May 09
6
Parent and Child Services Grant Proposal
Title of Project:Empowerment Through Technology: Preschoolers and Parents Together
Director:Renee Romance
Application Narrative
1. Planning Process/Need
Years of contact, observation and conversation by library staff with parents and preschoolers have reinforced an important fact: though computers have been available for many years there are a significant number of parents who feel undereducated about computers and who are unable to assist their preschoolers with this area of technology.
At the same time, preschoolers enthusiastic about computers are in need of an age- appropriate environment for learning.
The needs of preschoolers and parents were reinforced by parents during focus group sessions held at LLLL Public Library in August of 1995.
This project, a response to those stated and observed needs, will be targeted to parents of preschool children and preschool children themselves who reside in the library’s service area, the LLLL Central School District, consisting of a population of 53, 594.
Planning of the project was done with consideration toward the LLLL Central School District’s technology plan for kindergarten through eighth grade, which encourages public use of school district technology resources and recognizes that technology readiness is as important as other school readiness skills.
2. Project Description
The overall goal of the project is to familiarize preschool children and their parents with computer technology and software in an environment conducive to learning.
The objectives of the project are as follows:
a. To create a technology center in the Children’s Room to assist preschool children in achieving basic technology skills for entering kindergarten, to embrace the enthusiastic preschooler and to provide age appropriate software.
b. To build the confidence and skills of parents who are unfamiliar with and intimidated by computers and demonstrate to them the effectiveness of using the computer for positive parent/child interaction.
c. To educate parents about the Internet and sites available with parenting information and preschool child activities.
d. To establish a parent section on the LLLL Public Library web site with information about library and school district resources and links to parenting sites.
e. To cooperate with the LLLL Central School District by offering a program that will utilize joint resources of staff and equipment.
Project activities include:
a. Providing one program at one of the LLLL Central School District elementary schools where the computer lab and media center are adjacent to one another. Parents and preschoolers will have the opportunity to use computers and software together.
Staff from the LLLL Public Library, the LLLL Central School District and a consultant will facilitate at this program.
Subsequent programs using the same format will be offered, as needed, by LLLL Public Library and LLLL Central School District staff.
b. Providing one program at LLLL Public Library for parents on technology and the family, with the focus on the use of the computer as a tool for family interaction and learning. Software and Internet use will be discussed.
A lecture format will be utilized for this program, to be conducted by a consultant and a LLLL Central School District staff member.
c. Designing a preschool technology center in the Children’s Room that provides a comfortable environment for learning, appropriate software and staff trained to effectively assist preschoolers and their parents.
d. Enhancing the existing circulating software and computer book collections.
The overall goal, project objectives and activities directly support the New Compact for Learning by increasing the school readiness of preschool children, demonstrating the ongoing effectiveness of the public library’s involvement in education and learning and helping the parent in his or her role as the child’s first teacher.
Project results and evaluation tools will be disseminated statewide over the Internet from the LLLL Public Library Web site.
The project director and staff will be available for consultation with others interested in designing similar projects.
The project director and staff will be available as workshop presenters on the LLLL experience.
3. Outcomes/Evaluation
Surveys will be completed by activity participants at the onset of the project in order to determine participants’ level of experience with computers.
Achievement of the objectives of the project will be measured through surveys completed by identifiable participating parents and preschoolers who have attended project programs and utilized computers, software and books purchased for the project.
Library staff will collect statistics, including written observations, reflecting preschool and parent use of the technology center.
Staff trained to assist parents and preschoolers will be surveyed to evaluate training effectiveness.
Parent and preschooler attendance at programs will be monitored.
Faculty of the LLLL Central School District will be interviewed to assist library staff in determining the impact of the project on the school district’s technology objectives.
A team consisting of a participating project parent, a LLLL Central School District faculty member and the project director will meet six months after project initiation to evaluate survey results, program attendance, preschooler progress and technology center usage for the purpose of determining project effectiveness.
