Discussion Topic:

Let's begin to discuss the practical application of you determining how you will use data when teaching the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards  (CCSS) in the near future. What type of data do you think will be practical to consider, what would you have early access to, will it allow you to plan to differentiate early?

 

Response:

         
          In the near future, I will be in front of a classroom teaching students about science and these students will be assessed in various forms on their performance. The results from these assessments (state testing, in class tests, regents, etc)  is the "data" that will be considered by most.  The questions for me is what is the best type of assessment for all students?

          Personally, I do not think assessments are a one size fits all or even most. In education we are taught that there are different types of learners in the world. Also, within these groups there are learners who have special needs or other conditions that make them either learn slower or faster. Furthermore, not everyone has the same type of family life, social standing, income, gender,  and the list is ongoing such that there are so many factors to considers. How is it then that we can group everyone together, give them a test, and expect everyone to do well?

          You question what type of data will be practical to consider? When I sit here and think about it, I am unsure. However, I do think that analyzing the test results ( test that teachers make for their students in class) of the students does play a significant role in understand if they grasped the material being covered, but only to a certain level. As a teacher, I will consider the test results of my students. If the scores are bad, I will try to figure out a way to better the results for next time. On the other hand, if most students do well does that mean that they understand the material or is it that I, as a teacher, did not challenge them enough?

          How can we trust the data we are considering? Who really knows what a "good" test is to reveal the truth about all students performance? I do not think that standardized test are an appropriate way to measure students. One reason is the amount of stress that is put on students to perform well. When considering people as a population, some can handle stress well and some cannot. The way a person handles stress will eventually play some type of role in their performance on this type of test. Another reason standardized tests are poor is that the data that results takes a long time to compile. Whereas, tests that students get from their teachers in class are immediate and also the stress level for these test is lower. In this situation, the results can be used, in some sense, to determine what lessons worked better for a majority of students by looking at what topics most students performed well on. Also, from this point you might be able to see how you could differentiate and or change lessons to reach even more of the student population.

          If the future of instruction is going to be based on that data we compile from tests our students take, then the tests and assessments we give students need to be ones that can be differentiated among the different learners in the classroom. 

Blog Information

Data Driven Instruction

This blog is for a course at Adelphi University with Aj Hepworth.The book this course will be reading is Driven by Data : A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo.