“Data Wise”—a book based on collaborative work between Boston Public Schools and Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty and students—lays out eight steps to help schools improve teaching by better analyzing student work and test results. The process could impact Chicago directly, as CPS is considering hiring “Data Wise” researchers as consultants. Here’s a look at the process:
PREPARE
Step 1: Organize for collaborative work
Train a small group of people who will lead the way on the collection, management and analysis of student data
Step 2: Build assessment literacy
Know what’s being tested and how to interpret the results
INQUIRE
Step 3: Create a data overview
Use small “data teams” to chart key student measures
Step 4: Dig into student data
Begin searching data for patterns that will highlight what students know and think
Step 5: Examine instruction
Reframe identified learning problems into new and better ways to teach
ACT
Step 6: Develop an action plan
Choose an instructional strategy that dovetails with earlier work
Step 7: Plan to assess progress
Determine how to assess the improvement plan as it unfolds
Step 8: Act and assess
Do it and repeat the process, starting at Step 3
For more information, read about the process in the Harvard Education Letter (January/February 2006).