Welcome to #UTEDchat! We're discussing data-informed vs data-driven approaches. Question 1 in 5 min. While we wait, please introduce yourself and share some Halloween spooky spirit: What’s the movie that scared you the most?
I’m Brooke, a specialist for Jordan District, and I’ve got a passion for data. My scariest movie will always be Arachnophobia- After watching it at a neighbor's house I walked home in the dark & straight into a giant cobweb in the trees! #UTedchat
Question one is coming in one minute! We will use the Q1, Q2, Q3, format. Please begin your tweets with the corresponding A1, A2, A3, so that we can more easily follow the conversation. Don't forget to add the #UTedChat hashtag to each tweet so that all of us can see it.
A1: I would say data-informed. Data-driven approaches are efficient, especially at a large scale, but usually are defined by simplistic metrics, i.e. a bottom line. In education, I think our outcomes are too complex for that; we need to know the story too. #UTedchat
A1 I would say I’m more data-informed vs. data-driven. I want to know what the data says and try to use that knowledge to influence my instructional decisions. #UTedChat
I’m with you Pam! I’ve never really been into scary or horror. I recently watched A Quiet Place though. Intense! Did you know that the actress who plays the daughter is really deaf and is a graduate of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind? #utedchat
I would say the difference is in the decision point. In a data-driven culture, data makes the decision and there's automatic action. In a data informed culture, a person weighs data before making a decision and taking action. What about you, Pam? #utedchat
A1 Data-informed. I use data to inform my instruction and practice. At the end of the day though, I teach teenagers. And, I want them to be well-rounded, thoughtful people. Occasionally, we step away from data to teach kids other needed skills. #utedchat
I agree that data can help make large scale decisions, but I think we sometimes make decisions with complicated ramifications based solely on numbers. We need to weigh how decisions affect kids. #UTedChat
Is there any situation where you see a data point (a score, an absence, etc) and it prompts a response. Is the response automatic or weighed with other data? #utedchat
I can see why we need certain metrics so we have a common framework. The problem lies in the fact that there is rarely a situation in education that requires an automatic response. #UTedChat
Definitely. There is not point in quantifying or measuring everything- especially in situations where people don't have processes for making use of data. #utedchat
14+ hours days at school are NOT my favorite. Finally got home after 8:30 and made a sandwich because carrots and cookies are not a balanced meal. #utedchat, here I come! #teacherlife
A2: Daybreak Elem has a great example practice: they engage in data dives in their off-season. Team leads come together and work through student data, understanding outcomes, trends and stories, prepping for team discussions. Specialists like me serve and assist. #UTedchat
Example of data-driven: The Dodgers left 4 guys on the bench with 25+ homers because the data says it is the right play. They’ve only scored 2 runs tonight. Data matters, but you need to consider all the factors, including the fact you’re in the World Series! #utedchat
I see automated response being most useful in early-warning scenarios. Like, how quickly can we see a student or school that is struggling so someone can follow up? #utedchat
A2: It starts with knowing what information we want. Too often we are data rich and information poor. Go to data with specific questions and let the questions drive your dive for the information you need. #utedchat
Lindsey Johnson from Morgan School District. A1: I like to think I am data informed at the beginning of each school year with baseline data. From there I become data driven as the data drives my intervention instruction. #UTedChat
A2: I would like to see a culture where data is friend, not foe. Used collaboratively to improve outcomes, and not seen as evaluation of teacher performance. #UTEDchat
If I know a student is on vacation, then I don't have to make a parent contact when they've missed a week of class. Otherwise I try to reach out and find out what's going on. #utedchat
A2 I’ve seen a lot of good practices related to intervention for students that is based on data. Having these measures can help us ensure that kids don’t fall through the cracks. #UTedChat
Side note please reach out to your local board members and help them better understand the importance of data in your class and how you use it.
