WIT 2004
Evaluation

WIT 2004 consisted of 5 sections, 2 each at Ray School (morning and afternoon) and at Medill Professional Development Center (morning and afternoon) and one Digital Library section held in the Regenstein Library at the University of Chicago.

• CPS Teachers Academy Evaluation
• ISBE Evaluation

This chart shows sectional and overall averages for questions on the CPS Teachers Academy evaluation survey:

Here are the same data in tabular form:

	Course was well planned and organized.	Materials distributed provided useful information.	Course content was relevant.	Activities were meaningful, purposeful and satisfying.	Presenter(s) had a thorough knowledge and understanding of topics covered.	Presenter(s) modeled the teaching techniques presented.	Presenter(s) was sensitive to my needs as a teacher.	Method(s) of presentation held my attention.	My knowledge and skills were expanded and reinforced.	This course has given me an opportunity to reflect on my own teaching techniques.	This course met my needs as they relate to our local school improvement plan.	In comparison with outer related inservice/courses offered through local schools, district offices, colleges/universities, museums, and other outside organizations, this course was more relevant.	Overall eval (#)
Ray-am	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	3.75	4.00	4.00
Ray-pm	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	3.86	3.83	4.00
Digital Library	4.00	4.00	4.00	3.80	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00
Medill-am	3.29	3.57	3.71	3.43	3.86	4.00	3.86	3.43	3.71	4.00	3.43	3.29	3.67
Medill-pm	3.67	3.33	3.92	3.83	4.00	3.83	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	3.67	3.80
OVERALL	3.78	3.73	3.92	3.83	3.98	3.95	3.98	3.90	3.95	4.00	3.82	3.74	3.89

 

Here are comments on the CPS form, listed by section:

Ray - AM (Mentors: Stuart Vanorny and Alicia Ross)

Great helpful, knowledgable, creative, flexible, and patient teachers. Exposure and help with Dreamweaver capabilities which are advances: css, forms. Help with Pain Shop Pro, Audacity, Music Match. Exposure to a host of useful websites.
Great - I would come back again and again!
I am SO pleased to have this opportunity.
This course should last a week longer. The menros were excellent; caring and knowledgeable. They are excellent teachers.

Ray - PM (Mentors: Shaz Razul, Jon Friesen, and Mitch Marks)

Shaz, Jon and Mitch are wonderful. Thanks! Let's do it again next year.
I know I need to retake so I will not be a chicken to try harder then.
Shaz Razul and Jonathan and Eric (asst) were excellent in explaining how to perform the various applications.
Excellent workshop for new or second-time teachers who wanted to improve skills of incorporating technology in the classroom.
Would like to see you offer an advanced level of this course.

Digital Library (Mentors: Christie Thomas and Melva Samuels)

Schoolnet was frustrating because: it kept timing out; it kept not working; it is not possible to view entire screens at a time, so you don't know exactly what things will look like; it was the 3rd web page builder I have been taught since January; can't we stick with one and learn it thorougly? Christie Thomas and Melva Samuels were fantastic, and Regenstein Library is a wonderful venue. Marita's searching workshop was excellent.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course.

Medill - AM (Mentors: Susan Stitzer and Shirley Pleasant, with Branson Robinson)

Why do this in Schoolnet, when it cannot be used?
More classes like this.
Well done - very informative.

Medill - PM (Mentors: Laura Cieslik and Karen Hicks, with Branson Robinson)

There were problems in accessing SchoolNet. It is known already what these problems were - some were communications breakdown from one dept to another.
Need to identify who and how we're supposed to use as a host for webquests and home pages. The problems and frustrations with schoolnet have been articulated and dealth with; therefore the class was superior.
I found Schoolnet to be easy to use with proper instruction and I look forward to loooking into Dreamweaver.

This chart shows sectional and overall averages on the ISBE evaluation survey:

Here are the same data in tabular form:

	This activity increased my knowledge and skills in my areas of certification, endorsement or teaching assignments.	The relevance of this activity to ISBE teaching standards was clear.	It was clear that the activity was presented by persons with education and experience in the subject matter.	The material was presented in an organized, easily understood manner.	This activity included discussion, critique, or application of what was presented, observed, learned, or demonstrated.
Ray-am	5.00	4.88	4.88	5.00	5.00
Ray-pm	4.86	4.86	5.00	5.00	5.00
Digital Library	5.00	5.00	5.00	5.00	5.00
Medill-am	4.00	4.67	4.67	4.17	4.83
Medill-pm	4.86	4.93	4.93	4.71	4.93
Overall	4.81	4.89	4.91	4.81	4.96

 

Here are comments on the ISBE form, organized by section.

The best features of this activity were:

Ray - AM

Hands-on opportunities to practice new skills.
Hands-on, experienced and caring instructors.
Teachers: Helpful, knowledgeable, creative, flexible and patient. Material: Advanced Dreamweaver, adding music and pictures, help with Hot Potatoes. Activity Creation.
Hands-on activities; designing of my curriculum web.
The final product creation. It was a struggle at first but learning the process was fun.
The knowledge of integration for the curriculum. The creativity was beyond my imagination.

Ray - PM

To work independently on my web pages and practice nely learned skills of making layouts and forms and rollovers.
Two instructors that were very knowledgeable about Dreamweaver and patient with us. Small class size.
The small class-instructor ratio; The highly-skilled, helpful and sensitive instructors - They know how to translate technology into practical applications. Dreamweaver.
Individualized help. Critiques, helpful suggestions
The workshop WIT 2004 gave me the opporunity to enhance my skill in technology by creating curriculum web that I can use in my classroom.
Learning Dreamweaver.
Making-developing materials that can be used in the classroom.

