EVALUATION OF DETERMINING INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES (DIP) TRAINING PROGRAM

A proposal submitted to the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development

Submitted July 3, 2012 by JLA Associates

EVALUATION OF DETERMINING INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES (DIP) TRAINING PROGRAM A proposal submitted to Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development By JLA Associates Introduction The Far West Laboratory (FWL) for Educational Research and Development has released a request for proposal (RFP) for an evaluation of Determining Instructional Purposes (DIP), a training program package for school administrators and graduate students. JLA Associates of Laramie, Wyoming has submitted this document in response to the request for proposal by FWL. Determining Instructional Purposes (DIP) Training Program The Far West Laboratory, located in Boise, Idaho, developed the DIP training program to assist both school administrators and graduate students in developing the skills necessary to create effective school programs. The training package includes a coordinators handbook and three training units. Each of the three training units may be purchased and used separately for different audiences. Each unit includes modules that outline the instructional objectives of the module. There are between four and six modules per unit. Units one and two require 10-15 hours to complete, while unit three requires 12-18 hours. The instructional units are self paced and follow a step by step progression. Once the units are purchased there must be a training coordinator who has viewed the modules in advance. The structure of the training may be a concentrated short term workshop or individual sessions. The coordinator must guide participants through the modules and assist with materials and activities of the unit. Other information necessary for the coordinator can be found in the coordinator's handbook, which is provided with the training units. The materials for the DIP are all available in print form and are currently priced at $8.95 per unit or $24.95 for the set of three. The titles for the units are 1) Setting Goals 2) Analyzing Problems and 3) Deriving Objectives. Evaluation Method The purposes of the evaluation include 1) to assist FWL in decision making regarding marketing strategies by providing them data and information about the program and 2) to provide information regarding the purpose and use of the training units. JLA Associates will assist the Far West Laboratories in deciding upon the most appropriate marketing strategies for the training units, suggest appropriate audiences, and identify the various uses for the units. A finalized evaluation report will be submitted to the Far West Laboratories research and development team, marketing team, and director. JLA Associates is willing to assist FWL with any research regarding recommendations provided in the final evaluation report. In order to fulfill the stated purposes, JLA Associates would complete the following data collection procedures to evaluate the DIP training program: 1. Observational Analysis of DIP Training Course a. With FWL assistance, identify a sample group of 10 administrators and graduate students to complete the training course with an outside program coordinator. View and analyze the effectiveness of the modules and the accuracy of objectives using a checklist.

b. Review the training materials with a subject matter expert before training course. c. Participation by JLA Associates graduate assistant in training module as participant. d. Payment requested for time expended and travel costs for senior evaluation specialist, design specialist, and graduate assistant. 2. Interviews a. We will complete a face to face interview with the program coordinator to evaluate the effectiveness of the coordinator handbook and each training module. b. We will complete a face to face interview with our graduate assistant to receive participant information regarding the ease of the materials and accuracy of the module learning objectives. c. We will complete phone interviews with randomly selected participants from the training. d. Payment requested for travel costs incurred and time. 3. Surveys a. We will develop a survey to assess the effectiveness of the training and receive recommendations on future uses, applicability and marketing. b. Surveys will be given to all participants in the course, as well as a sample population of administrators and graduate students who may benefit from the trainings in the future. c. Payments requested for delivery and duplication costs. 4. Criterion-Referenced Test a. We will utilize an in house developed assessment to measure knowledge attainment over a period of time. b. Payment requested for design specialist and duplication costs. Task Schedule The proposed project task schedule is outlined on page 5. The outline identifies October 1, 2012 as the start date and the completion date of April 1, 2013. Identified dates are flexible and will align with the project award date, allowing eight months for evaluation completion and report. Project Personnel JLA Associates is dedicated to their customers and their employees. The JLA Associates team is a highly skilled evaluation team, dedicated to providing the most comprehensive evaluations available. The following members will be paramount in completing the evaluation of the DIP training program: Sarah Chaires, a senior evaluation specialist at JLA Associates, will perform the observational analysis of the DIP training program. Analysis will involve the collection of data through objective checklists for each module identified throughout the DIP program. Ms. Chaires has worked with JLS Associates for 12 years as an evaluation specialist. She was promoted to senior evaluation specialist in 2007. Her educational background includes a bachelors degree from Yale University in Business Administration. She received her Masters degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Statistical Analysis. Most recently she received her Doctorate in Educational Statistics from California State University, San Bernadino. Sarah works

