LANCET Research Design

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI), in partnership with North Carolina State University (NCSU), the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), propose a three year LANCET project to study the implementation of the state's IMPACT model and its effect on schools, teaching practices, and student achievement.

Specific components of the model are being implemented through formula grants from the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) component of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. The complete model is being implemented in eleven schools that were awarded EETT competitive grants.

The LANCET project has three components: a comprehensive study of the use of technology in the IMPACT grant schools and the effect on teachers' practices and student achievement; strategies for building the capacity for educators across the state to collect, analyze, and use evaluation data for making decisions about technology programs, projects, and practices; and the dissemination of the products and findings that result from the LANCET project.

The study incorporates experimental, quasi- experimental, and case study research designs. Dissemination strategies and products include the LANCET evaluation model, methods, instruments, and findings; an on-line needs assessment survey that states can use for determining the status of technology use in schools; a handheld-based classroom observation protocol and concomitant professional development resources; and publications that help educators make informed decisions about the most effective use of their limited technology budgets.

Source:State Education Directors of Technology Association's Technical Assistance Partnership Program.