SMART TEACHING
www.SmartTeaching.org

23. Using Data in the Classroom

©2005 Ron Fitzgerald, D. Ed.

Why?  Why bother using data in the classroom?  The answer is simple.  None of us would want a physician to prescribe treatment for a serious medical problem we were experiencing without gathering data or information on the problem first.  The physician can only manage the conditions for recovery efficiently if he or she has the necessary data on our specific problem.  In the classroom, the teacher can only manage the conditions for optimal learning efficiently if he or she has the necessary data on students’ specific learning needs.  While medical research and laws governing medical practice have a purpose, the ultimate success or failure of medical treatment rests primarily with what happens at the location of the individual physician and his or her patient.  While cognitive research and laws like No Child Left Behind have a purpose, the ultimate success or failure of formal learning rests primarily with what happens in the individual classroom.  It is in the classroom that learning data is used effectively or not.  It is in the classroom, not on a state test, that learning will be facilitated or hindered.  No teacher should ever try to manage learning without data on his or her students.

What?  Here are basic questions on which a teacher should collect and analyze data:

  1. What is the current status of each student on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be covered in a course or class or unit?  (PRE-ASSESSMENT)
  2. What are the learning style and talent strengths and weaknesses of the student and what are his/her special interests?  (PRE-ASSESSMENT)
  3. Does the student need more or special assistance during or after a specific learning segment?  (FORMATIVE or NOT-FOR-GRADE ASSESSMENT)
  4. What final learning can be celebrated and documented for the student?  (SUMMATIVE or FOR-GRADE-AND-RECORD ASSESSMENT)
  5. Based on analysis of learning results and discussion with students, what changes can be made to improve the effectiveness of future teaching?

The answers or data associated with these questions are the information needed to manage continuous improvement in learning.  Without such data, horrendous and inexcusable events can occur:  wasting time by teaching a student what he already knows, expecting a student to learn a skill that she is not yet ready to learn, missing the fact that a particular student often needs a visual learning option to learn best, moving to a new unit without realizing that a student has not really mastered a critical skill taught in the last unit, failing to document specific learning progress in a way that will be helpful to the student’s next teacher, failing to identify a weakness in instructional technique that should be corrected for the sake of future students.  Simple data analysis tools can help teachers avoid the tragedy of not having the answers to basic questions on management of learning.

Basic tools.  There are seven basic tools that solve the overwhelming majority of data analysis tasks for any school or instructional program.  These are:

  1. Spreadsheet databases that allow rapid calculation of means, modes, and standard deviations in student marks or achievement records.
  2. Column charts that allow visual comparison of statistical data on different groups or categories.  For example, the groups can be those that the No Child Left Behind law requires be disaggregated or examined separately.  Categories can be achievement or grade ranges exhibited in a histogram, a special form of column chart.
  3. Pareto charts used to identify priorities derived from surveys or observations.
  4. Run charts or line charts used to display trends of individual or group achievement over a period of time.
  5. Scatter charts used to display possible relationships or correlations between two factors such as homework completed and final test scores.
  6. Rubrics that not only clarify task or quality standards for students but can be used to analyze areas of weakness or strength in individual or group performance.
  7. Cause and effect diagrams that postulate factors that might contribute to a learning problem or solution.  For example, a set of actions could be planned to raise the reading achievement of selected students.  Then other analysis tools listed above could be used carefully to determine whether the plan has a significant positive impact or not over a period of time.

This is not a long list.  The tools are not difficult for teachers to learn or even for teachers to teach students to use.  This ease of learning is especially true when supported by common and readily available computer software programs.