This team will make recommendations for changes in the design of the project to ensure the continued effectiveness of available training, resources and equipment. Library staff will make appropriate changes reflecting the recommendations.
4. Budget Narrative
Purchased Services: Code 40
Consultants to be hired have demonstrated expertise in the use of computers by preschoolers and Internet services and issues for parents.
Neither LLLL Public Library nor LLLL Central School District staff currently have this expertise.
The consultants will share their expertise in the planning and implementation of the programs described in the “Project activities” section.
Supplies and Materials: Code 45
The equipment and furniture requests are necessary because these items are not currently available at the library.
Software and books to be purchased are needed to support the goal and objectives of the project.
Equipment: Code 20
The Macintosh computer requests are necessary to implement the technology center for preschoolers.
5. Additional Funding Information
The LLLL Public Library will provide:
a. all necessary staff for the project, other than the consultants referred to in the budget narrative, including staff for training, for materials selection and acquisition and for evaluation of the project;
b. all supplies needed to prepare software and books for circulation and all printer supplies;
c. all labor necessary for the installation and maintenance of equipment purchased;
d. all printing supplies necessary for promotion of the project and dissemination of project results.
The LLLL Central School District will provide:
a. a staff member for the parent/preschool program to be presented in an elementary school computer lab/media center;
b. use of the computer lab/media center, equipment and resources;
c. a faculty member to assist with the evaluation of the project.
Continued funding of this project to support the ongoing availability of staff for parent and preschooler training and the continued acquisition of software and computer books will be provided through the Library’s annual operating budget after the grant period has ended.
GRANT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
1. Focus group meetings on library services for children were held in August of 1995 during which parents in attendance identified technology related needs of preschoolers and parents.
2. LPL staff maintained an awareness of LLLL Central School District technology plans while assessing the level of computer knowledge of parents and preschoolers using the Library.
3. LPL Project Director and staff designed concept and specifics of the Grant Proposal, evaluating each part of the proposal in terms of its relevance to improving the technology readiness skills of preschoolers and technology awareness skills of parents along with its relationship to LCSD technology goals.
4. LPL Project Director reviewed Grant Proposal with LCSD Director of Elementary Education to ensure that project activities supported the goals of the District. LPL Project Director obtained LCSD cooperation in use of LCSD computer lab, library media center and staff.
5. LPL Project Director arranged for independent consultants for programs in order to provide expertise not available through LPL staff.
6. LPL Project Director worked with staff of LPL Computer Department to design technology center equipment set-up and worked with Business Manager to determine furniture costs for technology center.
7. LPL Project Director and staff discussed software and computer books needed to support project goals, determining costs associated with securing collections appropriate to the goals of the project.
8. LPL Project Director and staff, with advice of consultant, ordered grant- related software, books, furniture and computer equipment.
9. Technology center was set up as soon as equipment and furniture arrived.
10. Technology center procedures for equipment and software usage were developed by Project Director and staff.
11. LPL Project Director and staff presented librarians with an overview of the grant project and technology center and were given specific information on software available for patron use at the technology center. One-on- one training was made available on request. Frequent updates were provided via email conference and written communication.
12. LPL Project Director determined specific program dates and confirmed the participation of LCSD staff and independent consultants.
13. LPL Project Director, independent consultant and LCSD Computer Assistant planned and implemented programs at elementary school library media center and computer lab.
14. LPL Project Director and staff began the design of surveys and planned specific timetable for survey distributions.
15. LPL Project Director and staff began specific planning of parenting information to appear on LPL web site.
16. LPL librarians assisted parents and preschoolers in the technology center and administered surveys to assess the beginning level of computer experience of technology center users and the amount of experience gained through repeated usage of the technology center.
17. Surveys were administered at all programs to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and the degree to which they complemented the project goals.
