Evaluation of
Chicago Public
Schools’ Virtual Pre-K
Ready For Math
Program That
Integrates PBS KIDS
Lab Digital Math
Content
A Report to the CPB-PBS Ready To Learn Initiative
Betsy McCarthy, PhD
Donna Winston, PhD
Linlin Li, PhD
Lisa Michel
Katie Salguero
Sara Atienza
October 2012
WestEd — a national nonpartisan, nonprofit research, development, and service agency — works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. WestEd has 16 offices nationwide, from Washington and Boston to Arizona and California, with its headquarters in San Francisco. For more information about WestEd, visit WestEd.org; call 415.565.3000 or, toll-free, (877) 4-WestEd; or write: WestEd / 730 Harrison Street / San Francisco, CA 94107-1242.
Contents
03
Executive Summary
09
Introduction
Overview of Study………..9 Research Method……….9 r
21
Findings
42
Conclusion
Recommendations……….………..4445
Appendices
Highlights of Findings
The following findings highlight teacher, parent, and student outcomes of a study of the Virtual Pre-‐K (VPK) Ready for Math Program. WestEd assessed the program’s efficacy with regard to teachers’ and parents’ comfort with mathematics, use of digital media for education, and home-‐school engagement.
Teacher Outcomes:
• Preschool teachers’ attitudes towards teaching math improved. They felt more confident in their
ability to teach math and had less difficulty teaching math concepts to their students.
• Over the course of the VPK Math Program, preschool teachers developed more positive attitudes
towards integrating technology in the classroom. Their enjoyment of and confidence in using technology increased. Fewer teachers felt nervous using computers and many indicated that technology helped their teaching.
• Eighty percent of preschool teachers used five classroom lesson plans. Teachers felt that the
lessons were a fun way to reinforce skills and make real-‐life connections to mathematical concepts.
• The most popular website was PBS KIDS Lab and the most popular apps were: Super WHY!, Sid
the Science Kid, and Dinosaur Train.
Parent Outcomes:
• Participating in the VPK Math Program increased parents’ awareness of their child’s math
learning and how they could support this learning.
• Ninety-‐eight percent of parents reported that the VPK Math packets and workshops helped them
better understand the math their children were learning in preschool.
• Ninety-‐seven percent of parents reported that the VPK Math packets and workshops helped them
gain more confidence about what they can do to help their children learn math.
• After participating in the VPK Math Program, parents significantly improved their math interests
and confidence levels. In particular, parents felt less worried about their abilities to solve math problems and were more likely to say that math was their favorite subject.
• Parents used technology with their children for educational purposes more often. They
appreciated the PBS KIDS digital media resources and noted that their children were having fun
while learning from games like Curious George and Sid the Science Kid.
• Eighty-‐nine percent of parents used the program’s backpack materials. The most popular
backpack items among parents were the books and At Home activities.
• Parents’ involvement with their children’s schools increased. Parents demonstrated improvement
in talking to their children’s teachers about their children’s learning. Teachers also reported increased parental involvement levels over the course of the year.
• Parents’ engagement in their child’s educational activities at home increased, especially with
respect to going online to do educational activities with their children (e.g., play PBS KIDS learning games).
Student Outcomes:
• Preschool teachers reported that their students improved in the areas of math and technology,
and that the students themselves felt more comfortable with math and technology.
• Students’ technology skills improved noticeably.
Executive Summary
This report describes a research study of Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) Virtual Pre-‐K Ready for Math Program (VPK Math Program) and its integration of PBS KIDS transmedia resources. Funded by the U.S. Department of
Education, the Ready To Learn grant supports the development of educational television programs and digital
media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families. Ready To Learn’s goal is to
promote early learning and school readiness, with a particular interest in reaching children from low-‐income families. WestEd assessed the VPK Math Program’s effectiveness with regard to preschool teachers’ and parents’ comfort with mathematics, usage of digital media for education, and home-‐school engagement. This
research study, which is one component of the Year 2 Ready To Learn program grant with the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), also provides program administrators and PBS with useful feedback to facilitate further development, refinement, and replication of the VPK Math Program.
Virtual Pre-‐K, first launched in 2001, is a national parent involvement initiative based out of the Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Early Childhood Education. The program, which is bilingual in English and Spanish, is an interactive resource that bridges the experiences in the classroom and students’ homes and community to create a connection for learning. Participating teachers attend workshops to support their students’ learning with simple, fun activities. Accompanying activities are offered to parents through parent workshops and a backpack of resources that goes home with each family. The new elements of the program for the 2011-‐2012 school year included a focus on math and the integration of PBS digital media resources using iPads.
