Step # 3 Construct a program theory: Building on your learning in Module 2, construct a program theory: theory of action and theory of change. Select a format that best communicates the goals and orientation of the program being evaluated.
If PLT allows for teacher and student autonomy in the workshops offered, students will show learning gains without additional duress to staff or students.
I decided to complete a logic model to express my program theory, following Wilder Research’s (2009) appendixes (pp.13-18). Please see below.
Goal Revision Reflection, adapted from Wilder Research (2009)
- Individuals’ effect from program: signs of success/ change in “participants’ knowledge, attitudes, feelings, or behavior?” (Wilder Research, 2009, p. 13)
- Teachers: test/ project scoring improvement in students (as not everyone can attend test rewrites in the AM/ after school), increased engagement in extra support sessions, lowered stress in number of individually-scheduled test rewrite sessions/ after-school support
- Students: better comprehension of course concepts, increased opportunities to do well/ feel supported while also managing extracurricular responsibilities, lowered stress levels, higher sense of capability and confidence, higher scores??
- Community effect from program: signs of success/ change (Wilder Research, 2009, p. 13)
- Unsure: less parent complaints to teachers or admin about academic success/ workload? Need to ask VP about how much communication they get re: this concern.
- Stakeholders’ responses
- PLT could support the Ministry’s idea of growth mindset and continual opportunities to demonstrate capabilities?
Brainstorming Template, adapted from Wilder Research (2009, p. 14)
| activity | causation: IF provided, THEN what result? | rationale | evidence |
| teachers offer different workshops or self-study periods in their classrooms | IF teachers have a choice in workshop, THEN they may pursue passion areas to teach that curriculum otherwise doesn’t afford time for | limited time in curriculum means teachers must sometimes choose between concepts and topics. Can put pressure on teachers. This allows for academic/ subject enrichment for teachers and interested students | student choice increases agency in learning (e.g. creating learning goals), and practices the democratic action of voicing opinion/ practicing decision-making skills (Wolpert-Gawron, 2018) |
| teachers offer test/ quiz rewrite sessions for courses | IF students are given instructional time to rewrite tests, THEN more students will take advantage of the opportunityIF students elect to rewrite a test on a set date for which they prepare, THEN they will have a second chance at raising their marks | With respect to our student clientele/ demographics, many students are involved in extracurriculars, and even more are responsible for maintaining a part-time job or acting as babysitters for their younger siblings. Our students are very responsible from a young age, but this means that sometimes, life responsibilities override academic “extras” | evidence gathered from discussion among teaching staff and administration |
| students self-select which PLT room to attend | IF students select where to spend this hour of instructional time, THEN they will be more invested in how their time is spent | research shows that student choice can lead to more buy-in | not enough time for “deep learning” with time constraints in class and amount of curricular content that needs to be covered (Lujan & DiCarlo, 2006; McCarthy, 2016) |
Lujan, H. L., & DiCarlo, S. E. (2006). Too much teaching, not enough learning: what is the solution? Advances in Physiology Education, 30(1), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00061.2005
McCarthy, J. (2016). Too many students and not enough time. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/too-many-students-not-enough-time-john-mccarthy
Wolport-Gawron. (2018). Why choice matters to student learning. KQED. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52424/why-choice-matters-to-student-learning
Logic Model Draft
Program Theory: If students are required to self-select one of many support sessions (academic completion and extension) during instructional time, students will increase their academic performance and teachers will lower the amount of time given to tutorials outside of contracted hours.
| Program Intentions | Program Activities and Resources (Inputs) | Short-term (1-3y) Outcomes | Short-term Indicators - Outputs | Longer-term (4y) Outcomes | Long Term Indicators-Outputs |
| To create gradual release of responsibility for students’ learning accountability, in selecting sessions to attend | Have sign-up sheets posted outside each classroom with a description of what will occur in this teacher’s room for PLT. Sign-up/ info needs to be posted two days prior to PLT Day (so, every Monday morning).Attendance must be taken by teacher. | Students will get into the habit of finding appropriate/ relevant sessions to attend, thus indicating choice | # students who sign up by deadline, contrasted with wandering students assigned to a class for attendance purposes# students attending sessions (i.e. attending vs. skipping students) | Students will have established, after now 3 years at the school, what types of support is given by different teachers, thus informing their choices | # students who sign up by deadline # students attending sessions (i.e. attending vs. skipping students) |
| Increase the number of students attending office hours while lowering the amount of teachers’ un-contracted hours | PLT classes may be used for test rewrites, open-ended tutorials, or workshops to reteach a course concept. | Teachers (and students) will see fewer incomplete assignments | #hrs spent in office hours for rewrites and tutorials# at-risk/ struggling students who seek extra support | With a practice of regular support, it is the goal that teachers (and parents, students) will see a decrease in failed courses | #hrs spent in office hours specifically for rewrites and tutorials# students receiving Incomplete/ Failing reports |
| Increase levels of learning support offered to students, in curricular learning outcomes and extended learning opportunities | PLT classes may be used for workshops that build upon course concepts, but are not seen as academic requirements (e.g. lesson on a particular poem/text; podcasting skills; advanced quote integration strategies for grade 8). This allows for students performing well, or who enjoy a course, to seek further learning | students will seek to expand their areas of passion, that drive them to deeper learning possibly reflected in their MYP Personal Project* | # students attending extracurricular workshopsratio of students attending office hour/rewrite support : extracurricular learning outcomes : skipping/ not attending # students who cite these sessions in their MYP Personal Project* | Senior students will have the option to lead or co-lead sessions with teachers, once the PLT practice is concretized and made into a routine. This allows for student leadership and peer teaching. | % students volunteering to lead/ co-lead PLT sessions # volunteer hours tracked by senior students for leading workshops |
Comments: I would like to identify short term as 1-2 years and long term as 3-5 years, because this takes into context the fact that high school (my context) is just five years in length, but I also want to respect the terms set by Wilder Research (2009). However, in respecting this rule of thumb, I am noting that my short term and long term outcomes and outputs are a little repetitive. What I struggle with is that, unless I only operate from a staff point of view (as staff can stay at our school beyond 5 years) it is challenging to show a long-term trajectory of growth. And given that this program is primarily meant to serve the students, I feel that they should be represented in this logic model.
* We are an MYP School of the International Baccalaureate Program, and one relevant detail this entails is that all Grade 10 students complete a passion project. The project is meant to be student-driven in an area of interest, but that also weaves together IB skills/ concepts and some school learning.
Oct. 16, 2021
Updated Nov. 11, 2021
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