Digital Library

We had lots of hands-on experience. We gained lots of information about available resources.
I have learned lots about digital resources and steps I can take to improve both our digital library resources and collaborative options with children and colleagues. I found the experience of developing the WebQuest and learning the schoolnet technology very positive.
Learning how to use the databases that are provided by the Board was fantastic! So was opportunity to share with other librarians. Christie and Melva were wonderful.
I REALLY appreciated the time given to work. Christie was very patient and her instruction was clear. I enjoyed the various speakers and enjoyed learning everything and the web sites.
Hands-on experience with computers every day was great! The Library of Congress activity was enlightening. Creating a WebQuest was exceptionally exciting to do!. The book discussions were very interesting as well.
The instructors were quite helpful and patient.
The hands-on computer experience.
Small class size.
Hands-on computer training. Collaboration among teachers.
Christie did a wonderful job of making the lessons clear. Hands-on is the best way to learn.
Presentations of LOC and eCUIP material. Hands-on coaching of computer skills.
Accessibility of mentor to answer questions and provide direction. Shared knowledge and creativity among colleagues.

Medill - AM

The presenters
Learned a whole lot.
Our lead teachers!
Developing a webquest.

Medill - PM

We came away with a finished - almost -project.
Learning how to create a webquest.
Learning the different aspects of creating a webquest. The mentors were extraordinarily patient, they did their best to make us as comfortable as possible.

Planning the webquest on the computer and learning how to use the software.
The ongoing support of the staff.
The actual time built into training to design the Webquest.
The interactions that took place between the presenters and participants and between the participants themselves. The opportunity for networking is present, it was fun and if I follow through my students will benefit.
The best features included the assistance offered as it relates to understanding Chicago SchoolNet.
Hand-on use of computer software and hardware.
A wealth of information; navigating the internet; creating a web page; everything was great.
Hands-on activities
In-class projects

Suggestions for improvement include:

Ray - AM

Make one week longer.
More time.
Extending number of weeks and slow down instruction at times.
I felt the course was a bit rushed. A follow-up course or staff development is needed.

Ray - PM

More weeks.
Longer than 14 days to more thoroughly cover information and procedures introduced.
Should be longer.
More time. Computer upgrade used in the classroom for WIT training.
None
We needed at least another week to perfect our projects.

Digital Library

Our instructor was patient, personable, and well-informed. Now I would like to learn Frontpage or Dreamweaver.
Hope similar opportunities become available during the year and next summer ot expand fluency and creative use of internet and problem-solving with peers in other technologies. I look forward to some of the bugs being worked out in schoolnet - way too much time is required to save info and the time out has caused much work to be lost. If schoolnet has to time out link it to automatically save changes.
If we are using SchooLlnet, make sure it doesn't time out every 30 minutes and make sure it works over the weekends.
Perhaps longer workshop hours (days) if this course is offered again for schoolnet.
More time is needed for first-time web designers. SchoolNet was difficult to work in, logging out time was a nuisance, difficult to tupe in, now working too much of the time. Too many passwords.
Longer training time; the class should be longer.
More than three weeks; Three weeks is not enough time.
Longer training time in days.
There was a lot to learn in a short period of time.
More helpers like Eric.
Different site with available parking.

Medill - AM

Don't do this in Schoolnet.
More consistent evaluation of students before entry. Some students slowed us down a bit.
Making sure communication is clear between all parties (no miscommunication).

Medill - PM

Followup Training in Frontpage or Dreamweaver
I really don't have any at this time because I understood the problem with schoolnet.
A better software (Dreamweaver). When you observe a new skill you want to use it as far as it will go. A software that you can create, forms, panel, where you can manipulate text and styles.
A manual to go with the software.
Better communication beforehand. The experience, even if we can't use schoolnet was worth it.
More extensive class on design.
Air conditioning.
Suggestions would include more implementation of behavior mgt and technology.
Air conditioned room that is FULLY functional; larger display on Smart Board Computer.
Frustration with Schoolnet, bu understand it was not meant to be used in the capacity we were using it.
Be sure the program is correct for our use.
Use a different web tool.

Other comments and reactions I wish to offer:

Ray - AM

This is a quality program which starts at a high level and helps students learn new things about web design. Lots of student choice about what to learn and do.
Stuart is a true gem = always helpful and Alicia is great as well.
Mentors were extremely knowledgeable.

Ray - PM

This class should continue to be offered. I would highly recommend other teachers and administrators to take this class.
Course code should be different each time the course is offered because the participants do different projects and different level.
I feel I need to retake this so that I will not be afraid to use the more advanced parts of Dreamweaver.
Mitch, Shaz, and Jon were excellent mentors. They were very patient and knowledgeable. Thanks for offering this program again. Hope to see your program next year.

Digital Library

Thank You.
Continue to include resource people like you did this summer: loved the presentation from the LOC people, and the people from Barat College, and the WebDocent project.
We would love a WIT class on database searches, and more class time devoted to how to use the net in prep-time scheduled schools.
I really loved the class. Give us more like this!
The overall class was great and Christie did a great job!
A great class for any teacher/librarian!
I gained a lot of useful information in such a short time.
I have truly enjoyed working in this class with Christie and the other teachers.
Christie Thomas was both extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

Medill - AM

CPS needs to get its act together.

Medill - PM

Teachers need more tech support for teaching and learning.
I enjoyed the class overall, the only drawback was the inefficiency of the software with the problems of losing the work after you finished it, the save and set active feature kept freezing.
This class was great. We enjoyed the opportunity and would like to have the opportunity for more professional development that affects our classrooms.
I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to learn from mentors with excellent expertise!
I had a terrific time in addition to expanding my technology expertise. Plan on seeing me at more of these.
I wish to mentors to understand and recognize that thie devotion to us is well appreciated.
Size of the group was perfect.
Great mentors!

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