Project Evaluation

I have proposed using PowerPoint to create Stand-Alone Instructional Resources also known as StAIRS as a good solution for the problem of practice I have identified for my TechQuest project. The problem of practice I identified is the issue of misunderstanding regarding significant disproportionality and the reporting requirements for the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report which are federal mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As I have proposed, several StAIRs need to be created on the various components of significant disproportionality and the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report. Inasmuch, I have anticipated that this would be a long-term project in that it will take time to fully implement. However, I’ve already encountered a few bumps along the way. One major obstacle has been TIME. These past eight weeks have passed so quickly and I am certain it won’t be long and this year will come to a close and I had hoped to be further along. When I first selected this project for my TechQuest, I felt very strongly about the need and this remains true but I have considered the possibility that maybe this project is just too big. Addressing the problem I’ve identified needs to be done but I think I should have considered starting off smaller or at least considered that this project will take more than one year to fully implement. If I were to revise my original project proposal I would give more consideration to the “goldilocks” theory and select the “just right” size.

 

Inasmuch lessons I’ve learned include:

• I learned the importance of conducting thorough research. I definitely need to allow more time for research. This is a time-consuming process but one that cannot be completed by taking shortcuts. It took me by surprise that I couldn’t find much information on others who had attempted similar projects. In fact, I didn’t find any direct information documenting that others have attempted similar projects to that which I have proposed. However, this lack of information has prompted me to think more critically about this project. It has led me to the conclusion that the pilot of this project is imperative. Furthermore, complete and thorough research is very important.
• The research process also opened my eyes to other areas of this project I hadn’t considered such as the internal training of staff. Although I don’t necessarily expect that everyone needs to know the specific details of PowerPoint it may be necessary to provide some PowerPoint tutorial assistance for support staff. These are the individuals that will probably be actually constructing the PowerPoint presentations/tutorials and may need the details of how to use advanced features of PowerPoint. Therefore, some of the websites I found online will come in handy as a resource. 
• Although I am thrilled that both the director and assistant director of the Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services are excited about the prospects of using this as a resource to communicate to special education educators across the state, I hadn’t anticipated they would have additional ideas of how they propose using these StAIRs for training purposes. This was a pleasant surprise to me but it also reminds me that I need to remain flexible.

I will know I have been successful with full implementation of this TechQuest project when administrators across the State are aware of this resource, use it, and ask for more. There are programs available that track the number of times a website is visited. This would help with determining the use of the resource. I also plan to use surveys to gather information. I’ll use SurveyMonkey to construct a survey requesting information after they have had an opportunity to view the StAIR and report on its use and effectiveness.

 

In conclusion, I still feel strongly that using PowerPoint to create Stand-Alone Instructional Resources (StAIRs) is a good solution for the problem of practice identified. Although, I am not as far along with implementation as I had hoped I have made good strides and will continue to move forward with this project because I see this as an opportunity for professional development and as a continued effort to ensure compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to improve programs and services for Michigan’s students with disabilities.