During the 2011-‐2012 school year, the Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Early Childhood Education recruited 15 preschool teachers and 15 teacher assistants responsible for 31 preschool classrooms to participate in the VPK study. Participants came from 12 low-‐income school sites with an average of 91% of the student body eligible for free or reduced-‐price lunch. Each preschool classroom consisted of one teacher and one teacher assistant. All parents and guardians with children in these classes were invited to participate. The program included five teacher professional development workshops and five parent workshops throughout the school year. These workshops familiarized teachers and parents with the available resources; corresponding activities were sent home with the children each month. The three workshop facilitators also participated in the study.
The research study utilized a mixed-‐method design to examine the program’s effectiveness and included data from preschool teachers, parents, and workshop facilitators.
Research Method
This section addresses the research questions, participants, measures, and data analysis utilized for the study.
Research Questions
The following five research questions served as the focus of the study.
• How do parents and preschool teachers use the VPK Math kits?
with respect to math, participation in their child’s learning, and use of digital media?
• Are there changes in preschool teachers’ actions and perceptions with regard to math instruction and the use of digital media to support student learning?
• Does participating in the VPK Math Program increase students’ interest and performance in math?
• What are the incentives and barriers for the replication of the VPK Math Program?
Participants
All preschool teachers and parents in the Chicago Public Schools district who were actively participating in the VPK Math Program were invited to participate in the research study. The workshop and professional development session facilitators were also invited to participate. There was no inclusion/exclusion criteria based on gender, race, or ethnicity.
The Office of Early Childhood Education in CPS invited 30 preschool teachers and teacher assistants, as well as three workshop facilitators, to participate in the research study of the VPK Math Program. All three of the workshop facilitators conducted the teacher professional development sessions, while two of the facilitators ran the parent workshops that were an integral part of the VPK Math Program. The VPK Math Program staff informed the recruited teachers and facilitators about WestEd’s research study of the program. Teachers and facilitators then had the opportunity to participate in WestEd’s study by signing consent forms that allowed WestEd to both analyze data previously collected from them by the VPK Math Program and also to collect new data. All preschool teachers, teacher assistants, and facilitators agreed to participate in the research study. The Office of Early Childhood Education invited approximately 560 parents associated with children in these 31 preschool classes to participate in the research study as well. Many of the participating parents came from low-‐income backgrounds and a significant portion did not speak English as a first language. Consent forms and all other relevant documentation for parents were provided in both English and Spanish. WestEd provided a script for facilitators to read to help explain the study and consent forms to parents. A total of 484 parents participated in the research study.
Measures
The research team collected data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and a review of relevant archival data. Teachers completed pre-‐surveys and post-‐surveys in addition to reflection and technology review mini-‐ surveys during their professional development sessions. About half of the participating teachers were interviewed. Parents completed a pre-‐survey, post-‐survey, a fidelity survey (backpack evaluation), and technology reviews. All surveys, fidelity surveys, and technology review forms were offered to parents in both English and Spanish. A subset of parents was also interviewed. Beginning in January 2012, facilitators participated in bimonthly interviews.
Relevant archival data primarily consisted of documents and materials that had been provided to program participants, and also included survey data previously collected by program staff. WestEd researchers only reviewed archival survey data from participants who consented to participate in this research study. WestEd staff reviewed the materials provided to parents at each parent workshop. Additionally, agendas from the teacher professional development sessions and parent workshops were examined along with other documents supplied to participants.
Data Analysis
of the VPK Math Program and the integrated PBS KIDS transmedia resources. WestEd conducted quantitative
and qualitative analyses to examine the data. Standard and non-‐parametric paired samples t tests were used to
compare closed-‐ended pre-‐ and post-‐survey responses for preschool teachers, teacher assistants, and parents. All qualitative data (interview transcripts, written responses to survey data) were loaded into qualitative data analysis software (i.e., HyperRESEARCH). Researchers used a combination of grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) and established methods for coding qualitative data (Miles & Huberman, 1994) to identify and categorize open-‐ended responses to the study’s research questions. Throughout the process, researchers used peer debriefing and auditing to check codes and concepts. Identified codes and concepts were further sorted to generate categories. All data were triangulated to generate findings.
Findings
The following findings are organized by relevant research question with each of four outcome categories: teacher outcomes, parent outcomes, student outcomes, and program feedback.
Teacher Outcomes
How do preschool teachers use the VPK Math kits?
Teachers were given a VPK teacher’s guidebook that included five math-‐related, activity-‐based classroom lesson plans, At Home activities, and Out & About activities. The “kits” that accompanied the teacher’s guidebook included at least one children’s book to read to the students, as well as resource materials for each particular activity, including: rulers, tape, shower curtain, play dough, etc. Eighty percent of the teachers used all five lesson plans. Teachers felt the lessons were easily integrated into and supported their existing curriculum. Additionally, the activities gave teachers an opportunity to help their students make real-‐life connections to math concepts by emphasizing math in a fun and engaging way.
