Teachers have a keen ability to detect when a student is off. They may be some of the first people to notice subtle behavior or academic shifts. The problem is with increasing classroom sizes and longer work hours, their attention is understandably divided.
Many modern instructors increasingly rely on data analytics tools to help them more quickly identify potential problems and opportunities for curriculum improvement or more personalized learning. It is this informed decision making that drives higher educational outcomes.
Data-driven Instruction Defined
Put simply, “Analytics is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data in order to gain insights and make more informed decisions. In the education industry, analytics can be used to identify areas of improvement and implement strategies to drive student success,” explains Software Advice.
What does this mean practically? With the right data tools, an instructor might:
Types of Effective Educational Data Tools
One can generalize academic data analytics tools into two categories: those that use formative assessments and those that rely on demographic data analysis.
Learning data from the former provides opportunities for continuous, ongoing improvement. These formative assessments are almost exclusively used to guide instructional decisions like curriculum updates. “Format assessment is purposeful and directly tied to the intended learning outcomes and standards,” shares Education Advanced. “ If the teacher planned the activity to learn how students are progressing and guide future teaching decisions, it is a formative assessment”.
The other type of data schools look at closely are the demographics of their learners. To support and contextualize student achievement, educators may look for patterns correlated with negative learning outcomes so they can better address possible inequities among groups that vary by:
Five Steps to a Successful Data Analytics Practice
Curriculum improvements, better teacher efficacy, and elevated learning outcomes have all been attributed to data-driven instruction.
But simply implementing these tools isn’t enough to maximize their full potential – muchless that of your learners.
To really support student achievement, educational leaders must:
Ensuring Alignment
There is no shortage of data and analytics tools designed for education. Selecting the option that’s right for your institution will come down to the technical capabilities of your staff, the needs of your students, and the goals of your school.
Done thoughtfully, leaders can ensure educators have what they need to create an attuned, equitable learning environment for everyone.