Tools for Data Analysis

     Students and their achievement are at the center of everything teachers do. Assessment data is extremely valuable in being effective educators. Teachers can use both formal and informal assessment data in order to examine student performance. Using web 2.0 tools such as Google Sheets or Zoho, teachers can organize and analyze student data in order to individualize learning and develop new learning targets for their students. By sorting the data, teachers can make decisions about instructional groupings and teaching methods based upon common student performance.

     In this sample class of twelve students, the teacher wanted to analyze the results of a multiple-choice test to organize the students into small groups. The first step was to input the data into the table. Since we are shifting to Google Schools, and I am a Google Certified Educator, I opted to use Google Sheets. Google Sheets also has add-ons, such as Super Quiz and Flubaroo, that expand its capabilities.
     Once the data was entered into the spreadsheet, I color-coded it using conditional formatting to designate correct vs. incorrect answers. With this information, I was able to identify how many students met the tested standard for each question. This allowed the teacher, not only to see which students needed certain skills and concepts revisited, and which students were struggling to master the concepts overall, but also to reflect upon their teaching practices and inform future instruction, especially when a large percentage of the students failed to master a particular standard. Furthermore, beyond this single test, the teacher now has a foundation for including other measures of student performance and recording more data to analyze student growth.
     In looking at the sample class data, there were about three questions in which more than half the class did not meet the standard. These concepts should be retaught in a whole class setting with purposeful scaffolding of the skills and concepts. During some class activities surrounding these standards, noting which students demonstrated a solid grasp of the standard and which students struggled could help with pairing students together to provide additional in-class support.
     I decided to also sort the student data by overall percentage correct to help identify which students need the most intensive support. This bottom tier has the most gaps to fill; there are potentially foundational gaps that impede the students' ability to master the current grade level standards. Therefore, the teacher should administer other assessments for these students to pinpoint the areas of greatest need. At the same time, stronger students can be enriched; they can delve deeper into the standards they understand through projects involving higher-order thinking skills.
     Using Google Sheets, this data can be shared with colleagues and administrators to observe trends and collaborate to make decisions about possible next steps for instruction. Teachers can use classroom performance and assessments as indicators of student growth, as well as include standardized assessment data. For example, my school uses NWEA Measures of Academic Progress test three times a year to track student progress. I use Google Docs to analyze my students' performance in the various strands as well as document their progress toward their spring score goal. I create instructional skill groups based on the data and ensure that my students are getting the interventions that they need.
     Overall, data is not something that teachers should shy away from. Rather, it is something that should be considered and analyzed daily, and shared in a collaborative environment, in order to improve teaching practices and become more effective practitioners.


Open Data Assessment Sheet in Google Sheets

References:

Logan, L. (2015). 5 Ways to Use Data to Improve Your Teaching. Retrieved from http://www.amplify.com/viewpoints/5-ways-to-use-data-to-improve-your-teaching

Img Source: http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/5173/Data-Analysis-Model_Complete_v5.gif

How Does Technology Improve Learning?

Professional Development Survey

This form was created to support teachers in my district with training that is relevant for them.

TPACK

Image Source: https://lborukedtech.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/tpack2.jpg

What is TPACK? It is an acronym for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The goal of TPACK is for teachers to connect their existing knowledge of content, pedagogy, and technology to develop effective, technologically-rich lesson plans.

Image Source: http://www.cheatography.com/uploads/davidpol_1443324020_tpack_1_0.png

All three components of TPACK must all interact seamlessly for effective, technology-integrated instruction:

• Technological Knowledge ~ the knowledge and mastery of technological tools and devices
• Pedagogical Knowledge ~ the knowledge and practice of teaching, including researched-based best practices
• Content Knowledge ~ the knowledge of the content and standards that students must achieve

Here is a brief introduction to TPACK by Common Sense Media:

TPACK is extremely relevant for teachers today. If teachers want to implement the TPACK model into their classrooms, it is important for them to remember that they are experts and that they have the deepest understanding of pedagogy and content; teachers in general are not masterful users of technology. If they disregard their pedagogical and content knowledge when implementing technology, teachers will be less effective. Teachers must keep in mind the standards and learning goals.

Teachers have typically been known to plan "technocentrically" (as cited in Papert, 1987), meaning they first select a digital tool and then plan their lessons. However, teachers will build their TPACK knowledge more naturally if they use their pedagogical and content knowledge to plan a lesson and then add appropriate technology enhancements (Haris & Hofer, 2009). Teachers should always plan with the end in mind and choose learning goals and appropriate activities before they select digital tools and resources to support the learning experience. With this purposeful planning, technology becomes an learning tool that aligns with the learning goals, rather than the focus of the lesson.