#UTEDchat
A2: The expection that we will use data w/o structures to access & analyze data is a recipe for failure & frustration. Tools without training is the same, & has been my experience, unfortunately. Support from in house teacher data guru friends has been most helpful. #utedchat
A2: Data is a four letter word. I am encouraging the use of education efficiencies! Data suggests data mining, educational efficiencies infers individualized teaching! #UTedChat
Good point Kathleen. We need to help our leaders understand how we use data to make classroom decisions. We need to bring the data to life by illustrating it in the stories of our students. #UTedChat
A3: One metric that drives education is grad rate. I've seen the positive impact on students as schools understand the power of early intervention for those at risk of not graduating. It's a culture of "every graduate counts." #UTedchat
Special shout-out to our specialist Hilda Lloyd with the Homeless Ed program at @jordandistrict. Yearly grad rate for homeless Ss is around 90%. Her secret sauce? She builds long-term relationships with families, then uses data to keep informed about student success. #UTedchat
A3: Educational efficiencies! I advocate for teachers building relationships and individualizing instruction. Let computers and programs sort through the majority. #utedchat
A3: Too often, data 'driven' means we must drive the train down the academic track at any cost. We must not forget the human element. This is why I prefer to be informed by data. I am not a robot. Neither are students.
Teaching is a both ART and science. #utedchat
A2: PLCs are a great place to look at your data. When you can collectively look at grade level data you get multiple perspectives on whats working- and what needs a new approach. #UTedChat
Exactly! And it's so powerful if there are common formative assessments in the mix, so you have multiple points of collaboration and comparison. #utedchat
A3 I love watching teachers use data in their PLCs and grade level meetings. It demonstrates the commitment we have to our students and their improvement. Attending these meetings illustrates that educators use both the science and art of teaching! #UTedChat
I might disagree there. Processes are the wellsprings of improvement, I believe. "It is wrong to suppose that if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it – a costly myth." W Edwards Deming #utedchat
A1: I would like to say I'm data informed...I mean, I use a lot of it every day. I wish I was better at it though&better at communicating that data to stakeholders. Sometimes students/parents don't understand what I'm doing and I don't know how to share w/o overwhelming #utedchat
Basically none. It's one more requirement in the heap that gets bigger as the days go by. My teachers just about blew up today with the news that PBG is officially (probably) coming soon to a school near you... I can't manage it all. #UTEdchat
And it's kind of crazy that teachers need to be their own Comms and PR. Someday I think we might have advanced info sys to take a lot of that burden.... #utedchat
A2: A big part of building a robust, EFFECTIVE data-iinformed culture is well-run PLC groups. Getting together with colleagues analyzing data and really looking at what the numbers mean is potentially powerful. The key, is that it has to be done well. #utedchat
I have to disagree. Maybe you can't measure the improvement, but not everything that matters is easily quantifiable. I refuse to be reduced to a set of easily measured numbers. Nor should my students be so reduced. We're human. Data has a place, but it's not everything. #UTEdchat
A4: Oquirrh Hills MS was driven partly by disappointing growth scores to try a bold new focus: individual growth goals. Students set goals early in the year and are regularly assessed on their progress. It's driven not just growth, but focus. #UTedchat
Q3: We are overlooking essential piece of the culture if we are not including students. Students who understand where they are, where they are headed & what it will look like when they get there are informed. Empower them to take ownership of their learning via data. #utedchat
A4: Well, despite the griping associated with our new 'Student Intervention Form,' I have to admit it has forced some of us to do a better job of remediating problems earlier in the term. It will be interesting to see how our passing rate data for the quarter compares. #UTEdchat
A4 In Granite School District the biggest change in data use is moving to a performance based grading system. Kids need to show what they have learned with performance not just attendance. #UTedChat
A4: Two English teachers that I work with use data very powerfully as they share it with their students and then let them choose what direction and instruction they need next to improve the standard they choose to work on. #utedchat
