INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROPOSAL

Name of Applicant: Carolina Parker

District/School: Minor Elementary/Gwinnett County Public Schools

Date: December 1, 2017

Total Cost of Project:

Title of Project: Putting the T on STEM

To what organization will you submit this grant application in the future? I would like to submit this grant
to any of the following organizations:
 DoorsChoose.org (https://www.donorschoose.org/)
 Michael &Susan Dell Foundation Grants (https://www.msdf.org/apply/)
 Sony Grants for Education (https://www.sony.com/en_us/SCA/social-responsibility/giving-
guidelines.html)
 Innovative Practices in k-12 Education (http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/guidelines/)
 Krystal Foundation STEAM Grants (https://www.thekrystalfoundation.com/steam-education-
apply/)

I. Why is this project important (In 2-3 paragraphs, describe the need for the project and its
relevance to the shared vision for instructional technology)?
Science is one of the most important subjects in education today. In order for the United States to
continue to be a competitive nation, it needs to prepare its students in the field of science,
technology, engineering and math. This preparation on STEM educations starts early, and students
need to be involved in educational experiences that allow them to solve problems and think
critically.

According to McClure et al. (2017) “just as the industrial revolution made it necessary for all
children to learn to read, the technology revolution has made it critical for all to understand STEM”
(p.44). Technology is truly revolutionizing the way we think, work, interact with each other, and
learn. Technology is embedded in our lives, and we should make sure this generation of students is
prepared for this revolution.

The students at Minor Elementary will greatly benefit from having their own laptop computer in
the science classroom because they will be able to learn, create, and collaborate with others more
effectively. Moreover, the students will also be able to start their experiences with STEM at an early
age. McClure et al. (2017) expresses the fact that “to support the future of our nation, the seeds of
STEM must be planted early, along with and in support of the seeds of literacy” (p. 44). As of right
now, in my classroom, the students already immerse in STEM activities that support higher order
thinking skills, but they fall short in the collaboration and global aspect piece of STEM education.

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 What would you like to accomplish (In 2-3 paragraphs, describe the project and list
instructional objectives/project outcomes.)?

For this project, I would like to have one-on-one student devices for my students to use during
science class. This will allow students to engage more often in collaboration and creation activities.
Having a one-on-one device will also allow me to create a more personalized learning environment.

I also believe that having a one-on-one device will allow students the opportunity to think more
critically than when they share a device with others. According to Kennedy et al. (2016), “STEM
initiatives argue that it is important to systematically prepare students for the technologies that will
be central to their future success in science” (p.142). The new Gwinnett County Science standards
ask students to engage in eight science and engineering practices that require them to obtain,
evaluate, and communicate information as well as to ask questions, develop and use models, plan
and carry out investigations, analyze and interpret data, use mathematical and computational
thinking, construct explanations, and engage in argument from evidence. These eight principles can
be better attained with the use of technology.

II. In what ways is this project an example of exemplary technology integration (In 2-3
paragraphs discuss your project regarding one or more of the following: LoTi, SAMR,
TPACK, TIM, etc.)?

This project is an example of exemplary technology integration because it will require the
students to engage in higher order thinking activities that will allow them the opportunity to
transcend their learning beyond the classroom. One of my goals as a science teacher is to instill the
love of science in my students. This can be accomplished by helping the students understand that
science is not only a subject they learn about at school, but also that it is part of our daily lives from
the meteorology report to the latest advances in medicine and robotics. I want my students to
understand that people make science, and that they do it to solve the problems of the world.

One of the aspects of my instruction that will be positively impacted by the acquisition of more
technology devices is the level of technology integration I will be able to reach with all my lessons
and projects. The LoTi framework helps educators create activities and projects that help students
apply higher order thinking skills that help them learn the content while applying 21st century skills.

