Evaluation for Success MLLS provides comprehensive program evaluation for learning with laptop initiatives. The MLLS evaluation team uses a success-based approach to evaluation. We use the research base and the experience of large scale educational technology initiatives to move beyond the question of whether technology can improve student learning to using the identified conditions and strategies for using technology which do improve the quality of a school's instructional program as a benchmark for evaluation. Doing so, the MLLS evaluation team can provide critical formative assessment to local project leaders about what they are doing well, what challenges they face, and can make recommendations on how to address the challenges.    Success Model for 1-to1 Learning with Laptop Initiatives The MLLS evaluation plan is based on a model for successful 1-to-1 learning with laptop initiatives that is based on the learnings of other initiatives, including Maine's. The success model  acknowledges evidence of learning as the desired outcome and recognizes two critical components for success: teacher practice and leadership; and four  supportive but necessary components: professional development, technology access, funding, and partnerships. Evaluation Plan & Instruments To manage and analyze the data, this evaluation utilizes a mixed methods approach including teacher and student surveys, formal and informal interviews of teachers, administrators, tech coordinators, parents, and students; classroom observations; and document analysis. The MLLS Evaluation Team The strengths of the MLLS evaluation team include that we have plenty of classroom teaching (and teaching with technology) experience, so we understand the trenches and realities of schools and the classroom. Our team has years of "real" evaluation experience and are good at authentic assessment - putting meaningful educational research on top of a project evaluation. Also, we know what accomplishments to look for that will lead to success because we've worked with several large scale learning with laptop initiatives and have seen those accomplishments. We know the right questions to ask and we know how to find the answers. Other Evaluation Resources Other initiatives have added significantly to the available resources for evaluating learning with laptop initiatives. This page will link you to many of those resources.  Selected Evaluation References Reference list for citations throughout the MLLS Evaluation site.

The 1-to-1 Advocate 1-to-1 Evaluation MLLS Home MLTI MLLS Research Briefs         The Maine Learning with Laptop Studies is a project of the Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning in collaboration with The Institute for the Integration of Technology Into Teaching and Learning   Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning University of Maine at Farmington 252 Main St. Farmington, ME 04938 http://www.mcmel.org Mike Muir, Director mmuir@maine.edu 207-778-7179 Inservice Available   The Institute for the Integration of Technology Into Teaching and Learning University of North Texas Matthews Hall Rm. 316 1300 Highland Ave. Denton, TX 76203 http://www.iittl.unt.edu/ Gerald Knezek, Director gknezek@gmail.com 940-565-2057 Rhonda Christensen, Associate Director rhonda.christensen@gmail.com Created by Mike Muir Last updated: May 10, 2006