The biggest obstacle for achieving TPACK is developing teachers' technological knowledge. Professional development remains a crucial element of TPACK. In order for teachers to utilize technological knowledge in their lesson planning, they must first acquire it. School districts and administrators must dedicate time to cultivating a community of technologically proficient educators. Once teachers have a solid foundation of technological knowledge using some universal/core tools, they can begin to connect technology to education. Charts with activities for TPACK development, such as the one compiled by Haris and Hofer (2009), support teachers as they build their TPACK. The TPACK website also has several useful resources. The activities listed are wide-ranging and can be used across the curriculum. Students can use blogs to critique a students' math process or debate politics and discuss the meaning of poetry. Students can use movie-making software to create presentations or make digital storybooks. Technology can be used to create learning opportunities or to demonstrate learning. Furthermore, combining the different types of activities can change learning that occurs. Using the TPACK model makes learning relevant and effective for our students.

References:

Anderson, M. (2013, May 28). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Retrieved from http://ictevangelist.com/technological-pedagogical-and-content-knowledge/

Haris, J. & Hofer, M. (2009). Instructional Planning Activity Types as Vehicles for Curriculum-Based TPACK Development. Retrieved from http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/HarrisHofer-TPACKActivityTypes.pdf

Koehler, M., & Mishru, P. (2008). Introducing TPCK. In M. Koehler, & P. Mishru, Handbook of Technological Pedalogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for Educators (pp. 3-29). Routledge. Retrieved from http://punya.educ.msu.edu/publications/koehler_mishra_08.pdf

Hats of the Technology Integration Specialist

 
     The video clip featuring French and Saunders, though comedic, serves as the introduction for this blog post. For some teachers, that scenario is sadly reminiscent of what they experience when they are asked to or attempt to integrate technology without proper training. We know that in general, professional development is key for effective instruction and implementing best practices in the classroom. While educational best practices shift over time, professional development regarding technology integration is especially significant. It's important to remember that not all teachers are native technology users, and even if they are, technology is constantly evolving and new technology is constantly emerging. Teachers need to stay abreast of these changes in order to ensure that technology implemented is relevant and effective for the students.

     Teachers should be comfortable using the technology that they implement. One study examined the difference between the discourse of digital native teachers and digital immigrant teachers and their students. The terms digital native and digital immigrant, coined by Marc Prensky (2001), refer to those who were born into the digital world and those who were not, respectively. The data analysis from the study indicated that digital native teacher possessed the skills to support her students, whereas the digital immigrant teacher lacked them. The digital immigration teacher demonstrated “hesitation, repetition, avoidance, divergence, and negation” because of her lack of technological competence (Grigoryan & Babayan, 2015). This is an indication of a broader problem between digital native students and digital immigrant teachers who do not speak the same language. While the study didn't delve into possible remedies for this discourse gap, professional development could certainly help to bridge the gap.

     Technology should enhance and enrich our students' learning experiences; it should have strong curricular ties and its integration should be seamless. This ideal can only become reality through proper training and support. A technology integration specialist wears many hats in this regard. A technology integrator is a teacher, coach, mentor, and advocate. They need to have the experience in the classroom to understand the curriculum and the students as well as the experience with technology to support the teachers. They need to advocate for time and resources so that technology is available and accessible. They need to work closely with the administration to make sure that teachers and student have the tools that they need to make technology integration effective.
    While a technology integration specialist is key in many ways in bringing technology to the forefront of education, professional development probably remains the biggest aspect of the job. A technology integration specialist should "provide consistent, frequent training and opportunities to practice new skills" (Don Macintosh, personal communication, September 27, 2014). A typical problem with professional development is that teachers are showered with new ideas in a single workshop and then left on their own to figure out how to use them. One idea to remedy this is to for the technology integrator to host weekly workshop hours in a computer lab to give teachers time to collaborate and try new things with built-in support. Technology integrators also need to be available to work with students and teachers in the classroom by modeling lessons and providing an extra hand during projects involving digital tools. With these strategies for professional development in place, teachers will begin to think of technology as a natural part of their pedagogy and lesson planning, rather than an additional burden or afterthought. Technology integration is much more effective when teachers consider "technology in education as part of the pedagogical process" (Okojie, Olinzock, & Okojie-Boulder, 2015).

References

Grigoryan, T. & Babayan, N. (2015). Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants in a Paperless 

     Classroom. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 8(1), 289-296.

Okojie, M., Olinzock, A., & Okojie-Boulder, T. (2015). The Pedagogy of Technology Integration.

     The Journal of Technology Studies.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved September 12, 2014, 
     from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/

GAFE New Hampshire Summit 2015

When I registered for the Google Summit, I was certainly excited to learn about how to implement Google Apps for Education in my classroom and support my colleagues with additional technology integration. What I didn't know was that I would get all that and much, MUCH more.

For two days I was part of a network, a team, of educators with a common goal. For two days, I was immersed in a stimulating learning environment centered around how to use Google's seamlessly integrated applications to support student learning.