And there are major challenges associated with the PBG grading system itself, being rather opaque in that there are no scores associated with any learning until there have been 3 assessments. It's not user friendly for the teachers, admin, students, or their parents. #UTEdchat
A4: Data is driving powerful change as teachers are making in clear by using standards based grading. No longer are students looking for something to do to improve a grade, they are looking for something to learn to improve a grade. #UTEDchat
A good friend of mine is a total data geek (love her!) and she shares the data with her students to show them where they are, where they need to be, and how they can get there. She gets fabulous growth because everything she does is so intentional. #UTEdchat
I agree that there are challenges with the implementation. I think this is an example of being data-driven. Still, I like the idea of kids being evaluated on their performance. #utedchat
A4: Data is driving powerful change as teachers are making in clear by using standards based grading. No longer are students looking for something to do to improve a grade, they are looking for something to learn to improve a grade. #UTEDchat
A5: Teacher teams at South Jordan Middle have been using common formative assessments to focus their instruction and track student progress. Their PLC conversations can now go deeper into the WHY because they have agreed on the WHAT. #UTedchat
A4: Had a discussion with a teacher today about how to get students to take more responsibility for their learning. Data informed reflection and discussion could help. #UTEDchat
I'm not there yet, but I'm shifting my instruction and assessment (and grading) that direction. It's hard building from scratch on the fly. I loathe the analogy of building the airplane while flying because it's a sure recipe for disaster, but that's what it feels like. #UTEdchat
I've always said the devil is in the details. I don't oppose the premise of PBG, but the application looks pretty different between math/science & humanities. We can't kill our teachers just because it's a 'good idea' to shove square pegs in round holes. I'm nervous. #UTEdchat
A5: I love @CanvasLMS for this very reason! When it is used effectively it provides a lot of good actionable data that can be used to guide the classroom. #utedchat
Urgency bias that often rears its ugly head in policy decisions. We do too much too quickly not realizing how much time we can actually take. #utedchat
A5: I love that I have instant access to student reading levels from the start of the school year once I got my friend to show my how to filter in the not-user-friendly system that was poorly (cough, being generous) trained. That's helpful in my student groupings. #UTEdchat
Corporate America acts on data quickly and efficiently to target advertising. We need to use data quickly to target educational experiences by the student by the standard. In the words of Cody Spendlove: we need to get back to the one room school house. #utedchat
Couldn’t agree more Kiera - tools like Canvas can provide teachers with data that can help determine their pedagogical decisions in real time. #UTedChat
A5: I think we spend too much time talking about what we will do (lesson planning etc.) and not nearly enough time talking about whether what we are doing is having the desired impact on student learning. Less focus on teaching and more focus on learning. #utedchat#ChaseImpact
And I've seen plenty of instances where we rush headlong into policy decisions and then fail to provide support for implementation. Who always gets left holding the bag? Teachers, of course. I've seen high district officials trash talk teachers for district failures. #UTEdchat
Parents are confused - they keep asking why we’ve done away with homework. I think it’s moving in the right direction but a big change for everyone #utedchat
Q6: What problems have you seen resulting from unhealthy data cultures (e.g. data-misinformed, data-uninformed, or data-driven-over-the-edge)? #UTedChat
Great comment Marci! We need to spend less time planning our lessons based on how long actives take and more time on what students will learn! #utedchat
A6: I've seen schools get so invested in their own stories, they disregard data & run on rumor. Recently heard from a team: "No one learns much in 8th grade; it's just a slump." The team had internalized this view, despite data to the contrary. #UTedChat
Oh, I've been told all the work is done by district leaders who should have known otherwise - I was still doing the work! Once a month, in the evening, all year long, for a paycheck that didn't come until the next school year. And that's just for the new core. #UTEdchat