Preschool teachers accessed the digital media component of the VPK Math Program primarily using desktop computers in the classroom or the school computer lab and by using iPads. The majority of the schools used basic Internet and wireless connections to access websites. The most popular website visited was PBS KIDS Lab.
PBS provided each of the 15 classroom sites with two iPads. Thirteen classroom sites used the iPads regularly as a focal learning point in the classroom. Teachers commented that the iPads were generally much easier for their preschool students to use than regular computers, as they do not require the same fine motor skills and coordination as a computer mouse. The teachers also liked the portability of the technology, as it allowed them to access the iPad any time they wanted to check for information pertaining to VPK class activities. The most
popular PBS KIDS iPad apps were: Super WHY!, Sid the Science Kid, and Dinosaur Train.
Were there changes in preschool teachers’ actions and perceptions with regard to math
instruction and the use of digital media to support student learning?
Teachers integrated technology into the classroom on a daily basis. A high percentage of them reported daily usage of and access to desktop computers and iPads. Their students also used these technology tools on a daily basis.
Over the course of the VPK Math Program, preschool teachers developed more positive attitudes towards
integrating technology in the classroom based on a 5-‐point Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 3.44, Post M = 3.72).
confidence in using technology (Pre M = 3.23, Post M = 3.62). Additionally, fewer participants felt nervous
using computers (Pre M = 3.04, Post M = 3.35) and many felt technology helped them teach (Pre M = 3.62, Post
M = 3.85).
Preschool teachers reported that they intend to continue to use the resources they were exposed to during the VPK Math Program, including the iPads, websites, and apps.
Preschool teachers indicated an increase in positive attitudes towards teaching math. Despite already high, positive attitudes towards teaching math as demonstrated by the pre-‐survey based on a 5-‐point Likert-‐type
scale (Pre M = 3.27), the post-‐survey shows that this attitude increased as a result of their participation in the
VPK Math Program (Post M = 3.41). Specifically, they felt more confident in their abilities to teach math (Pre M
= 3.46, Post M = 3.75) and reported less difficulty teaching math concepts to their students (Pre M = 3.14, Post
M = 3.36). Overall, participants reported that they enjoyed the math activities and particularly appreciated
using math tools such as rulers and measuring tape with their preschool students.
Preschool teachers reported many benefits from participating in the VPK Math Program including: student growth as a result of parental engagement in their classrooms; exposure to new activities related to mathematics; reinforcement of classroom activities at home through parental engagement; and participation in a professional learning community of participating teachers with whom ideas and activities are shared. Teachers reported the primary benefit of using PBS KIDS digital media in the VPK Math Program to be preschool student access and exposure to new technology, websites, and apps in order to reinforce and extend learning. With regard to how the digital component contributed to their own experience, teachers reported that they gained new skills and understanding of new concepts by learning how to integrate technology into their daily teaching. As a result of this integration, some teachers reported that they placed a greater emphasis on mathematics in their classroom.
Parent Outcomes
How do parents use the VPK Math kits?
The majority of the parents (89%) reported that they used VPK Math backpack materials. Parents, on average, used the materials one to five times per month as indicated by the workshop evaluations. Parents who attended the monthly workshops were more likely to use the VPK kits than parents who did not. The response to the parent workshops was overwhelmingly positive, as was the general response to the activities presented during the workshops. According to parents who filled out workshop evaluation forms, their favorite parts of the backpack materials were the books and the At Home activities.
The most popular device through which parents accessed the PBS KIDS digital media was the home computer. Some parents reported using school and/or library computers when they did not have this technology at home.
Does participation in the VPK Math Program change parents’ actions and perceptions with
regard to math, participation in their children’s learning, and use of digital media?
In general, participating parents reported a moderate to high level of involvement in their child’s school based
on a 4-‐point Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 3.16) at the beginning of the study. After participating in the VPK Math
Program, this level of school involvement improved slightly (Post M = 3.21). In particular, parents reported an
increase in talking to their child’s teacher about their child’s learning (Pre M = 3.09, Post M = 3.31).
Teachers also felt parents’ moderate rates of involvement increased slightly during the year based on a 5-‐point
Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 2.69, Post M = 3.03). Teachers felt parents became more engaged in their child’s
asking teachers about their child’s math learning at home.
In general, participating parents reported a moderate level of engagement in their child’s educational activities
based on a 4-‐point Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 2.88, Post M = 2.93). Parents exhibited a slight improvement in
the frequency of working with their children after participating in the VPK Math Program, especially with respect to going online to do educational activities with their children, such as playing PBS KIDS learning
games (Pre M = 2.35, Post M = 2.50).