I believe having a one-on-one device in the science classroom will help me increase my LoTi
level of technology integration from a 4a/b to a level five and to a level six. This means that instead
of just using technology to provide rich educational experiences, I will be taken students beyond the
classroom by allowing the actively collaborate with others such as experts and other peers around
the world in order to solve real-life problems. At Minor Elementary, the lack of technology devices
is one of the factors that impedes teachers to engage their students in higher order levels of
technology integration. This is because students often have to share a device with three or more
students, which does not always give them the opportunity to reach their full potential. By having a
one-on-one device, students will be able to reach deeper levels of understanding in science since
they will be held accountable for their learning.

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 Below is a series of objective that will be the foundation of this project.

Project Objectives:
 Learners will use technology to communicate scientific phenomena in the form of graphs,
tables, charts, diagrams, and by engaging in collaboration with peers and experts.
 Learners will use technology to generate questions, construct explanations, and propose
solutions to problems related to science and engineering.
 Learners will use technology to engage in simulation activities that will help them generate
explanations about science phenomena.
 Learners will use technology to record, analyze and communicate information obtained from
investigations and experiments they performed.
 Learners will use technology to analyze, obtain, and interpret data.
 Learners will use technology to communicate scientific reasoning based on evidence with
peers and experts.

III. How will you complete the work? (Describe how the project will be completed)

A. Describe how the instructional objectives/project outcomes will be met (2-3 paragraphs).

The project objectives will be met through the creation of technology-based activities and projects
that will require the students to engage in the eight science and engineering practices as aligned by the
Gwinnett County Schools science standards. The students will engage in these activities every time they
come to the science classroom. These activities will serve as remediation or enrichment of the science
content the students are learning in their classrooms.

The Science eClass page (Gwinnett County online learning system) will contain a variety of
tutorials, online lessons, lab activities, simulations, assignments, collaboration activities, etc. that the
students will have to complete using a blended learning approach in which the teacher will serve as a
facilitator of learning.

Another aspect that will guarantee the achievement of this project’s objectives is the use of
research-based teaching strategies and methods. The Gwinnett County Quality Plus Learning Strategies
Digital Guide provides teachers with a variety of Web 2.0 tools and other resources that pair up well
with each of the fourteen research-based teaching strategies supported by the county. Some of these
strategies include, but are not limited to, non-verbal representations, collaboration, modeling and
practice, vocabulary, summarizing, student goal setting, problem solving, questioning, background
knowledge, comparison and contrast, etc. This digital guide will help me create technology-based
activities that derive from sound teaching practices and strategies.

B. Describe the time involved (project length including amount of time each day/week).

 The length of this project is indefinite since I aspire to help maintain this method of instruction
to teach science to the students at Minor Elementary.
 Minor Elementary special classes’ rotations take place weekly. That is, each class will have the
opportunity to come to the science lab for five days at a time.
 The number of hours students will have to perform these activities will be 4 hours and 10
minutes.
This project will impact every student at Minor Elementary, which is why the acquisition of
technology devices for all is extremely important.

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 C. Describe the people involved (grade level/subject & # of students, teachers and/or staff, other
stakeholders).

 All grade levels (K-5) will participate in this project

 The subject this project will be addressing is science.
 The number of students who will benefit from this project is currently 1,090
 The number of teachers and other staff directly involved in this project is approximately 60

D. Describe the materials needed for the project.

 Laptop computers
 Computer Mouse
 Internet access

IV. What is the timeline for assessing accomplishments and objectives/project outcomes (In 1-2
paragraphs, describe program evaluation procedure.)?

The effectiveness of this project will be based on science test scores. The test scores that will be used
for this include Gwinnett county district assessments as well as the Georgia Science Milestones end of
grade assessment for fifth grade students only. Teacher created assessments, such as formative and
summative will also help assess the effectiveness of this project. Students will be also have the
opportunity to evaluate their own performance through checklists and self-reflections that I will use to
adjust my lessons and teaching strategies.

