Evaluation Subasard for Evaluation of KITCenter Initiatives

The Kentucky Information Technology Center (KITCenter) is designed to enhance instruction and capabilities regarding information technology (IT) throughout Kentucky. KITCenter's multifaceted approach includes a particular emphasis on the professional development of community and technical college faculty to enhance their ability to develop a new Kentucky IT Curriculum and to teach courses within it. Professional development has been promoted in particular through workshops taught under KITCenter's auspices. In addition to community and technical college faculty members, faculty and staff from public schools and some employees of private and public sector organizations also have enrolled in workshops. This document presents a proposal to continue ongoing efforts to evaluate KITCenter's impacts and effectiveness. As in past years, the KITCenter evaluation will be driven by goals developed by the faculty. This emphasis will be supplemented by questions raised by the National Visiting Committee (NVC). Goals regarding (a) student enrollment and achievement, (b) faculty and institutional development, and (c) programmatic considerations (developed in Year I and revised throughout the life of the project) will continue to provide an overall framework for the evaluation. Within this framework, particular emphasis will be given during KITCenter's sixth year (August 1,2006 - July 31, 2007) to: • indications that KITCenter is developing a capacity for long-term effectiveness and sustainability; • the extent to which faculty practices are changing as a result of KITCenter initiatives; and • the utilization and effectiveness of remote labs. Evaluation methodology will rely on a combination of examination of documents and institutional data, observation of meetings, and surveys of instructors, completers, and employers.