Parents’ awareness of their children’s math learning and of ways they can support this learning increased. On the survey (98% of respondents) and in the workshop evaluation forms and focus groups, parents reported that the VPK Math packets and workshops helped them better understand the math their children were learning in preschool and that they were much more aware of their children’s math learning as a result of participating in the program. Around 97% of parents reported on the surveys that the VPK Math packets and workshops helped them gain more confidence about what they can do to help their children learn math. In general, the pre-‐survey indicated that participating parents had a moderate to high level of math interest and confidence. After participating in the VPK Math Program, parents significantly increased their levels of
interest and confidence in math based on a 4-‐point Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 3.08, Post M = 3.15). In
particular, parents felt less worried about their ability to solve math problems (Pre M = 2.86, Post M = 3.00),
and were more likely to view math as their favorite subject (Pre M = 2.89, Post M = 3.03).
Most parents provided positive feedback about the digital component of the program. Many reported having positive experiences when asked to “explore PBSKIDS.org/lab with your child.” They felt the site was user
friendly, fun, and engaging for their children. Parents also felt that the different PBS games like Curious George
or Sid the Science Kid helped their children learn.
Student Outcomes
Does participating in the VPK Math Program increase students’ interest and performance in
math?
Preschool teachers reported an increase in student interest and performance in the areas of math and technology use. Prior to the VPK Math Program, teachers rated their students as having moderately low levels
of interest, comfort, and skill in these areas based on a 3-‐point Likert-‐type scale (Pre M = 2.07). Teacher post-‐
survey responses indicated that teachers felt that their students improved in these areas (Post M = 2.40).
Teachers reported that students felt more comfortable with math (Pre M = 1.92, Post M = 2.40) and technology
(Pre M = 1.88, Post M = 2.40). According to teachers, there was also a noticeable increase in students’
technology skills (Pre M = 1.80, Post M = 2.28). Additionally, several teachers commented on the growth in
students’ math vocabulary as a result of the program, as well as students’ ability to make connections between math vocabulary and the process of doing math.
Program Feedback
What are the incentives and barriers for the replication of the VPK Math Program?
The digital media aspect of the VPK Math Program provides two main incentives for parents to participate. One incentive is that it provides children an opportunity to be exposed to technology that might not otherwise have been available. The other incentive is that the PBS KIDS digital media resources provide an alternate way to engage children in learning.
Teachers greatly enjoyed using the iPad with their students in the classroom. It provided a way for them to integrate technology into their curriculum and helped them reinforce certain concepts.
Parents and teachers encountered several technology barriers. For parents, home access to technology was an issue because some parents did not have computers at home. Those that did have home computers sometimes had very slow Internet connections, which caused frustration while trying to play games. It was difficult to provide parents access to computers during workshops, as students were typically using them at that time. A few teachers had broken computers and/or unreliable Internet connections.
A non-‐technology barrier that some VPK Math Program participants encountered was the availability of resources in Spanish, as some of the books and online games were only available in English.
Conclusion
This CPB-‐PBS Ready To Learn Initiative research study examined the impact of the VPK Math Program on preschool teachers, parents, and students. Findings indicate that the VPK Math Program increases parents’ engagement in their children’s math learning, provides resources to supplement preschool teachers’ math instruction, and boosts students’ math and technology skills. Results of the study also show multiple benefits of the VPK Math Program for all three groups associated with teachers’ and parents’ participation. The iPads, PBS KIDS digital media resources, and lesson plans provided preschool teachers with additional tools to supplement their math instruction. Workshops supported teachers’ efforts to integrate these elements into their classroom. Parents acquired skills and resources to help them become more actively involved in their children’s math learning. Both parents and teachers remarked on the growth they observed in students’ math and technology skills as a result of their participation in the VPK Math Program.
This study underscores the promise of integrating digital media resources into the proven Virtual Pre-‐K model and focusing on math as a means to increase low-‐income students’ mathematical learning. It also demonstrates that professional development, carefully designed lesson plans, and access to technology resources can help preschool teachers successfully augment their established curriculum and deepen their students’ conceptual understanding in mathematics while building technology skills. Additionally, the VPK Program promotes parent engagement in their children’s education and helps build a collaborative relationship between home and school. Results of the research study suggest that further study of the VPK Math Program is warranted. Topics for future study include: gauging how much students’ mathematical skill sets increase as a result of their teachers’ and parents’ involvement in the program, how parents use the digital and backpack materials together to support their children’s math learning, and the added value of each component of the VPK Math Program.