18. Statistics were maintained of all participants/users of programs and technology center, respectively.
19. After assessing technology center usage, final software order was placed.
“Empowerment Through Technology: Preschoolers and Parents Together”
In August 1995, a series of focus group meetings on library services for children were held between parents and LLLL Library staff. From these meetings, several technology-related needs of preschoolers and parents were identified. It was this awareness of the dual need to improve computer readiness skills of preschoolers and to teach their parents technology awareness skills that led to the development of this New York State Parent and Child Library Services Grant Proposal.
The Library is committed to helping parents, who may be unfamiliar with computer technology, in their role as a child’s first teacher and helping preschoolers and school-age children develop technology skills. Even though the Grant period is completed, planning is already underway for future technology programs for families and additional possibilities of cooperative instructional efforts with the LLLL Elementary Schools.
Here is a list of the project planning and implementation steps as reported in the Grant Final Report Narrative.
Implementation of the Grant involved the following different components:
•Parent Surveys
•Technology Center
•Workshops and Programs
•Parenting Web Sites
The budget for implementing this Grant was $7,780.
PARENT SURVEYS
We conducted two parent surveys. The first survey was handed out to families using the Technology Center for the first 9 weeks. A total of 124 parent surveys were completed. From these we were able to determine that about 50% of our patrons have home computers. Of these, more than 75% have IBM compatibles. This information was useful to know as we developed our circulating preschool software collection. Learning that at least 50% of our patrons do not have home computers further reinforces our need to provide this extra service for patrons at the Library.
The second survey was completed by patrons using the Technology Center during the last 5 weeks of the Grant period. A total of 73 families completed this survey. 74% of those responding indicated that Library staff were “very good” to “excellent” in assisting them with the software at the Technology Center and in locating circulating copies of the new software and books. 70% said that their preschooler’s confidence in using technology had increased by having access to computers in the Library; and 68% of those responding indicated that using the preschool software had increased their child’s school readiness skills. 63% of the parents responding to the second survey said their own level of confidence in using computers had increased.
WELCOME TO LPL’S CHILDREN’S TECHNOLOGY CENTER!
A Technology Center was set up in the Children’s Room to assist preschool children and their parents in achieving basic technology skills.
Some parents feel their kids know more than they do about computers. But all parents like to play with their children. Sharing early-learning software programs together is a fun way for parents and preschoolers to familiarize themselves with the nuts and bolts of computer-ing!
EQUIPMENT
The Technology Center is comprised of two Macintosh PowerPC 5260/120 computers designated for preschoolers. Age-appropriate software in literature, reading, mathematics, and problem-solving is loaded on these computers. Other equipment that was purchased as part of the Grant included: a computer table, four chairs, 2 7-disk CD-ROM changers, speakers, headphones and an Apple LaserWriter printer.
SOFTWARE
Families can use the reference software at the Library, use the circulating software at home, or do both.
BOOKS
In addition to the opportunity to purchase 52 new pieces of software, the Grant funds enabled the Library to add 13 titles to our computer book collection.
STATISTICS
Usage statistics were collected by the Children’s Librarians for the entire 4 months of the Grant period. A total of 1735 children, 793 of which were preschoolers, and 652 adults used these new computers!
WORKSHOPS & PROGRAMS
The Library, in cooperation with the LLLL Central School District, offered two hands-on workshops for parents and their preschoolers. These workshops, Preschoolers + Parents, Share The Learning, Share The Fun!, were held at the Wetzel Road Elementary School on Saturday, January 11, 1997 and Saturday, February 8, 1997.
In addition, one instructional program for adults,Technology: A Tool For Family Learning, was held in the Library’s Carman Community Room on Monday, January 27, 1997.
All three of these Programs were designed to encourage computer literacy for parents and their young children.
PARENTING WEB SITES
Surfing the Web to find really useful information can be confusing! Parents, take a look at the useful list of Parenting Web Sites we developed as part of our Parent and Child Library Services Grant.
BUDGET
TOTAL – $7,780.00Category/ItemAmountEquipment$3,398.00Services$450.00
Supplies/Materials$3,889.38