hard to conduct large-scale evaluations related to instruction that provide both quantitative and qualitative data. Jake Eveland, is JLA Associates design specialist. He specializes in instrument development, database development and literature reviews. He will develop the interview questions, surveys, assessments and checklist for observational analysis. Jake received his bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin in Applied Social Psychology. He then continued onto Harvard University where he completed his Masters degree in Educational Evaluation and Research. Jake has been employed with JLA Associates for four years and develops nationally used educational assessments. Kylee Monroe, is a graduate student at the University of Wyoming in Educational Statistics. She received her Bachelors degree in Business Marketing from the University of Washington. She has worked as an intern with JLA Associates for the past year and a half and is very knowledgeable in her field. Kylee will complete the DIP training course herself in order to provide us participant information with a marketer's perspective. The evaluation will be supervised by Jennifer Anderson, the project director for JLA Associates. Budget The proposed budget for the evaluation of the Determining Instructional Purposes (DIP) training program is $47,227.64 for the eight month period. The proposed budget is outlined on page 6 along with a payment schedule. The IRS standards mileage rates were used to identify mileage reimbursement amounts from Laramie, Wyoming to and from Boise, Idaho for two trips. The other travel costs are calculated based upon the M&IE breakdown and hotel rates as found on the U.S. General Services Administration website located at http://gsa.gov/portal/category/21287.

TASK SCHEDULE Evaluation of DIP Training Program AGENCY RESPONSIBLE Meet with FWL staff and stakeholders to develop EPD JLA and address specific needs of FWL. Identify sample population with FWL to complete training course. Review training program materials with a subject JLA matter expert. Submit data collection plan and sources to FWL JLA identifying timeline for DIP training program. Provide JLA with feedback on the data collection plan. FWL Revise data collection plan and submit all final data JLA collection source templates to FWL. Conduct sample population surveys. JLA Conduct training program workshop. JLA TASK DEADLINE DATE 10/8/2012

1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

10/12/2012 10/29/2012 11/9/2012 11/16/2012 11/19/2012 12/3/1212/7/12 12/7/12 12/10/2012 1/30/2013 2/1/2013 2/8/2013

8. Conduct participant survey JLA 9. Conduct interview with program coordinator. JLA 10. Conduct interviews with participants. JLA 11. Send assessments to training participants. JLA 12. Collect all data including surveys, interview tools, JLA checklists, and assessments 13. Summarize and analyze data. JLA 2/22/2013 14. Meet with FWL staff to discuss data collection results. JLA 2/25/2013 15. Finalize data collection and analysis. JLA 3/1/2013 16. Write final report and submit to FWL. JLA 4/1/2013 * Schedule assumes a project start date of October 1, 2012. Deadline dates may be negotiated with FWL if the contract is awarded later than October 1, 2012.

PROPOSED BUDGET AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE Staff Evaluation Specialist Fringe benefits Instrument Designer Fringe benefits Graduate Assistant Fringe benefits Contractual Research materials Consumable supplies Duplication Travel-Mileage Travel-Hotel Travel-Hotel Per diem- Specialist Per diem- Assistant $2000 $1000 $50 $2300 $979.44 75 days x $250/day 75 days x $50/day 30 days x $350/day 30 days x $50/day 30 days x $100/day 30 days x $37.50/day $18,7500 $3,750 $10,500 $1,500 $3,000 $1,125 Subtotal $38,625

(1000 copies at 0.05) (4127.4 miles at .55/ mile) (12 nights x $77+ 6% tax/night) (10 nights x $77+ 6% $816.20 tax/night) (17 days x $47/day) $799 (14 days x $47/day) $658 Subtotal $8,602.64 Total $47,227.64

Budget Requested Payment Schedule Payment Date 1. Upon completion of step 4 2. Upon completion of 9 3. Upon completion of project (step 15) Amount $15,000 $15,000 $17,227.64 Total $47,227.64