As one teacher commented:
“I think that Virtual Pre-‐K Math should not go away. It should be something that other teachers have an opportunity to find out how to use, because I think it’s very, very beneficial. Not only for us, but for the students and the parents.”
Introduction
Virtual Pre-‐K, first launched in 2001, is a national parent involvement initiative based out of the Chicago Public Schools Office of Early Childhood Education. The program, which is bilingual in English and Spanish, is an interactive resource that bridges the experiences in the classroom and students’ homes and community to create a connection for learning. Participating preschool teachers attend workshops to support their students’ learning with simple, fun activities. Accompanying activities are offered to parents through parent workshops and a backpack of resources that goes home with each family. The new elements of the program for the 2011-‐ 2012 school year included a focus on math and the integration of educational PBS KIDS digital media resources for iPads.
Overview of the Study
This report describes a research study of Chicago Public Schools’ Virtual Pre-‐K (VPK) Math Program and its integration of the PBS KIDS transmedia resources in 12 Chicago schools during the 2011-‐2012 academic year.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Ready To Learn grant supports the development of
educational television programs and digital media targeted at preschool and early elementary school children and their families. Its goal is to promote early learning and school readiness, with a particular interest in reaching children from low-‐income families. WestEd assessed the VPK Math Program’s effectiveness with regard to increasing teachers’ and parents’ comfort with mathematics, use of digital media for education, and
home-‐school engagement. This research study, which is one component of the Year 2 Ready To Learn grant
with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), also provides program administrators and PBS with useful feedback to facilitate further development, refinement, and replication of the VPK Math Program.
Research Method
This section addresses the research questions, describes both teacher and parent participation in the study, defines measures, and explains data analyses utilized for the study.
Research Questions
The following five research questions, along with sub-‐questions, served as the focus of the study.
Research Question 1: How do parents and preschool teachers use the VPK Math kits?
a. Do parents use the kits?
b. How do parents access the PBS KIDS digital media component of the VPK Math Program? c. Do preschool teachers use the kits?
d. How do preschool teachers access the digital media component of the VPK Math Program? e. How do preschool teachers use the VPK Math resources to support their curriculum?
Research Question 2: Does participation in the VPK Math Program change parents’ actions
and perceptions with respect to math, participation in their child’s learning, and use of
digital media?
a. Does parental engagement in their child’s preschool increase after participating in the Virtual Pre-‐K (VPK) Math Program?
b. Does parental engagement in math activities increase after participating in the VPK Math Program? c. Does parental awareness of their child’s math learning increase after participating in the VPK Math
Program?
d. Does parental awareness of how they can support their child’s math learning increase after participating in the VPK Math Program?
e. Does parental anxiety around the topic of math decrease after participating in the VPK Math Program? f. Do parents who have used other VPK kits feel that the digital component in the VPK Math Program
contributed positively to their experience?
g. What do parents believe are the major benefits to participating in the VPK Math Program?
h. Do parents feel comfortable accessing digital media on their own outside of the program? Will they use the resources on the PBS KIDS website without support? Will they incorporate them into their daily lives?
Research Question 3: Are there changes in preschool teachers’ actions and perceptions with
regard to math instruction and the use of digital media to support student learning?
a. Does teachers’ interest in using technology in their preschool classrooms increase after participating in the VPK Math Program?
b. Do preschool teachers feel comfortable accessing digital media on their own outside of the VPK Program? Will they use the resources on the PBS KIDS website without support? Will they incorporate the digital media into their daily instruction?
c. Does preschool teachers’ interest in doing math activities in their classrooms increase after engaging in the VPK Math Program?
d. Does preschool teachers’ anxiety around the topic of math decrease after engaging in the VPK Math Program?
e. What do preschool teachers believe are the major benefits to participating in the VPK Math Program? f. What do preschool teachers believe are the primary benefits of using digital media in the VPK Math
Program?
g. Do preschool teachers who have used other VPK kits believe that the digital components in the VPK Math Program contributed positively to their experience?
Research Question 4: Does participating in the VPK Math Program increase students’ interest
and performance in math?
a. Do preschool teachers report an increase in students’ interest in math and/or comfort with math after engaging in the VPK Math Program?
b. Do preschool teachers report an increase in students’ math skills and/or knowledge after engaging in the VPK Math Program?
Research Question 5: What are the incentives and barriers for the replication of the VPK Math
Program?
a. What do parents value about the digital media component of the VPK Math Program?
b. What are the technical barriers to parents accessing the digital media component of the VPK Math Program?
c. What are the technical barriers to preschool teachers accessing the digital media component of the VPK Math Program?
d. How could the VPK Program be improved to increase parental engagement with the child’s mathematics learning?
e. How could the VPK program be improved to increase preschool teachers’ engagement with parents? f. How could the VPK program be improved to further enhance classroom instruction?
