Data-driven instruction: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:00, 8 February 2017

Revision as of 21:11, 6 April 2017

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== History ==

Prior to the current emphasis on data and accountability in schools, some school leaders and education researchers focused on [[Standards based reform|standards-based reform]] in education. From the idea of creating standards comes accountability, the idea that schools should report on their ability to meet the designated standards.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED546618|title=Building a New Structure for School Leadership|last=Elmore|first=Richard F.|publisher=Albert Shanker Institute|language=en}}</ref> Late in the last century and in the early 2000’s, an increased emphasis on accountability in public organizations made its way into the realm of education. With the passing of the [[No Child Left Behind Act|No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act]] in 2001 came laws requiring schools to provide information to the public concerning the quality of education provided to students. To be able to provide such data, states were mandated to create accountability measures and yearly assessments to gauge the effectiveness of schools in meeting those measures.<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Moriarty|first=Tammy Wu|title=Data-driven decision making: Teachers' use of data in the classroom|date=2013-01-01|degree=Ph.D.|publisher=University of San Diego|url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1432373944/|place=United States -- California|language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Larocque|first=M|year=2007|title=Closing the Achievement Gap: The Experience of a Middle School|url=|journal=Clearing House|volume=80 (|issue=4)|pages=157–162|via=}}</ref> Following NCLB, more recent legislation under the [[Race to the Top|Race to the Top Act]] further pushed states to use data gathering and reporting to demonstrate school’s ability to meet the demands of the public. Embedded in both NCLB and the Race to the Top Act is an assumption that the collection and use of data can lead to increased student performance.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kennedy|first=Brianna L.|last2=Datnow|first2=Amanda|date=2011-12-01|title=Student Involvement and Data-Driven Decision Making Developing a New Typology|url=http://yas.sagepub.com/content/43/4/1246|journal=Youth & Society|language=en|volume=43|issue=4|pages=1246–1271|doi=10.1177/0044118X10388219|issn=0044-118X}}</ref>

== Attributes ==

Data in the classroom is any information that is visible during instruction that could be used to inform teaching and learning. Types of data include quantitative and qualitative data, although quantitative data is most often used for data-driven instruction. Examples of quantitative data include test scores, results on a quiz, and levels of performance on a periodic assessment.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning|last=Boudett|first=K. P.|last2=City|first2=E. A.|last3=Murname|first3=R. J.|publisher=Harvard Education Press|year=2013|isbn=|___location=Cambridge, MA|pages=|quote=|via=}}</ref> Examples of qualitative data include field notes, student work/artifacts, interviews, focus groups, digital pictures, video, reflective journals.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research: Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn Through Practitioner Inquiry|last=Dana|first=N. F.|last2=Yendol-Hoppey|first2=D.|publisher=Corwin|year=2014|isbn=|edition=3rd|___location=Thousand Oaks, CA|pages=|quote=|via=}}</ref>

Quantitative and qualitative data is generally captured through two forms of assessments: formative and summative. Formative assessment is the information that is revealed and shared during instruction and is actionable by the teacher or student.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Black|first=P|last2=Wiliam|first2=D.|year=1998|title=Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment|url=|journal=Phi Delta Kappan|volume=80( |issue=2)|pages=pp. 139–148|via=}}</ref> Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam offer examples of classroom assessment that is formative in nature, including student observations and discussions, understand pupils’ needs and challenges, and looking at student work.<ref name=":1" /> Conversely, summative assessments are designed to determine whether or not a student can transfer their learning to new contexts, as well as for accountability purposes.<ref name=":1" /> Formative assessment is the use of information made evident during instruction in order to improve student progress and performance. Summative assessments occur after teaching and learning occurred.

== Examples ==

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=== For school districts ===

The primary implication for school districts is in ensuring high quality and relevant data is gathered and available. Beyond creating systems to gather and share the data, the school district must provide the expertise, in the form of data expert personnel and/or the access to professional development resources to ensure school building leaders are able to access and use the data.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Swan|first=G.|last2=Mazur|first2=J.|year=2011|title=Examining data driven decision making via formative assessment: A confluence of technology, data interpretation heuristics and curricular policy|url=|journal=Gene|volume=1( |issue=1)|pages=1|via=}}</ref>

Another critical component of the responsibility of the district is to provide the leadership and vision to promulgate the use of information about student performance to improve teaching practice. Zavadsky and Dolejs suggest two areas for school districts to consider:

“The first is data collection and analysis. Districts and schools must carefully consider what data they need to collect, develop instruments with which to collect the data, and make the data available as soon as possible. The second component is data use. Principals and district leaders must give teachers sufficient time and training to understand the data and learn how to respond to what the data reveal”.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Zavadsky|first=H.|last2=Dolejs|first2=A.|year=2006|title=DATA: Not Just Another Four-Letter Word|url=|journal=Principal Leadership, Middle Level Ed.|volume=7( |issue=2)|pages=32–36|via=}}</ref>

While the literature shows the vital importance of the role of the district in setting the stage for data driven instruction, more of the work of connecting student performance to classroom practices happens at the school and classroom level.

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* Keyword mnemonic

* Imagery use for text learning

* Rereading<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dunlosky|first=J.|last2=Rawson|first2=K. A.|last3=Marsh|first3=E. J.|last4=Nathan|first4=M. J.|last5=Willingham|first5=D. T.|year=2013|title=Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology|url=|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest|volume=14( |issue=1)|pages=4–58|via=}}</ref>

It is worth noting that the less effective strategies may be more commonly used in K-12 classrooms than the moderately effective and highly effective strategies. The authors suggest that students should be taught how to use more effective techniques and when they are most helpful in guiding their learning. When these strategies become internalized, students will have developed techniques in order to learn how to learn. This is critical as they move into the secondary level and are expected to be more independent in their studies.