Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

Evaluation Models:

• Management model:
  The basic idea of the management approach is that the evaluator’s job is to provide information to management to help them in making decisions about programs, products, etc. The evaluator’s job is to serve managers (or whoever the key decision makers are). To utilize the management model to evaluate my instruction, I could have another teacher observe my teaching, question students, and provide a critique.
• Judicial model: Judicial or adversary-oriented evaluation is based on the judicial metaphor. It is assumed here that the potential for evaluation bias by a single evaluator cannot be ruled out, and, therefore, each “side” should have a separate evaluator to make their case. To utilize the judicial model to evaluate my instruction, I could have students provide feedback of their learning and compare that to feedback from a third party evaluator.
• Anthropological model: The concept here is that an evaluator enters the field and tries to learn about a program and its results inductively and without being aware of the specific objectives of the program. To utilize the anthropological model to evaluate my instruction, I could have someone who does not have a direct interest, an outsider, observe and provide feedback.
• Consumer model: Evaluation is viewed as the process of determining something’s merit and worth, with evaluations being the products of that process. To utilize the consumer model to evaluate my instruction, I could have former students rate their perceived value of my instruction in regards to their current knowledge of post secondary instruction or the workforce.

An examination of the perceived attributes of mobile learning devices in regards to Everett Rogers' five factors of innovation might be:

1. The relative advantage of mobile learning devices is that learning can occur anywhere, anytime. Devices that are connected to the internet allow learners to access content from almost any location, any time. Quite different than the traditional educational model of learners conforming to the schedule of the institution.
2. Mobile learning devices are more compatible with students lives, than most teachers, as their generation has grown up in a digital world. Technology is very ingrained in their lives. Students understand the use of technology as another tool to assist the learning process. Many teachers consider technology a hindrance to the learning environment, which I beleive has slowed adoption.
3. Mobile learning devices could lend to complexity, however interfaces are becoming much more intuitive and simple to manipulate for all generations.
4. Mobile phones make up the majority of mobile learning devices. Considering the percentage of school age children who have a cell phone, makes trialability an almost non existent issue. Other devices, such as tablet computers, are not quite as easily accessible. However, some schools have realized their advantage and are increasingly implementing their use.
5. Observability is unfortunately quite often a hinderance to the adoption of any new technology in the learning environment. The traditional educational system creates single teacher 'silos' in which the spread of an applicable technology is limited to side discussions or forced introductions by administration or instructional technology staff. More successful schools offer faculty opportunities to demonstrate technologies they have adopted and might work for others.

In developing a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers, I might use the Situational Leadership style of project management by

constantly monitoring the performance of my team. As the project progresses, and my team performs ever more cohesively, I would gradually decrease my direct management to allow them greater freedom to perform their specific job functions.