Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Reflection on student learning data

Think about Dr. Ausubels quote: "The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this, and teach accordingly."

Write about the process you use for learning what a learner already knows.

In my classroom, I try to use a variety of different methods for determining what students know. For example, I use tools such as K-W-L charts. I may pick the most well known part of information and have students have an oral discussion. I may also give a short pre-assessment.

What additional factors could be included to improve the statement above? Why? Not only is what the students already know important. The student needs to be able to apply the things they know. More importantly, the student needs to be willing and motivated to learn.

If you do not agree with this statement, what is the most important factor influencing learning? I agree with the statement.

How will using data effectively help provide a map to successfully navigate individualized teaching and learning of the curriculum?
Using data can be very useful, because it will help you to understand your students deficits. You can gain a stronger understanding of where a student needs improvement and help, as well as where their strengths are. This is necessary to drive instruction, so that there are no redundancies. Having an understanding of data and a students deficits, guides you on understanding what students need and how to create working environments to benefit students needs.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Reflection: What is data?

Reflect on the emotions and experiences that might have contributed to the adjectives that you see.

Some of the words I see under the description of data is boring, overwhelming and stress. I have felt all of those adjectives, when analyzing data from benchmarks, in class assessments and End of Grade test. At times data can be very boring. I have sat for hours crunching numbers, trying to figure out what all the numbers really mean. Despite the low level of excitement, I understand that data is essential to being a productive educator. The biggest or most consistent feeling I have, when reviewing or conducting data reports is overwhelmed. Completing reports requires hours of analysis sometimes. Even when youre looking at your data, you are questioning it and what you have done this can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed. When you feel you have taught your best and you see your students still need more focus on a particular subject, it is stressful and disheartening. You question how can you move on, but still address student needs. Despite the negative feelings associated with data, I have also felt data is informative and helpful. Data allows me to address where my students really are and give them what they need. Data makes me a better educator.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Journal entry on data collection

Read the scenario below. Ms. Patton is a 4th Grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. It is the beginning of a new school year. Ms. Patton came to school a few days before school started to arrange her room and put up bulletin boards. Today at the first staff meeting, all the teachers in the school were given their class rosters. In addition, each teacher was given a folder with pages of data about the students in their classes. Ms. Patton went back to her room and started reading through the data that she has been given. She is not sure what she needs to do with all the information that she has. She needs help. Answer the following question: Using the information on data types, what do you expect to find in Ms. Pattons folder? Explain why.

In Ms. Pattons folder you are most likely going to find demographic and Assessment data. The demographic data is going to be whether the student receives free/reduced lunch, the racial group the student belongs to, the area the student lives in and whether the student is AIG or EC. In general, the information lets you know the students situation, before you ever meet the student. The assessment data tells how the student preformed academically. This could be useful for the teacher to understand where the student is and what the student will need academically. I would find this kind of information, because it deals specific students information. You would not find information on programs or the school in a childs cumulative folders.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Activity: What Next?

Use this space to answer the final question in the activity in the section Understanding Data and Basic Statistics

Once she has the information at a glance, she realizes that there are sufficient numbers of students to group by proficiency for targeted instruction. What is the next step? Answer this question in your journal.

I would break students into groups based off of their academic group from before. I might have the groups homogenous to focus on weaknesses, each group may have. If I am teaching the group, I would make the group heterogeneous. I would use this information to govern how I teach new assignments. There is no need to develop a higher grade level work, if I am teaching students way below or just below. Likewise, there is no need in teaching low level work to students who are on higher levels. I would use the data to drive what I would teach and maybe even how. Also because I teach at a middle school, I would share this information, with my team.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Reflection: Assessment Data

As you know, Ms. Patton is a fourth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. It is the beginning of a new school year. At the first staff meeting all the teachers in the school were given their class rosters. In addition each teacher was given a folder with pages of data about the students in their classes. The data included three years of her students EOG mathematics and language arts performances. Mrs. Brown, the school principal, has asked grade-level teachers to use the EOG information to create targeted enrichment and remediation groups for concepts not mastered. Ms. Patton questions whether the request is aligned with the purpose of the data. What would you tell her and why?

I would say that for now it was valid, because EOGs are a summary or composite of all the work students and understanding. It reflects skills they should have mastered in the past and if the concepts they are no getting are connected to the same concept they dont get. The purpose of data is lined up with the assessment the administrator asked them to use.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Reflection: Collecting Data

Ms. Pattons class has been working on understanding of sight words. She wants to assess her students understanding of the sight words. Ms. Patton designs a fluent writing learning experience that assesses students understanding. To collect evidence of the understanding, she decides to audio tape students saying the sight words. Answer the following questions: Would this collection of the data provide the information Ms. Patton needs to make decisions on student learning and corrective instruction? Why or why not? What suggestions would you make to Ms. Patton?

I do not believe Ms. Pattons method of collecting data would work, because she is not assessing the understanding of sight words, but the fluency. Fluency is just the student saying the word, because a student can say the word does not mean they know the meaning of the words.
I would suggest for Ms. Patton to have the students to say the words in a sentence, as an assessment. She can judge their fluency, as well as whether they truly know the meaning of the word. She can also give the students definitions and have them tell her the word.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Cause and effect in context

Think about cause and effect with respect to the data you have in your classroom or school (such as EOG scores, grades, and so on) and the students you are about to teach. How do you make decisions about the instruction you are delivering? What questions does this data answer with regard to instruction? How do we combine elements of data? What do we learn from these combinations?

I make decisions of how to conduct instruction based off of EOG scores, formative and informative assessment and my standards. I look at what students need to learn from my Common Core objectives, I take an observation or formative assessment to gage where they are. I then try and create a lesson that fits students needs. When creating the lesson, I try to convey information based off of Benchmark and EOG data. For example, if I find my students have no knowledge of September 11th, 2001 and I also notice they are weak in research, I will have them research September 11 th. I could teach it, play a video or develop low level questions, but by giving them a project and having them research, they gain a better understanding of the material.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.

Journal for Introduction to Data Literacy

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Data-driven instruction
How do you already use data to drive instruction in your classroom or school? After viewing the videos, what new strategy or strategies have you learned that you plan to use in your classroom or school?

I use data to drive my instruction by meeting with the Language Arts teacher and determining what students weaknesses are. I try to incorporate that into my lesson. For example, currently my students are achieving low on informational text. I have added more reading and more informational text into all my assignments. I also ask students higher order questions. Unfortunately, there are no new concepts or strategies in the film. I have been introduced to them all in school. It is just a matter of implementing them continually.

This journal template is provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the private use of North Carolina educators and may not be redistributed by any means.