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. (ISTE 2h)
Artifact: Data Overview
Reflection: Standard 2.8 references the use of data to
identify and implement interventions to improve instructional practice in
schools. For the artifact for this standard, I chose the Data Analysis that I
completed on my school for ITEC 7305, Data Analysis and School Improvement. For
the data analysis, I used the Using Data Process to examine and drill down into
the data from my school. While examining the data, I identified what seemed to be
a student learning problem, and I suggested interventions to help remedy that
student learning problem.
In the creation of the artifact, I first used two of the online databases of student assessment data that are available to teachers at my school, OnTrack 3.0 and OAS. Between the two data bases, I was able to find school level, grade level, student level and strand level test results from the various assessments administered at the school and for all students at the school. I examined the test results at all of the levels mentioned above and identified the various gaps in achievement that seemed to appear. Those achievement gaps gave me an idea of the areas in the school that in which an intervention would serve to improve student and school performance. I also examined the strand-level results of the assessments to determine if there were particular areas in which many students showed weakness.
With an area of weakness identified based on the data, I sought to formulate a student learning problem based on that weakness. In the case of my school and the data in question, students seemed to struggle with measurement and with basic mathematical functions, particularly those involved in the manipulation of fractions and negatives.
Finally, with the data analyzed and a student learning problem identified, I began to attempt to identify a cause of that problem and to research and suggest a set of interventions to help remedy that student learning problem. From observing and interviewing the some of the math teachers at my school, I found that they spent a large amount of class time on activities that stressed multi-step problem solving and complicated and rigorous processes rather than teaching the basics in a step-by-step manner. In order to attempt to alleviate those student learning problems, I researched some tools that would dovetail with the Edmodo online environment that teachers used already at my school as well as some classroom activities that would allow teachers to employ their highly rigorous activities and multi-step problems while simultaneously allowing students to learn, practice and use basic mathematical and measurement skills.
I next suggested the methods to the math teachers at my school. I also searched for an created some flipped-classroom style videos explaining ways to incorporate basic skills practice into rigorous lessons and activities, Finally, to communicate the entire process, I created the artifact in question in the form of a narrated presentation that was converted to a video and posted to YouTube.
In the process of creating the artifact, I learned that the data will often guide the process of using data. As I examined the data from my school, I began to notice trends regarding student groups, individual students, and strands. When I noticed those trends, I followed them to different aspects of the data and noticed still more trends that lead to still other aspects of the data. In the future, I would start my work sooner so that I would have the opportunity to follow more of those trends and examine them more fully. I would also have liked to have the opportunity to further study the student learning problems of my school.
This artifact aimed to impact overall student achievement at my school by first touching on teacher development and student learning experiences. Through the flipped classroom style professional learning that I mentioned above as well as through independent research into research-based best practices, teachers learned new and better interventions to use within their classrooms. Those interventions were designed to lead to improvement in student learning experiences. Improved student learning experiences would then theoretically lead to an overall improvement in school performance. Those impacts can be assessed through a comparison of new assessment results to those examined in the data analysis.
In the creation of the artifact, I first used two of the online databases of student assessment data that are available to teachers at my school, OnTrack 3.0 and OAS. Between the two data bases, I was able to find school level, grade level, student level and strand level test results from the various assessments administered at the school and for all students at the school. I examined the test results at all of the levels mentioned above and identified the various gaps in achievement that seemed to appear. Those achievement gaps gave me an idea of the areas in the school that in which an intervention would serve to improve student and school performance. I also examined the strand-level results of the assessments to determine if there were particular areas in which many students showed weakness.
With an area of weakness identified based on the data, I sought to formulate a student learning problem based on that weakness. In the case of my school and the data in question, students seemed to struggle with measurement and with basic mathematical functions, particularly those involved in the manipulation of fractions and negatives.
Finally, with the data analyzed and a student learning problem identified, I began to attempt to identify a cause of that problem and to research and suggest a set of interventions to help remedy that student learning problem. From observing and interviewing the some of the math teachers at my school, I found that they spent a large amount of class time on activities that stressed multi-step problem solving and complicated and rigorous processes rather than teaching the basics in a step-by-step manner. In order to attempt to alleviate those student learning problems, I researched some tools that would dovetail with the Edmodo online environment that teachers used already at my school as well as some classroom activities that would allow teachers to employ their highly rigorous activities and multi-step problems while simultaneously allowing students to learn, practice and use basic mathematical and measurement skills.
I next suggested the methods to the math teachers at my school. I also searched for an created some flipped-classroom style videos explaining ways to incorporate basic skills practice into rigorous lessons and activities, Finally, to communicate the entire process, I created the artifact in question in the form of a narrated presentation that was converted to a video and posted to YouTube.
In the process of creating the artifact, I learned that the data will often guide the process of using data. As I examined the data from my school, I began to notice trends regarding student groups, individual students, and strands. When I noticed those trends, I followed them to different aspects of the data and noticed still more trends that lead to still other aspects of the data. In the future, I would start my work sooner so that I would have the opportunity to follow more of those trends and examine them more fully. I would also have liked to have the opportunity to further study the student learning problems of my school.
This artifact aimed to impact overall student achievement at my school by first touching on teacher development and student learning experiences. Through the flipped classroom style professional learning that I mentioned above as well as through independent research into research-based best practices, teachers learned new and better interventions to use within their classrooms. Those interventions were designed to lead to improvement in student learning experiences. Improved student learning experiences would then theoretically lead to an overall improvement in school performance. Those impacts can be assessed through a comparison of new assessment results to those examined in the data analysis.