Share Paper: Using Technology in Teaching Historical Understanding: An Evaluation of a Professional Development Program

1. Danilo M Baylen, University of West Georgia, United States
2. Judy Butler, University of West Georgia, United States

Abstract: This paper describes and discusses the results of an evaluation study conducted on a federally-funded Teacher Quality grant that provided opportunities for professional growth and development to selected middle and high school teachers. Using various tools (surveys, interviews, observations, electronic discussion postings, etc.), data collected and analyzed included content knowledge, reports on usefulness of training activities, teacher observations. Findings included challenges (e.g., attrition, school based support, and job changes) and lessons learned (e.g., experiences ranging from planning and curriculum development to project implementation and budget management). The paper concludes that the program has achieved a level of success. However, this ...