Sample computer software.  In one full day of training or in several shorter after school sessions, a group of teachers can complete hands-on computer training that prepares them to use the basic analysis tools.  This training works best if the teachers have had previous training in the principles of quality management.  In any event, here are three software items that this author uses for such training:

  1. Microsoft Excel is a solid choice for teachers because so many of them already use it or similar software and it works with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems.  It also contains a useful statistical analysis package that can be activated.
  2. QI Macros is a sub-program that simplifies the use of Microsoft Excel for producing the chart previously listed.  Again, this macros program works with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems.  As an example of its efficiency, this macros program can make a Pareto chart in approximately five basic steps compared with twelve steps or so when using Excel without the QI Macros sub-program.  QI Macros is available from LifeStar at this web site <http://www.qimacros.com>.  The sub-program makes use of Excel much easier for statistical work.
  3. Graph Master is a simple program from Tom Snyder Productions (A Scholastic Company) available at <http://www.tomsnyder.com>.  It can be used by students in grade 4 and above.  While many high school students can use Excel, Graph Master is an inexpensive program that makes graphing and analysis very easy for both younger and older students as you teach them to become managers of their own learning.  Tom Snyder Productions also has another program called Graph Club that students can use in grades K-4.  Both programs work on Windows and Macintosh operating systems.  These software programs are superior products for building a strong teacher/student partnership in managing learning with data on the front line of education - - the classroom.

Results.  Here are just a few examples of typical results from using data analysis in classrooms.  First consider this partial example of an Excel database displaying results of weekly formative quiz scores.  The teacher has inserted formulas in the spreadsheet that calculate the average, median, mode, and standard deviation each week.  The teacher has also recorded data on number of absences, homework completion, and periodic summative test scores.  Can you imagine what can be done with this data?

Let us look at some uses of the database:

  1. Just by looking at the recorded scores and calculated measures of central tendency (average, median, mode) and the changing range or spread of scores (standard deviation), the teacher can immediately determine whether continuous improvement is taking place.  Any reduction in standard deviation can be especially significant if it shows a positive trend of more higher scores and fewer lower scores, assuming some standardization in the weekly quiz format.
  2. Using the charting capabilities of Excel, QI Macros, and Graph Master, the teacher and students can quickly build visual displays like this one - -


Sample Chart Display

This type of chart can be very useful in guiding and encouraging students and in evaluating the impact of changes in instructional techniques.

  1. The additional records in the database can be used to answer other important questions like these - -
  • Are test scores strongly related to (correlated with) attendance, to homework completion, to weekly quiz scores?  Scatter charts can be constructed to measure and discuss these relationships.
  • Based on correlations or relationships, what priorities seem most important for improving achievement?  Use a Pareto chart here.
  • Can discussion of priorities, perhaps supplemented by weekly use of rubrics to assess performance, lead to construction of a plan - - a cause and effect diagram - - for pursuit of higher performance levels?

When students become active partners in such analysis and planning, they are taking an active role in improving their learning.  The usual overall results are a continuous increase in student achievement and much better preparation for the pursuit of quality performance in future careers.

Smart time management.  Here is a final consideration - - reducing the time demands of using data in the classroom.  This is a concern because we cannot just add more tasks to the busy workday for K-12 teachers.  However there are four simple ways to lower the time demands of using data effectively in the classroom.  They are:

  1. Use electronic spreadsheets for recording grades and analyzing data.  Commercial electronic gradebook programs are available, or a district can simply use the type of more general software already described in this article.  Planning “smart” use of spreadsheet software saves management time!
  2. Use rubrics to promote self-guidance and self-correction by students.  This can often save time for the teacher.  More important, it promotes self-management by students.
  3. Have students produce and analyze charts of progress.  A student can chart his or her own performance on both formative and summative quizzes, tests, and/or rubric scores.  Charts can be hand-recorded on graphing paper or constructed with software like that already discussed.  This teaches analysis skills that are part of national mathematics standards.  It helps students think about and often take pride in their progress.  Of course, it concurrently reduces work that otherwise might have to be done by the teacher who wants to use data effectively in the classroom.
  4. Use data reported by students in group guidance for improved learning.  For example, when students record their performance on a rubric for writing paragraphs, the teacher might ask a question like this - - “How many did not meet criterion #2 on supporting sentences; raise your hand?”  If a significant number of students show that they need help on this criterion, a classwide relearning project can be planned (perhaps using a cause and effect diagram to plan).  If only a small number of students report a problem on the criterion, some individual tutoring by other students or the teacher can be arranged for that small number. The point is that group data reporting facilitates a time-saving guidance process.

Any in-service program for teachers should include emphasis on these time-saving approaches.  This will make using data in the classroom much more feasible for busy teachers.