On the first day I was inspired and totally pumped up by Jennifer Scheffer's key note speech where she encouraged us to not take baby steps [with technology], but to take a plunge and try BIG things! I haven't quite decided what my big thing will be this year, but I know it'll involve Google Apps for sure!

I then attended sessions led by the experts, such as Allison Mollica, an extremely knowledgable and energetic GAFE Leader who introduced me to her Treasure Trove of Greatest Hits with add-ons such as Tab Cloud, a list app called Google Keep, Gmail Labs, which allow the user to customize Gmail, and Google Docs research feature, to name a few. The quick tips and tricks that she interjected throughout the presentation were just as helpful as the planned presentation!

My brain was full after learning about the add-on Flubaroo, an automated system that can be used with Google Sheets to grade quizzes and tests created with Google Forms, and learning different ways to use Google Sites and Google Play to tailor instruction for all levels of student learning.

We ended the day with a "Demo Slam" where each presenter got 2 minutes to share a cool site, tip, or trick that we could use. We learned some cool Google omnibox tips and tricks such as how to create two letter shortcuts for frequently used sites and the site http://www.makeuseof.com/ for more quick tips. Products like Air Parrot and Reflector were also introduced, that allow devices to be mirrored. (I even WON a free license for Reflector and can't wait to test it out once the school year starts.) 

The second day was launched with the same energy and enthusiasm as the first. Ben Rouse opened his keynote presentation by posing the question, "Is Change the Only Constant?" With technology ever-evolving, this seems to be the truth of our classroom experience. Teachers need to keep up with the changes to support students; teachers need to understand how to use technology to enrich and enhance student learning. However, this does not mean simply replacing teachers with technology, because, as Arthur C. Clark said, "any teacher that can be replaced by a machine should be." Teachers need to remain facilitators of meaningful and authentic learning experiences.

The rest of the day was spent learning about "A Day in the Life of a Google Classroom" with Allison Mollica and then learning about Google Tour Builder, which, though still in Beta, is one of my absolute favorite new apps! It allows the user to build virtual tours that include images, videos, and written descriptions. This program has many great educational uses. For example, the second grade class in my school district used to go on a walking tour to learn about community helpers. They visited the police station, library, and the fire station to name a few. Though this trip was discontinued, the students now still have the opportunity to virtually visit all of these places! Furthermore, students can create their own virtual tours based on places they are studying, explore places in literature, and more!

Overall, this was the best two days of hands-on learning and collaboration that I have ever experienced. All teachers and leaders present had a common goal and I left the conference with new ideas, tools, and most importantly, an expanded network of colleagues!

#giesummit @jlscheffer @amollica +BenRouse

Embedding Digital Texts

Image Source: https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8491/8331776794_b48dc84cde_n.jpg

Technology has expanded the walls of our classrooms. We now have instant access to many digital tools. Digital texts, e-learning, and open course software have a valuable place in education.

Image Source: https://cmleinfofeed.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/ss2.png

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were developed to give students affordable opportunities for higher education. While many top universities, such as MIT, offer MOOCs, there is still some question about the overall effectiveness of this learning platform. However, it has been gaining ground in the education field, with educators heavily participating and creating a much needed educational "renaissance" (Newton, 2015). This approach to professional development has gained so much interest, that Arthur Levine, a former president of Columbia University’s Teachers College, started a joint Woodrow Wilson/MIT teaching lab to further advance this movement (Newton, 2015). By changing the way teachers learn, we might change the way teachers teach.

In the classroom, digital texts have a powerful presence. Though the technology may be cost prohibitive, ultimately they may reduce costs to schools because of projects like Flat World, CK-12, and Project Gutenberg, that seek to provide access to textbooks and literature for students. Furthermore, digital texts and ebooks offer advantages that print books do not. Digital textbooks and sources are constantly being revised, as opposed to textbooks which may have outdated information. Furthermore, digital books are more interactive with the ability to highlight, annotate, and may even have hyperlinks to related sources. Digital texts are also often adaptive and lend themselves to assistive technologies. There are great resources, such as Bookshare, an online library for students with print disabilities. Finally, there is an initiative known as Beyond Textbooks, that enables educators to collaborate and share digital resources that go beyond traditional texts (Lewin, 2009).

Digital texts, e-learning, and open course software are breaking down the walls of the classroom and paving the way for 21st century learning, in school and beyond.

References:

Blow, M. (2012). Using Digital Books in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2012/04/using-digital-books-classroom

Lewin, T. (2009). In a Digital Classroom, Textbooks are History. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/education/09textbook.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

MIT Open Courseware. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

MOOC List. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mooc-list.com/

Newton, D. (2015). The (Accidental) Power of MOOCs. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/the-secret-power-of-moocs/396608/