Code: ___________________
Mesquite ISD Education Foundation
Grant Application
X Campus Grant
□ District Grant
Title of Project: MP3 Players
Subject(s): Digital Audio Players
Total Dollar Amount Requested: $1,500
Number of Students Involved: 490
Number of Employees Involved: 48
Date of Implementation: August 2011
Expected Completion Date: August 2011
Summary of Grant Request - Describe who will do what, why, when, where, and how.
We will purchase one hundred two MP3 players that will be bar coded for the library
collection. These players will be used to provide students a means to access the district
digital library. The librarian will work with students to check out audio files to a laptop in
the library. Audio books and MP3 players will be checked out to students, classroom
teachers, and instructional support staff. Currently, our enrollment consists of 490
students. All students will have access to the digital library and MP3 players through
classroom teachers. Our campus is a Title I campus with 76% of our students being
economically disadvantaged. There are 26.2% Limited English Proficient students and
four bilingual classes on our campus. This project will motivate students to read more
through the use of technology, increase fluency and reading comprehension, and promote
the love of reading.
Campus / Department: McKenzie Elementary
Name of Applicant(s): Heidi V. Burbano
Principal Signature: _________________________________________________________________
Grant Applications should be submitted to:
Linda Lentz
Education Foundation Office
PDC, Suite 300
Phone: 972-882-7513
Fax: 972-882-7514
[email protected]
***********************************************************************************************************************
For Office Use Only:
Date Received: ______________________________________________________________________________
Curriculum & Instruction: _______________________________________________________________________
Technology: _________________________________________________________________________________
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Grant Application
Name of Project: MP3 Players
Narrative should be clear and concise. Do not refer to any specific campus, person, or use identifying terms. No
addendums are to be added to the application. Do not use a font size lower than 10 points.
Description – Explain what you will do. Tell how the project has the potential to significantly
impact student learning.
Our school will purchase one hundred two MP3 players through Best Buy® for our students
to use for pleasure reading and/or for required school assignments. All students will have
access to the MP3 players through classroom teachers. Students in grades 2-6 will have the
opportunity to have access to a wide range of books utilizing MP3 players. The librarian will
provide informative sessions for students to show them the process of checking out these
devices and how to use them. Students will learn how to browse the school’s website at
http://digitallibrary.mesquiteisd.org and download the title of the book(s). Once the title has
been downloaded, students will be able to transfer it to their MP3 player and check it out
from the library.
This project will benefit students in a variety of ways. Students will have a greater motivation
to read because they will be excited about using an MP3 player. Since the use of
technology plays such a critical role in our daily lives, students will make an easier
connection between what they are learning at school and what they are doing outside of the
school environment. Therefore, students will acknowledge the use of MP3 players as a
relevant and meaningful experience in their academic and personal lives.
Utilizing MP3 players can also increase students’ reading achievement. Manzo (2010)
suggested that students who had access to reading through mobile devices such as iPods or
MP3 players showed an improvement in their reading comprehension. This project can have
a positive impact on students’ reading benchmark, milestone, and ultimately, TAKS reading
scores. Since students are motivated to use MP3 players, they will be more engaged during
D.E.A.R time (silent reading), and will be more interested and successful in completing
homework reading assignments. Such activities can help students develop better reading
habits and skills and lead to better standardized testing scores.
This project will play a positive role in enhancing the vocabulary development of English
Language Learners (ELL) and their reading achievement as well. The use of MP3 players
will allow ELL students to better understand what they are reading by developing their oral
language skills. Since oral language is a predictor for reading comprehension, it is critical
that ELL students have a strong foundation in this area to be successful in all academic
areas including standardized tests like TAKS. The more opportunities that ELL students
have with audio books, the better they will be able to develop their vocabulary knowledge
and consequently, the better they will be able to comprehend various types of texts.
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Rationale – Explain the need this proposal will address and how it will improve student learning
and performance.
