Evidence/Projects

• Textbook Dilemma (Performance Analysis)

Context

An individual project in EDTEC 540 required the production of a job aid based upon data collected. The administration for my school site cut the textbook distribution personnel. This budgetary cut required all certificated teachers be in charge of distributing and maintaining records for textbooks. This new responsibility for teachers increased the concern of textbook loss because of poor record keeping. It was suggested by the administration to request all teachers store textbook records within their online grading system called Aeries. An analysis was performed to determine if it was prudent to create a job aid for textbook recording in Aeries.

Outcomes

I was not sure if the creation of a job aid was needed because not all teachers were using the Aeries system for their gradebook. I created a survey for the teachers on staff to determine the following:

• How many teachers were using Aeries as their gradebook recording program?
• How many teachers were using Aeries for textbook recording?
• What system were teachers currently using to record textbook information?

The survey data justified the creation of a job aid to assist teachers collecting textbook information in their Aeries gradebook. I came to this conclusion because of the number of staff (92.9%) who responded as using Aeries as their gradebook program.

Problems

The biggest problem was simply the collection of the data. I had difficulty getting enough teachers to respond to the survey in a timely fashion. The survey consisted of four questions but did not elicit very many responses (57 out of 130 staff members (44%)). I wish I could have waited longer to collect survey information from the staff, but I had to move forward with my decision based upon the data in my possession.

Results

With the limited amount of data I justified the creation of a job aid for textbook data collection using the Aeries gradebook. With more than 92% of staff using the Aeries gradebook it was logical to create job aid for textbook record keeping.

Growth

The most important item I have learned in all of my classes for the Educational Technology Masters program was the value of collecting and analyzing data. Making a decision based on a "gut" feeling can be a of waste time, money and resources. Data should always drive the decisions made for professional development, in-servicing, and job aids.