Rio Grande Border G & M ProjectsTexas A&M International University

Laredo, Texas

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Dianne Marquart

Rohitha Goonatilake

En-Bing Lin

Juan R. Lira

Firooz Khosraviyani

Fernando Quintana (External Evaluator)

The Rio Grande Border Geometry Project

• High School Geometry 2004-2005 Teacher Quality Higher Education Type B Grants Program under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

- High School Geometry Summer Institute,

June 7-June 25, 2004

- Academic Year High School Geometry Workshop Sessions, August 28, 2004-April

16, 2005 

The Rio Grande Border Mathematics Project

• Middle School Mathematics, Part II 2004-2005 Teacher Quality Higher Education Type B Grants Program under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

- Middle School Mathematics, Part II Summer Institute, June 28-July 16, 2004

- Academic Year Middle School Mathematics, Part II Workshop Sessions, September 18, 2004- April 30, 2005

Summary

I. Recruitment of ParticipantsII. Selection of Participants and StrategiesIII. Workshop AdministrationIV. Evaluation of the Workshops V.     Role of External EvaluatorsVI. Materials and Other NecessitiesVII. Projects and Presentations by the ParticipantsVIII. Concluding RemarksIX. Support Services and Special Thanks toX. Workshop Photos

I. Recruitment of Participants:

A. Media:– Flyers: Multiple flyers announcing each program, with mention of

the schedule and the stipend– Announcements posted on the department website– Newspapers– Morning TV shows, if possible

B. People and Contacts:– Visits to local schools– E-mails to teachers – Contacting School Authorities and District Officials– Undergraduate and graduate students of the University

 

II. Selection of Participants and Strategies:

       Interest forms for potential participants

       Collecting school and teacher data

       Checking the Profiles

       Registration forms

require a pledge for completion of the sessions

require a pledge for classroom observations

require a pledge for attending academic year sessions

II. Selection of Participants and Strategies: Cont’d

Daily attendance taken three times a day      

       Require documentation for absences and excuses

       Require “making up” missed activities

      Take attendance for the Business Lunch

       Participants were often asked to do assignments in groups so that they could interact with other participants. Groups formed were asked

to present their works and discuss their solutions with other participants. Some activities and learning lessons are assigned to these groups

III. Workshop Administration:

• Project Director supervises every item, overall project, financial aspects of the workshop and constantly consults with other project principals

• Have the curriculum materials ready for delivery if possible, daily plan of activities or written available course module and topics/problems. Any available TGA modules may provide resources and materials for workshop use

III. Workshop Administration: Cont’d

• Brief meeting before and after the workshop sessions to make sure what has been covered and what is to be covered during the next session

• Different sessions with different workshop facilitators

III. Workshop Administration: Cont’d

• Two short breaks provided with snacks, soda, and bottled water will allow the participants to break in between sessions

• For full-day sessions, working lunch with participants, conversations and discussions related to the sessions. Project planners get to know the participants better and to address any concerns they may have

III. Workshop Administration: Cont’d

• Total stipend package has been divided into two installments. One is paid at the end of the summer institute and the second/final installment is paid at the end of the academic year sessions. A similar payment method can been used for the workshop facilitators

• A speaker was asked to address the participants on the last day of workshop sessions

IV. Evaluation of the Workshops:

• Pre-test vs. Post-test– Statistical Analysis:

• Regression Analysis• Comparisons of Mean, Median, and Mode

• Classroom Observations of Participants– Used TxCEPT COP Instruments

• Oral Presentations, Workshop Experience, the use of workshop in the classrooms/end of summer institute/end of academic year sessions

IV. Evaluation of the Workshops: Cont’d

Feedback Forms at the End of Summer Institute and Academic Year sessions. This includes items such as:

• Activity Sessions: What worked best? What worked least well? Suggestions for improvement

• Computer sessions: What worked best? What worked least well? Suggestions for improvement

• Which part of the workshop did you find most useful?• Which type of follow-up assistance would help you

most?

IV. Evaluation of the Workshops: Cont’d

• Please rate the following aspects of the workshop on a scale of 1 (Inadequate) to 5 (Excellent):

-     Opportunities to collaborate with other participants

- Opportunities to interact with workshop facilitators

- Organization of the workshop

- The delivery of instruction

- Allocation of time for activities/discussion to topics

• End of the academic year poster sessions: Award of prizes, and door prizes

V. Role of External Evaluators:

External evaluator did independently observe workshop delivery/activities and conducted his own evaluating activities:

  Observed the delivery of materials       Inspected workshop materials, project

assignments, poster presentations and other work performed by the

workshop participants

V. Role of External Evaluators: Cont’d

• Evaluation of pre-test, post-test and their scores• Talking to workshop participants• Visiting workshop sessions• Conducting classroom observations• Conducting Evaluation at the end of summer sessions• Conducting Evaluation at the end of academic year

sessions• Requesting feedback questionnaires from project director

and project principals at the end of the academic year sessions

VI. Materials and Other Necessities:

• Chairs, desks, tables, easels, networked-computer, elmo, overhead projector, easel papers

• Curriculum, textbooks, teaching materials, (group) activity sheets and assignments

• Other office materials: paper, pencils, scissors, erasers, calculators, patty papers, scotch tape and paper, compasses, protractor, rulers, writing materials etc. provided in a box for a group of 4-5 participants

VII. Projects and Presentations by the Participants:

• Oral Presentations of Workshop Experiences at the end of the summer institute

• Projects relating to the content of the workshop experiences for the academic year sessions

• Preliminary discussion of the projects during the academic year sessions

VII. Projects and Presentations by the Participants: Cont’d

• Oral presentations of the participants’ projects at the end of academic year sessions

• Poster presentations of the participants’ projects at the end of academic year sessions, Q&A sessions

VIII. Conclusions:

• Coordination between various experts

• A friendly conducive academic atmosphere will provide a perfect educational opportunity for the participants

IX. Support Services and Special Thanks to:

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

- Dr. Gloria White

- Ms. Elizabeth Powers

- Ms. Rhonda Jenkins

• Charles A. Dana Center, Austin, Texas

- Dr. Susan Hudson Hull

IX. Support Services and Special Thanks to: Cont’d

• Texas A&M International University, Laredo, Texas- College of Arts and Sciences- Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

- Dr. Chen-Han Sung, Chair and faculty of mathematics

- Dr. Terutake Abe and Mr. Myung-Chul Kim for judging poster presentations

- Ms. Juanita Villarreal, Staff Assistant, Department of Mathematical and

Physical Sciences- Mathematics students

IX. Support Services and Special Thanks to: Cont’d

- Office of Budget, Payroll and Grants- TAMIU Bookstore

       - Door prize- Office of Physical Plant- Office of Information Technology (OIT)- University Office of Room Reservation

• Key College Publishing- Educational Packages (GSP & …): Poster Sessions’ winners- Tee-shirts: 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place prizes

• Texas Instruments Inc.- Calculator loan for summer institute

X. End of the Presentation and Workshop Photos:

X. End of the Presentation and Workshop Photos: Cont’d