Participants
All teachers (including teachers and teacher assistants) and parents who were in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district and actively participating in the VPK Math Program were invited to participate in the study. The workshop and professional development session facilitators were also invited to participate. There was no inclusion/exclusion criteria based on gender, race, or ethnicity in the recruitment process.
The Office of Early Childhood Education in CPS, in collaboration with WestEd, recruited 15 preschool teachers and 15 teacher assistants responsible for 31 pre-‐K classrooms, and three workshop facilitators as participants for the research study of the VPK Math Program. Preschool teachers came from 12 low-‐income school sites with an average of 91% of the student body eligible for free or reduced-‐price lunch. All three of the workshop facilitators conducted the teacher professional development sessions, while two of the facilitators ran the parent workshops that were an integral part of the VPK Math Program. The VPK Math Program staff informed the recruited teachers and facilitators about WestEd’s research study of the program. Preschool teachers and facilitators then had the opportunity to participate in WestEd’s study by signing consent forms that allowed WestEd to both analyze data previously collected from them by the VPK Math Program and to also collect new data. All 30 teachers and teacher assistants as well as the three facilitators participated in the study. Participating teachers were relatively experienced in the classroom, as most had taught over 10 years.
In addition, the approximately 560 parents associated with the children in these 31 preschool classes were invited by the Office of Early Childhood Education to participate in the research study of the VPK Math Program. Many of the participating parents come from low-‐income backgrounds and a significant portion of them do not speak English as a first language. Consent forms and all other relevant documents submitted to parents were provided in both English and Spanish. WestEd also provided a script for facilitators to read to help explain both the study and the consent forms to parents. A total of 484 parents participated in the study.
Description of Teacher Intervention
The 30 teacher participants were invited to five professional development workshops held throughout the school year in order to engage with the VPK Math and PBS KIDS resources, and to strengthen their skills associated with teaching math and technology integration. Each of the five, three-‐hour professional development workshops was facilitated by the VPK Program coordinator and two workshop facilitators. The
sessions all featured an introduction to PBS KIDS resources, a VPK Math lesson to be used in the classroom, and an At Home activity that was also presented in the parent workshop. What follows is a description of each of the five workshops offered during the study.
Session 1: October 21, 2011
In this session, teacher participants were given an overview of the VPK Math Program and the plan for the school year. Strategies were discussed for introducing families to VPK. Each classroom, which included one teacher and one teacher assistant, was provided with a digital camera to record activities that were related to the VPK Math Program in order to share them at the following professional development session. Two VPK lesson plans were presented in this workshop because the next professional development session would not take place until December.
The titles of the featured VPK Lessons were Numbers & Counting and Shapes. The Name Towers lesson plan, which is part of the Numbers & Counting Lesson, involves encouraging students to count the letters in their names and in those of their classmates using Unifix cubes and sticky notes to make a name graph. The Shape Hunt lesson plan, which is part of the Shapes Lesson, helps make students aware of basic shapes in their everyday environment and how these shapes make up objects in their surroundings. Students search for specific shapes in and outside of their classrooms and tally how many of each they find. Each lesson plan has an accompanying book or books that relate(s) to the class activity that teachers are to read to students multiple times prior to doing the lesson. Teachers were also introduced to the PBS KIDS Lab website and were encouraged to try out the games both on their own and with their students, because many of these games involve the subjects of counting and shapes.
Session 2: December 12, 2011
In this session, participants shared pictures they took with their digital cameras and discussed the activities they did with their students. Teachers in each classroom were given two iPads and introduced to both the
iPads themselves and how they might be used in the classroom. The Super WHY! and Sid the Science Kid iPad
apps were downloaded onto the iPads and teachers were given the opportunity to explore the PBS KIDS apps. They were also encouraged to explore other online games on PBS KIDS Lab.
The title of the featured VPK Lesson was Let’s Sort. The Shoe Sorting lesson plan involves students sorting shoes by different attributes (e.g., type of shoe, color, size, how they fasten). Students record their findings and count the shoes in each attribute category. Teachers were also introduced to the idea of creating a VPK bulletin board on which students could post the work they did at home with their parents. One of the purposes of the public bulletin board is to encourage parents to do the At Home activities with their children so that the work could be displayed.
Session 3: January 20, 2012
This session began with teachers reflecting on their experiences with the iPads before focusing on successful
strategies for classroom iPad use. Teachers were introduced to the Shape Builder game, and were further
encouraged to explore the PBS KIDS online games.
The title of the featured VPK Lesson was Up, Down, All Around. The Obstacle Course lesson plan helps students improve spatial sense through the use of location and position words. The lesson involves the teacher creating an obstacle course for the students and then the students creating their own obstacle courses using blocks. Students are encouraged to use the location and position words while they go through the obstacle courses.
