Monday, July 18, 2016

Harvard Day 5, Part 2: Data Wise

Dr. Candace Bocala talked with us about the Data Wise process on the afternoon of day 5. The Data Wise process is outlined in The Data Wise Process: A Step by Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning by Kathryn Boudett. As with all of these posts, I will not go into detail about the Data Wise process because it’s not my work to share, but I do want to touch on some of the “a-ha” moments I had during the presentation.

I think it’s fair to say we’ve all looked at data. We talk about it all the time, reference it in conversations about how our schools are performing. Learning about the Data Wise process made me question how well we look at data, including what pre-conceived notions we bring to data analysis and how we may actually use data to reinforce our current thinking rather than to challenge us to question what we think. I know I’ve been in data meetings where the data reinforces what everyone already knew. The result is that all of the involved parties and their accompanying practices remain unchanged. Seems a little pointless when you think about it.

Bocala asserts that data conversations are conversations about diversity and equity. Data review should be grounded in inquiry and is a great way to get an entire team working to solve a problem together. I also greatly appreciated that Bocala references “all sources of information that give us information about student thinking and classroom instruction” as appropriate data to consider, which encompasses so much more than test scores.

We went through a process of reflection that included putting red, yellow, and green dots on the parts of a data review cycle. It was a great visual to see what parts of the process we do well and where we could improve. I’d like to use this process with teachers for other reflective conversations.

We also learned about the Ladder of Inference. This is so interesting to me because it articulates what I realized we’re missing in our data conversations. I found this great article on the ladder, and I think it would be worth your time as an educator to review it. Going through data review with the ladder in mind allows us to maintain our focus on facts and realities rather than our assumptions.

I learned about the Objectivity/Specificity Matrix. I haven’t found a clear online resource for this to link here, but if I do I’ll go back and add it. The concept is basically a way to give feedback that is specific and descriptive rather than judgmental and general.

And now for the really exciting part!  The Data Wise Project has a twitter account you can follow. Even better, you can take a free online course on Data Wise from Harvard! They have a great group of MOOCs which I’ll cover in another post, but I had to share this one here.  

We need to spend some time in our staff development talking about data, and I’m glad that I can now organize those conversations in the context of data wise. It will make us really consider what we can do to improve instruction for all kids.


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