Administration formal and walkthrough observations will help evaluate the objectives of this project.
This will allow me to improve my teaching strategies and management. Another way to reflect on the
effectiveness of the project will be to engage in teacher peer observations that will not only allow me to
share my teaching method with others, but it will also allow other teachers to learn how to implement a
higher level of technology integration in their classroom.

V. How will the students be impacted by the project (In 2-3 paragraphs, include details regarding
how the impact on students will be assessed and reported to students, parents, teachers, and
others.)?

I believe this project will definitely help the students at Minor Elementary. I believe the students will
have a better understanding of science if they engage in activities that will allow them to experience
science from a hands-on point of view. One of the ways this will be done is through the students’
participation in the school’s science fair. The students will be able to apply the eight science and
engineering practices they have been learning through the creation of a science experiment or
engineering project. This will allow them to communicate their thinking about science with others. It
will definitely help them take their learning beyond the classroom.

Another way this project will influence students is through the participation of STEM clubs and
activities such as the school’s robotics club. In this club, fourth and fifth grade students will be able to
use robotics to solve real life problems using science, technology, engineering, and math concepts and
skills. Students will have the opportunity to share their work with an audience, and they will be able to
engage in collaboration and friendly competition with peers.

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 Teachers will report the results of this project to parents during conferences. Parents will be able to
see the students’ improvement in science through their grades and test scores. Lastly, parents and
teachers will also experience the impact of the thought the attitudes the students display toward
technology and science on a daily basis.

VI. What is the proposed budget? Include information on the following:

A. Materials/supplies:

 eClass pages (Gwinnett county online learning system) for all teachers and students.
These accounts are provided at no cost every year.
 Basic teaching supplies such as notebooks, paper, pencils, colored pencils and crayons,
glue, scissors, etc.
 Experiment materials at $5 per student.

B. Equipment:

 The science classroom currently has 11 student laptops. In order to achieve 1:1 device
ratio, 13 additional laptop computers at $250 are needed https://tinyurl.com/y82y6myv

 13 computer mouse at $5.99 https://tinyurl.com/ya3x7gt6

C. Total Cost of Proposed Project

 The total cost will be $3327.87

D. Additional Funding Sources

 Minor Elementary PTA

 Minor Elementary Title 1

VII. List your supporting references.

Gwinnett County Public Schools Incorporating Science and Engineering Practices into Elementary School
Classrooms. (2017) Retrieved from:
file:///C:/Users/E200512345/Downloads/ES%20Instructional%20Guide.pdf

Gwinnett County Public Schools Quality-Plus Teaching Strategies Digital Guide (2018) Retrieved from
http://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/wcm/connect/gcps_public_content_enus/qpts

ISTE Standards (2017) Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards

Kennedy, C. Rhoads, C.c & Leu, D.J. (20160. Online research and learning in science: A one-to-one laptop
comparison in two states using performance based assessments. Computers& education, 100141-161.
Doi:101016/j.compedu.2016.05.003

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Levels of Teaching Innovation Framework LoTi (2015) Retrieved from
http://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff_Test.pdf

McClure, E.R., Guernsey, L., Clements, D.H., Bales, S.N. Nichols, J., Kendall-Taylor N., & Levine, M.H.
(2017). STEM Starts Early. Education Digest, 86(4), 43-51

Steam Universe (2017) Retrieved from https://steamuniverse.com/pages/topic-pages/grants.aspx

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROPOSAL

EVALUATION FORM/SCORING RUBRIC

Total Points (out of 200): __________

1. Impacts a variety of skill levels and/or learning styles or impacts an important target population.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

2. Clearly identifies standards and learning objectives/project outcomes being addressed.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

3. Pedagogically sound, based on research and/or best practices.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

4. Clear plan for assessment of project and goals with examples of implementation methods.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

5. Impacts large number of students and/or can be recycled/reused.

Possible number of points: 40 __________

General Comments:

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Adapted from: The Education Foundation of Oconee County, Inc.

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