After reviewing the lesson, teachers pulled out their iPads and were instructed to download the free PBS KIDS
apps Dinosaur Train and Shape Builder. Teachers were encouraged to download additional free educational
apps onto the iPads. They also spent time playing with some of the apps.
Session 4: February 17, 2012
During this session, participants began by completing a reflection and technology review document and using their iPads. The VPK coordinator then led the reflection time by asking teachers about how their work with the iPads was progressing. She also asked specifically about the Up, Down, All Around obstacle course lesson. Then teachers shared downloaded pictures of their VPK activities.
The title of the session’s featured VPK Lesson was Let’s Measure. One of the teachers in the group developed the lesson “Build Me a House” for her class, and shared with the other teachers how it was created. Everyone then watched the video that gave an overview of the classroom lesson plan, the “Family Feet” At Home activity, and the Out & About activity that involved measuring objects out in the world and comparing their sizes. Two other teachers from the group gave presentations about the many possible functions and uses of the iPads.
Session 5: April 20, 2012
In this session, participants completed reflections and technology reviews. The workshop leaders facilitated a share-‐out time for attendees to share tips and ideas about math instruction and the iPads. There was also a discussion of how the measurement activity was implemented in the classroom. Workshop facilitators shared a draft version of an idea book based on activities teachers and their assistants attempted with the technology resources. The idea book was designed to serve as a reference that teachers could use to support their future technology integration in the classroom. Workshop participants provided feedback on the idea book draft, which was then incorporated into the final version.
Description of Parent Intervention
Thirty-‐one classrooms were involved in the study. Each of the 15 participating preschool teachers had one morning class and one afternoon class. One teacher had a third class during the afternoon. All parents/guardians of students enrolled in the 31 classrooms were invited and encouraged to attend a total of five monthly parent workshops. The purpose of the workshops was for parents to gain an awareness of what their children were learning in the classroom, and for them to have an opportunity to reinforce, at home, those same math concepts. During the workshops, led by an expert workshop facilitator, parents were introduced to two At Home activities based around a conceptual theme. The parents experienced one of the two At Home activities as participants during the workshops. They were also exposed to activities they could do with their children outside of the home (Out & About activities) through watching a video. At the end of each workshop, the workshop facilitator held a raffle to show appreciation for parents in attendance. Raffle prizes included children’s books, t-‐shirts, grocery store gift cards, as well as other incentives for attending.
According to the attendance sheets at each of the workshops (parents signed in next to their child’s name), about half the parents participated over the course of the study. The workshop facilitators reported that some parents had difficulty attending multiple workshops throughout the year because of time or work constraints. Often a different parent or grandparent/guardian would attend a given workshop than in the previous month. What follows is a description of each of the five parent workshops offered during the study.
Session 1: Number Cards and Counting Around the House
During this session, parents were introduced to the VPK Math Program and the data collection that would take place during the school year. This session featured the VPK Lesson and Parent Workshop: Numbers & Counting. Parents watched a video that gave an overview of the topic, the “Number Cards” At Home activity, and the Out & About activities demonstrating how numbers and counting are involved in everyday activities. The workshop facilitator and parents made connections between what they saw in the video and how the activity linked to their daily lives. The workshop facilitator then guided parents through the At Home activity in the video. Parents cut out 20 playing-‐card-‐sized rectangles and labeled them with written numerals and dots to represent the written number. They then played card games called “Count & Seek,” “Count & Move,” and “Which is More?” After experiencing the At Home activity, the workshop facilitator and parents discussed their thoughts about the activity and shared how they felt it would work with their children. The discussion ended with the workshop facilitator describing the second At Home activity, “Counting Around the House,” and commenting on ways the counting games could engage their children.
Session 2: Play-‐Doh® Shapes and What’s in the Bag?
During this session, parents began by completing their reflections about the previous month’s activities. The workshop facilitator then began the reflection/sharing time by asking how the last month had progressed with regard to the use of At Home activities, the reading book, and the Out & About activity. This session featured the VPK Lesson and Parent Workshop: Shapes. Parents watched a video that gave an overview of the topic, the “Play-‐Doh® Shapes” At Home activity, and the Out & About activities involving shapes. The workshop facilitator and parents made connections between what they saw in the video and how these activities link to real-‐life situations. The workshop facilitator then guided the parents through the At Home activity in the video. Parents used Play-‐Doh® to create shapes, discussed the properties of the shapes, and made patterns with the shapes. After experiencing the At Home activity, the workshop facilitator and parents discussed their thoughts about the activity. The session ended with the workshop facilitator describing the second At Home activity, “What’s in the Bag?,” and discussing how these activities about shapes could be done at home with their children.
