Using A Framework To Review And Evaluate Educational Technology Resources

Abstract

School districts have an enormous number of resources available to them as they seek to grow student success and achievement. A review of the web-based educational technology resources a district is using, their effect, and the equitable distribution of these resources defines this problem of practice. This mixed-method approach addresses a district's use of educational technology product resources to supplement classroom instruction. Many of the resources in use were purchased without a program review, cost analysis, or even district knowledge. The collection of current district usage data, the intervention of district curriculum leadership, and the identification of an actionable rubric for measuring educational technology product resources were among the first action steps. Following a four-week review of product resources in use and the amount of instructional time spent, work began on a review of selected products to determine overall product quality. During the product resource review stage of work by the scholarly practitioner and district instructional coaches, a rubric was used to evaluate current educational technology products. Stage three of the work was to evaluate the effectiveness of each educational technology product. Effectiveness data were compiled and submitted to the district's Curriculum and Instruction department so financial priorities and product resource recommendations could be made for the following academic year.