Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning
ISTE Coaching Standards (2014)
Resonant Idea: Using data to improve instructional practice
In my past life in product management, I relied on data to assess market conditions, user needs, product features, positioning, timing, communication and pricing. In other words – pretty much every aspect of my job was influenced by data. Teaching, I know, is not business, but it still benefits greatly from data. How else can you truly know where students are struggling or whether a new instructional tool or technique increases understanding? Standardized testing provides data but usually after the fact. For data to be useful, it has to be timely and affect practice.
Saving Time
Designing, administering, and analyzing research results takes time that many educators don’t feel they have. Technology coaches can help by introducing teachers to tools that provide big returns relative to the time they take to learn and use. In my post Try it You’ll Like It: Formative Assessment in Professional Development, I show how a tool like Google Forms can quickly give teachers a snapshot of understanding and the ability to drill down on topics that are giving students difficulty. In this post I also give examples of tech tools that offer readymade standards-aligned quizzes as well as polling apps that can be used for quick-checks.
Using Data to Drive Student-focused Professional Development
In my post A Data-driven Approach to Professional Development, I look at the importance of teachers using student data to drive professional development that addresses specific student needs or areas of growth. In this same post I show how data can be a powerful unifier across a grade team, school, or district for changing instructional practices.