Session 3: Home Collections and Sorting At Home
During this session, parents began by completing their reflections about the previous month’s activities. The workshop facilitator then led the reflection/sharing time by asking how the previous month had progressed with regard to the use of At Home activities, the book, and the online games at PBSKIDS.org/lab. This session featured the VPK Lesson and Parent Workshop: Sorting It Out. Parents watched a video that gave an overview of the topic, the “Home Collections” At Home activity, and the Out & About activity involving museum and library visits. The workshop facilitator then guided parents through the At Home activity from the video. Parents sorted a collection of items and then counted the number of items in each group. The session ended with the workshop facilitator describing the second At Home activity, “Sorting At Home,” and discussing ideas such as recycling as a sorting experience they could do at home with their children.
Session 4: Treasure Map and Up, Down, All Around
During this session, parents began by completing their reflections about the previous month’s activities. The workshop facilitator then led the reflection/sharing time by asking how the previous month had progressed
with regard to the use of At Home activities, the I Spy book that parents received, and the online games at
PBSKIDS.org/lab. As the focus of the last workshop was patterns and sorting, some parents shared samples of noodle and bead necklaces, pictures, and items glued on cardboard as examples of activities that fit the
patterns and sorting themes. After the reflection time, parents completed the technology review survey before the introduction of the topic for this month’s workshop. This session featured the VPK Lesson and Parent Workshop: Up, Down, All Around. Parents watched a video that gave an overview of the topic, the “Treasure Map” At Home activity, and the Out & About activity involving the use of location vocabulary to find items. The workshop facilitator and parents made connections between what they saw in the video and their personal lives. The workshop facilitator then guided parents through the At Home activity in the video. A couple of parents volunteered to find a “treasure” using a map of the classroom, modeling how parents could do the same activity at home with their children. Lastly, the workshop facilitator introduced the second At Home activity, “Up, Down, All Around” to the parents, and the group discussed how this activity could take place at home with their children.
Session 5: Family Feet and Fill It Up!
During this session, parents began by completing their reflections about the previous month’s activities. The workshop facilitator then began the reflection/sharing time by asking how the previous month had progressed
with regard to the use of the At Home activities, the book, Rosie’s Walk, that parents received, and the online
games at PBSKIDS.org/lab. Some parents shared their experiences of working with their children at home using what they had learned in the previous workshop (e.g., exploring with location words). This session featured the VPK Lesson and Parent Workshop: Let’s Measure. Parents watched a video that gave an overview of the topic, the “Family Feet” At Home activity, and the Out & About activity involving guessing. The workshop facilitator then guided parents through the At Home activity in the video. First, parents traced the outline of their foot onto paper. Next, they guessed how many paperclips would be needed to measure their foot tracing, and then they measured with actual paperclips as a non-‐standard unit of measure. Later, a ruler was introduced to the parents, and they experienced the same process by first guessing the length of their foot tracing in inches as a standard unit of measure, and then actually measuring it with a ruler. Lastly, the workshop facilitator introduced the second At Home activity, “Fill It Up!” to the parents, and the group discussed how this activity involving measurement and guessing could take place at home with their children.
Measures and Data Collection
The research team collected data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and a review of relevant archival data. Preschool teachers completed a pre-‐survey, post-‐survey, reflections, and technology reviews during their professional development sessions. A subset of the preschool teachers was interviewed. Parents completed a pre-‐surveys and post-‐surveys, as well as workshop evaluations and technology review mini-‐surveys during their workshops. Surveys were offered in both English and Spanish. A subset of parents was also interviewed. Facilitators participated in monthly interviews beginning in January 2012. Relevant archival data primarily consisted of documents and materials provided to program participants, as well as survey data previously collected by VPK Program staff. WestEd researchers only reviewed archival survey data gathered from participants who consented to participate in this study. In addition, WestEd reviewed the materials provided at each parent workshop. Likewise, agendas from the teacher professional development sessions and parent workshops were examined, along with other documents supplied to participants. Exhibit 1 illustrates how measures align with the study's research questions.
Exhibit 1. Alignment between Research Questions and Measures
Research Questions
Measures
1. How do parents and preschool teachers use the VPK Math Kits?
1. a. Do parents use the kits? Parent Backpack Evaluations Parent Post-Survey
1. b. How do parents access the digital media component of the VPK Ready for Math Program?
Parent Post-Survey Parent Focus Group 1. c. Do preschool teachers use the kits? Teacher Reflections Teacher Tech Reviews
Teacher Post-Survey 1. d. How do preschool teachers access the digital media component of
the VPK Math Program?
T