The relationship between literacy and technology has received unprecedented attention among
educators and policy-makers in the last few years. Specifically, research has addressed the
need of how learning and teaching might be improved or transformed by new technology
(Prensky, 2008). Therefore, it is important for educators to understand how technology
influences the lives of students in and outside of the school environment as well as how
technology affects their literacy development. As a result, the term digital literacy has emerged
in an effort to understand how reading and writing develop with new technologies (Merchant,
2009). Understanding the role of digital literacy is critical to providing an engaging curriculum
that connects students’ academic and personal experiences in their lives. Additionally,
technology promotes students learning independently by offering them “…all kinds of new,
highly effective tools they can use to learn on their own” (Presnsky, 2008, p. 2). If educators can
provide students with this type of curriculum, then students will be able to acknowledge learning
as meaningful and relevant and connect it to their everyday experiences in and outside of the
school environment.
Reading plays an essential part in students’ academic success. Likewise, knowing what
motivates students to want to read is also an important factor in their academic achievement.
By making learning relevant to students’ out-of-school lives – in which technology plays a major
role – students will be more interested in learning new content. Technological devices such as
iPods and MP3 players have been found effective in enhancing learning and instruction.
Belanger (2005) found greater student engagement and interest in class participation occurred
in classrooms where students were utilizing iPods for learning. Not only are students highly
motivated to read through the use of such technological devices, they are also being prepared
with the skills needed to succeed in a globalized and technological-driven society. According to
Lacina (2007), “…being able use to use different forms of technology provides students with the
technological skills to succeed in college and in the workforce” (p. 249).
Digital devices such as MP3 players can be used to as a tool for language acquisition. Some
research supports the idea that iPods can improve English vocabulary, comprehension, and
writing. Craig and Paraiso (2007) investigated the use of iPods among ELL students at the
elementary and middle school level. The researchers found that ELL’s writings skills and
vocabulary development improved in three of their four studies. MP3 players can provide ELL
students the repeated re-enforcing of new vocabulary by targeting their listening skills. As a
result, ELL’s vocabulary knowledge will increase and promote better reading comprehension.
Objectives - List (use bullets, numbers, . . . ) specific objectives. When possible, make
objectives measurable.
•
•
•
Increase students’ vocabulary by listening to selections read aloud
Increase students’ characteristics of fluent and effective reading
Use available technology such as MP3 players to support the different aspects of process
writing
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•
•
•
Increase students’ ability to answer different types and level of comprehension questions
such as open-ended, literal, and test-like questions
Reading Benchmark and Milestone scores
Writing and Reading TAKS scores
Activities / Implementation Plan – List (use bullets, numbers, …) activities that will be utilized
to achieve objectives.
•
Purchase MP3 players and batteries through district approved vendor
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Bar code players and add them to the library collection
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Students will check out audio books from the Mesquite digital library and download them
to a docking station laptop located in the library
•
The librarian will move the audio books to the MP3 players and check them out to
students
If applicable, identify any school or community partners involved in the project and their
roles.
Not Applicable
Evaluation – List (use bullets, numbers, …) measurable criteria to be used and state their
relation to objectives and activities.
•
Librarian, grant author, and testing coordinator will analyze circulation statics for audio
books and MP3 players
•
Overall circulation statistics will be analyzed
•
Reading Benchmark and Milestone data
•
Reading TAKS data
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Budget - Detail your budget request in order of priority. Include specific information, such as
what materials and equipment will be needed, sources of supply, cost, (including
shipping/handling, etc.). List separately any additional materials that may be required from the
District to implement this initiative.
If this grant is approved, all expenditure receipt copies must be attached to a written final
evaluation and returned to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation on no later than 10
days prior to the last day of school.
QTY
ITEM
SUPPLIER
COST
102
Sylvania SMP2200 Premium 2GB
MP3 Players w/ Aluminum Finish
Walmart
$14.88
Total:
$1,500
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