Assist Guide will provide specific examples of acceptable/exemplary components as well as links to resources for more information on how to create components. 

The Assist Guide will be available by April 2, 2007.

May 14, 2007 – Face to Face Training Session

This full day session (offered live, and also via videoconference) will provide more in-depth training which focuses on the writing of:

• Unique local interpretations of goals
• “What will this look like” statements (basic indicators)
• Data collection strategies

Participants will actually start drafting these new components with the intention that they be able to submit their creations as part of their 2007 local plans. We will also use this session to solicit interest in becoming Cohort 2 Pioneers (who will ultimately develop a full local evaluation during the fall of the 2007/2008 school year.

AETC Full Day Workshop (likely to be 6/12/07, exact date to be determined)

This full-day workshop will help those districts that are interested in becoming Cohort 2 Pioneers. Ideally, this session will be attended by small teams of individuals from interested districts.  We would like to have up to 12 Cohort 2 Pioneers, so this session should accommodate 24 to 36 individuals.

At this session, participants will fine tune and further develop their four basic indicators (one per goal).  Attention will be paid as to how these indicators relate to the local plan’s vision.  Participants will begin to think – in detail - about the types of data they will want to collect to support these indicators; and this in turn will drive further refinement of the indicators.

After leaving this session, participants will be able to engage with the full Pioneer process of local data collection, analysis, and reporting. 

1 Hour AETC Session on the New IMPACT (likely 6/13/07)

This will essentially reprise the April 2 Elluminate session (see above) and will help answer remaining questions from the general audience of AL tech coordinators about the hows and whys of the new IMPACT, and how this impacts the local planning process.

1 Hour AETC Session on the Pioneer Process (likely 6/13/07)

Cohort 1 Pioneers will constitute a panel to answer questions and discuss the work they did as Pioneers between 6/06 and 3/07.  The emphasis will be on the advantages and costs of conducting such an in-depth local evaluation of instructional technology.

Information on Alabama Pioneer Districts, Cohort 1

A page linking resources, agendas, and other materials for Cohort 1 Pioneer District work

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