Activity 26

1. What data be gathered in the classroom and school level?

a. Formative Data- Short quizzes, question and answer drills and a simple show of
hands generates a certain kind of data. It may show where the class’ understanding is
in that moment so the teacher can decide in which direction to take the class.

b. Observational Data- Teachers learn to watch their students. Observe behaviors while
interacting with the student, when they are working on assignments by themselves or
on a group assignment. Each situation results in unique information about each
student.

Depending on what is going on in the classroom, observational data can be

difficult to collect with any consistency. It may be beneficial to have another person
spend time observing the students as a class progresses. A teaching assistant who has
been trained in observational techniques can watch the class and record what they see.
This can be especially useful for a teacher who is very busy during an instruction or in
a class that loves to participate.

c. Standardized Tests, Key Milestone Exams and Project Work- Summative data is
collected from the examinations given at the end of unit or the end of year. Large
projects that take several weeks also become a source of information. This data is
often looked at as a reflection of the group’s learning.

This data is sometimes considered more an indicator of the effectiveness of the

teaching of the material or the class’ ability to comprehend that level of information.

d. Student Files- While not exactly data collected in the classroom, student records
provide useful information. Taking the time to review student files and counseling
records, the teacher will have some reference points from which to compare the data
from within the class.

e. Student Reported Data- Students can be engaged in various ways to produce a lot of
helpful information. By creating fun projects for students to report their own progress,
teachers can gain more insight into how the student perceives their own
accomplishments and ability.

If teaching the Common Core curriculum, create bar charts that students can
color in to indicate their own level of understanding of the material. Create a chart to
post on the wall that students will sign when they feel they have mastered a particular
problem.
 Similarly, create a place where students can make comments on the material
and topic presented. For K-6, this could be the sheet of paper on the wall or a binder
placed in the classroom. For 7-12, this could be an online blog or comment section on
a classroom website.

Help students create their own learning goals and track them. Students will
also learn about goal setting as they decide their individual targets.

2. How do these data provide the necessary information for evaluating a

curriculum?

a. The first step for a team of teachers to use data to plan instruction is to collect
common data. This can be a short quiz — three items are sufficient — or a common
assignment that reflects important learning all students must master. Bigger
assessments such as end-of-unit tests and district-wide quarterly benchmark tests
should also be examined by teacher teams, but again, this is autopsy work, not the
regular weekly work of planning upcoming instruction as a team.

Not every assignment must be common to all teachers on the team. However,
the majority of the work students are doing should be common to all classes to ensure
equity of access to the most rigorous curriculum and instruction, capitalizing on the
collective wisdom and expertise of the whole team. This will also enable the team to
identify students who missed the boat on the most recent instruction, and
collaboratively plan interventions for the re-teaching loop, since the typical pacing of
the curriculum demands that the instruction keeps moving. With the increased rigor of
the common core, this will be more important than ever.

b. For teachers in areas such as performing arts, debate, or physical education, a

student’s in-the-moment performance is the data for the teacher to provide instruction
via coaching — giving immediate corrective feedback and reinforcement. In order for
this data to be used in a team planning protocol, video or audio recordings can be
fairly easily made, given the prevalence of user-friendly technology.

If we take a page from the book of an athletic coach, music teacher, or theater
or debate coach, on-the-fly assessment is not a big stretch for a classroom teacher.
The optimal time for an English teacher — or any teacher — to give students
feedback on a specific aspect of their writing is while they are writing, not after their
paper has been graded. The best moment for a math teacher to correct students’ work
is while they are working, not when papers are corrected in class.

This is not to say that homework and practice are not important or should not
be given, but as any coach knows, the most critical time for learning a new skill is
when the student immediately begins to attempt to perform it. Too often, students
practice at home or at their seats incorrectly while the teacher sits at his or her desk.
Then the learning process is unnecessarily complicated by a need to go back and
unlearn.
3. Do you consider accreditation as a form of curriculum evaluation? Why?

Yes because accreditation is a process of validation in which colleges,

universities and other institutions of higher learning are evaluated. The accreditation
process requires institutions of higher education to evaluate critically their vision,
strategies, priorities, leadership, and programs and resources. In which the goal of
accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education
meets acceptable levels of quality.