The new system doesn't necessarily do away with HW (that's grade and course appropriate - another question) but it does remove HW as part of the grade. Grades should be based on learning, not work completion, but one tends to precede the other. #UTEdchat
A6: A major issue is teacher burnout. When data is overemphasized (ignoring the human element) or when it is prioritized over everything else, it can drive teachers to leave because, honestly, most teachers didn't go into the profession to analyze data. #utedchat
A6: Data comparison used the wrong way that leads teacher to feel in competition with one another instead of members on the same team working to improve student learning. #utedchat
Q5: Aside from personal professional development, many teachers use each other as a resource. “Data geeks” and strong leaders at our school help teachers refine how they analyze classroom data. #UTedChat
I think this illustrates Brooke’s comment about urgency. We can’t be in such a hurry to roll out programs. When implemented in a structured manner, the data can help us make a difference. #utedchat
A6: Without the 3 Ts, I see plenty of frustration. Teachers need time, tools and training if they are going to be confident and effective in using data to inform their instructional decisions. See data as our friend: celebrate what is working and improve what is not. #utedchat
Q6: What problems have you seen resulting from unhealthy data cultures (e.g. data-misinformed, data-uninformed, or data-driven-over-the-edge)? #UTedChat
And yet, they also have armies of marketers trained to do just that sort of analysis and targeting. Teachers are expected to be masters of all trades all at once. This requires a lot of support that simply isn't in place. We shouldn't put the cart before the horse. #UTEdchat
A6: continued...as teachers we go into teaching because we love learning and we love kids. When data is used effectively, it can facilitate both goals beautifully. It can make learning more effective and personalized and it can help kids become their best selves. #utedchat
One thing I emphasize in data dives: we do not talk about "teacher scores"- there are no such thing. We aggregate to the team level only. It makes the experience safer and is the better focus. #utedchat
So important to build a culture of “our” students not “my” students. What is data telling us about our students? What are we going to do about it? #utedchat
A6: LOVE your kids, love your job and enjoy life! Your family and your students will excel. We are best when we take care of ourselves. As the flight attendant says, "If you are traveling with a child, please attend to yourself first, then the child." #utedchat
A6: I've seen lots of teachers frustrated at admin emphasis on passing rate data when they had to explain why non-attending students weren't passing. We shifted gears this year. It's more paperwork, so more griping, but it might make a difference. We shall see. #UTEdchat
Q6: What problems have you seen resulting from unhealthy data cultures (e.g. data-misinformed, data-uninformed, or data-driven-over-the-edge)? #UTedChat
A6: Taking data at face value without consideration of context. Taking data out of its context leads to ineffectual teaching because you don’t consider WHY scores etc are the way they are which means you aren’t changing ineffective instruction #utedchat
Q6: What problems have you seen resulting from unhealthy data cultures (e.g. data-misinformed, data-uninformed, or data-driven-over-the-edge)? #UTedChat
A7: When teachers are empowered to own and explain their own data; there can be collaboration between each level of the system. It's important that we keep building a common vocabulary: what is a graduate? a pathway completer? a proficient student? #UTedChat
And yet, love, as powerful as it is, is not easily measurable or quantifiable. Sometimes with data we get enamored by things easily measured which are not most important. Data has a place & is valuable, but I AM NOT A ROBOT. I refuse to be reduced to a set of numbers. #UTEdchat
One of my mantras is "observable data" with behavior, with curriculum, with anything. Keep the focus on what you can observe and control, not what is outside of our limits. Then, it empowers teachers, not so frustrating. #utedchat
A7: We can promote data-informed decision making by clearly identifying what our goals are, what data supports those goals, and providing systems and training that makes the data meaningful and useful. With time to do the work. Missing ingredients destroys the outcome. #UTEdchat
Loved the conversation. Great job @anderbrooke I learned so much from reading all your comments! This is such an important topic in education and I know there’s a lot more for me to understand. #utedchat
Thank you for joining us for #UTedChat! For more information on why data is important or how to be data-informed as an educator, check out the resources from @EdDataCampaignhttps://t.co/hWox410RMx
