2.8 - Data Analysis
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, communicate findings, and implement appropriate interventions to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning. (PSC 2.8/ISTE 2h)
Artifact: Data Overview PowerPoint
Action Plan Part 1
Data Overview Presentation
Reflection:
The Data Overview was completed as a class assignment and to provide Twin Oaks Elementary School (TOES) an overview of data from the 3rd Grade Science Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The purpose of the assignment was to drill down into the data down to the strand level and provide a story of student performance over a period of time. In the Data Overview, I provided information about three years of data, including an overview of the student population, performance compared to other students in the district and state, comparisons of performance of regular education students and special education students, analyses of minority groups, and analyses of the various strands in the science CRCT. The Action Plan is a plan to implement various interventions deemed appropriate based on findings in the data overview. These assignments were completed as individual class assignments; however, both were completed with the assistance of the system curriculum director and instructional supervisor.
Standard 2.8, Data Analysis, requires that candidates provide evidence that they have the ability to “model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, communicate findings, and implement appropriate interventions to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning” (PSC 2.8/ISTE 2h). The Data Overview and Action Plan are evidence of my ability to do this. In the Data Overview, I modeled and facilitated the use of digital tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data, in this case, the use of Microsoft Excel. This digital tool allowed me to collect the data in a spreadsheet, sort the information to better assess information about certain groups, and then generate graphs to better analyze and interpret the data. Once completing the analysis and interpretation, I modeled and facilitated the use of digital tools to communicate the findings by generating a video presentation of the findings. Rather than simply provide information, I let faculty draw some of their own interpretations from the data and provided discussion prompts. In addition to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, and communicating the findings, it is important to act on those findings. The Action Plan is evidence of my ability to design and model an appropriate intervention plan based on the evidence in the data. In the Action Plan I generated specific goals, strategies, and a timeline for implementation of the plan. Implementation of the plan would require using the research-based strategies and timeline provided and ultimately monitoring progress to see if the implementation is successful.
This learning experience was extremely valuable to me. In the past, when drilling down into the data, I would make assumptions and then target and sort to find what I was looking for. In this task, while I did make predictions, I simply drilled down into the data and let it tell the story. I found that some of my assumptions were correct, but not all of them and the ones that were incorrect were important for the overview. If I were to go back and complete the data overview again, I would look at the data over a longer period of time, perhaps five years instead of just three. While this would take longer, it would provide an even clearer picture of what is going on in 3rd grade science.
The impact on faculty development is most easy to determine and can be assessed immediately during the discussion of the data overview and later in ongoing observations during implementation of the action plan. The impact on student learning could be assessed by doing another drill down at the end of state testing at the end of the implementation of the action plan. However, due to testing changes that have now occurred, it is likely that the analysis of student learning may be flawed. The impact on school improvement can be assessed by observing teachers’ discussions and actions after a data overview or by involving them in the drill down process in the future.
The Data Overview was completed as a class assignment and to provide Twin Oaks Elementary School (TOES) an overview of data from the 3rd Grade Science Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The purpose of the assignment was to drill down into the data down to the strand level and provide a story of student performance over a period of time. In the Data Overview, I provided information about three years of data, including an overview of the student population, performance compared to other students in the district and state, comparisons of performance of regular education students and special education students, analyses of minority groups, and analyses of the various strands in the science CRCT. The Action Plan is a plan to implement various interventions deemed appropriate based on findings in the data overview. These assignments were completed as individual class assignments; however, both were completed with the assistance of the system curriculum director and instructional supervisor.
Standard 2.8, Data Analysis, requires that candidates provide evidence that they have the ability to “model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, communicate findings, and implement appropriate interventions to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning” (PSC 2.8/ISTE 2h). The Data Overview and Action Plan are evidence of my ability to do this. In the Data Overview, I modeled and facilitated the use of digital tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data, in this case, the use of Microsoft Excel. This digital tool allowed me to collect the data in a spreadsheet, sort the information to better assess information about certain groups, and then generate graphs to better analyze and interpret the data. Once completing the analysis and interpretation, I modeled and facilitated the use of digital tools to communicate the findings by generating a video presentation of the findings. Rather than simply provide information, I let faculty draw some of their own interpretations from the data and provided discussion prompts. In addition to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, and communicating the findings, it is important to act on those findings. The Action Plan is evidence of my ability to design and model an appropriate intervention plan based on the evidence in the data. In the Action Plan I generated specific goals, strategies, and a timeline for implementation of the plan. Implementation of the plan would require using the research-based strategies and timeline provided and ultimately monitoring progress to see if the implementation is successful.
This learning experience was extremely valuable to me. In the past, when drilling down into the data, I would make assumptions and then target and sort to find what I was looking for. In this task, while I did make predictions, I simply drilled down into the data and let it tell the story. I found that some of my assumptions were correct, but not all of them and the ones that were incorrect were important for the overview. If I were to go back and complete the data overview again, I would look at the data over a longer period of time, perhaps five years instead of just three. While this would take longer, it would provide an even clearer picture of what is going on in 3rd grade science.
The impact on faculty development is most easy to determine and can be assessed immediately during the discussion of the data overview and later in ongoing observations during implementation of the action plan. The impact on student learning could be assessed by doing another drill down at the end of state testing at the end of the implementation of the action plan. However, due to testing changes that have now occurred, it is likely that the analysis of student learning may be flawed. The impact on school improvement can be assessed by observing teachers’ discussions and actions after a data overview or by involving them in the drill down process in the future.