August 2008 WHAT WORKS? Research into Practice

1 The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat is committed to providing teachers with current researchon instruction and learning. The opinions and conclusions contained in these monographs are,however, those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies, views, or directions ofthe Ontario Ministry of Education or The Literacy and Numeracy 2008 Research Monograph # 15 using data to Improve StudentAchievement By Dr. Christina van BarneveldFaculty of Education, Lakehead UniversityAs lifelong learners, teachers recognize that their professional Practice continuesto evolve as they reflect and act on new teachers have informa-tion that helps them confidently identify the root of educational challenges and track progress, they can more readily develop action plans that will have apositive impact on their students .

2 All teachers share a common goal: to see everystudent succeed. So, what are some effective ways to work with information toimprove student achievement ?In the context of education, data is a synonym for information. data can be words,numbers, or observations that are collected systematically, usually for a specificpurpose. Educational data include (but are not limited to): student achievement datasuch as teacher observational notes of students performance in class, samples of students class work, student portfolios, resultsof formal and informal classroom assessment, report cards or large-scaleassessment results other student datarelevant to the students such as student mobility, attendancedata, behavioural incident data and homework completion contextual datathat are not under the direct control of the teacher (such asstudents linguistic background, gender or community socio-economic factors)

3 But are important to consider when planning for improved student achievementLessons Learned from the Research LiteratureMost Research articles on the uses of data for improving student achievement arecase study reports of school practices. Relatively few studies contain evaluationsof these monograph focuses primarily on Research that evaluatesHow can teachers use data toimprove student achievementat the elementary level? Research Tells Us Planned use of data is a commoncharacteristic of high-performingschools. Successful use of data to drive decision making results from a strategic focus on specific issues.

4 Teachers vary in their conceptions of what valuable data are and of how data should be used. Translating data into priorities, goalsand strategies requires that data areclearly linked to school-planning anddecision-making processes. Teachers need a clear process, time to acquire skills and guidance from an expert to translate data into WORKS? Research into PracticeA Research -into- Practice series produced by a partnership between The Literacy andNumeracy Secretariat and the Ontario Association of Deans of EducationCHRISTINA VAN BARNEVELD isan associate professor in theFaculty of Education at LakeheadUniversity.

5 Her Research in educational measurement andevaluation includes quantitativeresearch methods, programevaluation, and measurementtheory related to assessmentand Literacy and Numeracy Secretariatschool data use, in order to highlight some effective practices in this fast-changingarea and to forge connections between Research and 1. Flying blind through large amounts of data doesn t need to develop an understanding of the process of data build their capacity to use data , teachers must not only access and analyzedata, but also use their skills of inquiry, such as formulating questions andinterpreting ,4 Successful use of data to drive decision making is notrandom, but results from a strategic focus on specific five steps to effective data use: 1.

6 Determine what you want to know2. collect or access data3. analyze results4. set priorities and goals 5. develop strategiesI would add to these a sixth step follow up in order to assess the success ofthe strategy. The suggestion of a follow up on strategies implies that the steps toeffective data use are part of a cyclical process. Lesson 2. Teachers must decide what data are useful to their vary in their conception of what data are valuable and how data shouldbe used. When researchers7asked teachers to define good data , their responsestended to fall into the following categories: data are psychometrically sound, such as reliable, valid predictors of futurestudent achievement , and are an accurate measure of change over time.

7 data are aligned with valued academic outcomes, like grade-level out-come standards. data provide insights into student thinking and reasoning in a particulardiscipline. data are authentic and based on teachers perspectives on the appropriate use of data also fell into four categories: to inform classroom instruction to inform student placement decisions to inform program and policy decisions to meet accountability should be noted that tensions might arise when individuals or groups adoptdiffering perspectives on the valid use of data . For example, teachers reportedthat large-scale assessment data were neither current enough nor aligned adequately with daily instruction to be particularly useful to inform classroompractice.

8 In another report, however, teachers stated that the informationgained by systematic reviews of students performance results on large-scaletests were variation in teacher conceptions about data may beexplained, in part, by the variation between educational contexts. Both theselection and use of relevant data , therefore, must be considered in relation to the educational 3. Teachers need guidance to translate data into useful teachers do not have formal training in how to draw meaning from data . A short course on Research and analysis skills, while helpful, is not sufficient;teachers require a clear process, time to acquire skills and guidance from an2 What Works?

9 Research into PracticeChanges in Teacher Practiceand School CultureAs a result of using data to drive educational decision making, teachers report: greater differentiation of instruction greater collaboration among staff increased sense of teacher efficacy improved identification of students learning needs Administrators and principals report thatworking with data -support personnelleads to more widespread feelings thatinstructional Practice should be: open observed discussed not something that happens behindclosed doors3 August 2008 Systematic Processes forGathering Information Gathering information for formativepurposes helps you to improve yourteaching and guide your students learning.

10 Gathering information for summativepurposes helps you to judge the qualityof students achievement after theinstructional process is over data into priorities, goals and strategies requiresthat data are clearly linked to school-planning and decision-making processes,such that specific questions are answered, school goals are supported and problems are 4. There are benefits and barriers to the successful use of data to improvestudent Planned use of data is a common characteristic among schools thatare high performing or beating the odds in terms of student use of data to drive educational decision making results in changes inteacher Practice and school culture.