Program Areas | K-12 Education

Arkansas Department of Education: Evaluation of the Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) Initiative

From 2003 to 2007, Metis Associates evaluated the federally funded Evaluating State Education Technology Programs grant for the Arkansas Department of Education, which included an evaluation of the EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) initiative. An interdisciplinary, experience-based process, EAST promotes the use of advanced computer technology that encourages students to use the knowledge acquired in their classes to solve problems related to school or community issues. Metis's evaluation was a rigorous and systematic effort that looked at the relationship between program implementation and teacher and student outcomes. A statewide implementation study focused on the nature, quality, and intensity of program components from a variety of perspectives, including student, teacher, administrator, and community. Using an experimental design, Metis examined EAST's impact on teachers' attitudes, classroom practices, and students' attitudes, skills, and achievement.

Metis analyzed data from facilitator observations, surveys of principals and facilitators, and end-of-year ratings. It found that among 16 student outcomes that were studied, participation in EAST appeared to have a positive, statistically reliable impact in five domains that included three aspects of problem-solving, motivation for school, and self-directed learning style.