Using Data to Improve Learning

Holliston teachers from across the district are participating in a data course taught by STEM Specialist Pat Rourke.  This fifteen session course, “Using Data to Improve Learning”, provides the tools that educators need to function as effective improvement teams. Participants have learned to collaboratively analyze classroom data and use it to plan and monitor instruction which leads to targeted student improvement.

Participants explore the skills necessary to lead or participate in Data Teams, learn the roles and protocols in a Data Team process, research district data resources, prepare materials for an actual Data Team, identify student problems, verify the cause of problems and develop progress monitoring plans to execute in a collaborative learning community.   Google Drive is used to collaborate on projects and share the work that they have done including their spreadsheet analysis.

At the Primary Level a second grade teacher is using Accelerated Reader to help motivate her students to read more.  She is collecting data and uses the analysis to encourage students, communicate the progress with parents, and celebrate the progress each student is making.

At the Intermediate Level a special education teacher is monitoring students' use of content vocabulary in math in both verbal and written activities.  She rewards them for the correct use of mathematical vocabulary while encouraging students to use more of their language skills

At the High School Level a French teacher analyzed the language ability of her class at the beginning of the course and compared it with the advanced work at the end.  Her data collection led to identifying relationships between verb awareness and usage.  That data was used to adjust her curriculum and increase work on verbs at the beginning of her course.