Using Data to Inform Instruction Dr. Grant A. Chandler Director of Professional Learning Office of K-12 Outreach, College of Education Michigan State University

Data Conversations using the Collaborative Learning Cycle Dr. Grant A Data Conversations using the Collaborative Learning Cycle Dr. Grant A. Chandler Director of Professional Learning Office of K-12 Outreach, College of Education Michigan State University

Session Description Powerful data conversations can lead to powerful changes in instruction and dramatic improvement in student achievement.  This session will engage administrators in how to create and sustain high performing groups of educators who can skillfully implement Wellman and Lipton’s Collaborative Learning Cycle. This simple yet powerful protocol will equip teachers and administrators alike with the tools to effectively and efficiently use multiple measures of data to solve instructional and systemic problems to increase student learning. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Finding Common Ground Task Groups: Find at least 3 things that your entire group has in common -- that would NOT be obvious to others (and that might surprise us) Groups at Work – Copyright MiraVia LLC – All rights reserved Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Characteristics of High Performing Groups Wellman and Lipton Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Seven Qualities of High Performing Groups Maintain a clear focus Embrace a spirit of inquiry Put data at the center Honor commitments to learners and learning Cultivate relational trust Seek equity Assume collective responsibility Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Maintain a Clear Focus HPGs clarify desired results and define success criteria. HPGs agree on and protect priorities for themselves and their students, preserving precious time for focused engagement about the things that matter. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Establish a Spirit of Inquiry HPGs are both problem seekers and problem solvers. These groups seek external resources and data outside their own experience. They inquire into data to explore who is learning and who is not, seeking patterns and root causes before pursuing solutions and planning actions. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Put Data at the Center HPGs use data to inform and guide group and student learning. HPGs are assessment literate. They keep data central to the conversation, seeking out and using multiple sources and multiple types to inform their choices and plans. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Honor Commitments to Learners and Learning HPGs keep learning at the focus of their conversations. HPGs keep their focus on what is good for students, not just convenient for themselves. They explore the process, performance, and products of learning. They assess and monitor their own learning, reflecting on their processes and products and set goals for continuous improvement. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Cultivate Relational Trust HPGs operate with high expectations and positive intentions as central assumptions. It is safe to display both high competence and vulnerability. HPGs rely on the integrity and competence of their colleagues inside and outside of the meeting room. They hold high expectations for themselves and each other and have faith that those expectations will be met and even exceeded. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Assume Collective Responsibility HPGs make and honor agreements about who they want to be as a group/team and what they want to produce for their students. They make data driven choices and are willing to be answerable for these choices. This collective efficacy, or the shared belief that together the group will successfully achieve its goals, is a prime resource for sustained improvements in student learning (Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk Hoy, 2004). Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

High Performing Groups Recognize that their individual choices, both in the meeting room and in their own classrooms, affect everyone. They willingly invest their time and energy, setting aside personal agendas to support the group’s work and its development. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Peter Senge (1990) Learning communities are groups of individuals who come together with a shared purpose and agreement to construct new understandings. A learning community is a critical contributor to becoming a learning organization – a place where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collection aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning how to learn together. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

What Matters . . . Two different meta-analyses of research on the factors that impact student achievement found that the quality of instruction students receive in their classrooms is the most important variable in student achievement. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Assumptions for Our Work Schools can only be as good as the people within them. If one of the most important variables in student achievement is instruction, schools must ensure high quality instruction in every classroom. If substantive school improvement requires a coordinated, systemic, and collective effort (rather than isolated individual efforts), schools must use professional development strategies that are specifically designed to improve the collective capacity of educators to meet the needs of students. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Assumptions . . . The best strategy for improving schools and districts is developing the collective capacity of educators to function as members of professional learning communities – a concept based on the premise that if students are to learn at higher levels, processes must be in place to ensure the ongoing-job embedded learning of the adults who serve them. (DuFour & Marzano, 2012) Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Collaborative Learning Cycle Based on the book, Got Data? Now What? Bruce Wellman & Laura Lipton, 2012

Analyzing data is like or not like . . . (choose one) because . . . Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Collaborative Learning Cycle Activate and Engage Generate predictions & surface assumptions Explore and Discover Analyze data & develop narrative statements Organizing and Integrating Generating causal theory and exploring solutions Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Activating and Engaging Discuss what the data might look like. Make predictions and assumptions. Provides psychological and emotional safety and readiness for interacting with colleagues and with data. Process: develop predictions and assumptions concurrently, record them, use facsimile of the data display, accept different predictions or assumptions. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Exploring and discovering: analyzing the data Embrace the spirit of exploration and discovery. Avoid explaining why the data look as they do. Create a shared focus, provide time to orient to the data, develop a sequence and process for exploration, and apply protocols to balance participation, establish public record keeping, use concise language, depersonalize the data. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Organizing and integrating: generating theory Establishes the transition to formal problem finding and problem solving in two phases: causation and action. Causation (curriculum, instruction, teachers, students, infrastructure) Effective plans are SMART plans Generate multiple theories of causation, allow multiple theories, seek triangulation of data, generate multiple theories of solution, utilize SMART plans, use decision-making process. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

What’s the Big Picture: Utilize the collaborative learning cycle to carefully examine data: Student performance data. Demographic data Perception data Process data Establish causal theories aligned to student data. Establish narrative statements/causal theories in order to establish meaningful plans that will successfully impact student achievement and be the driving force behind our every day work. Create building level school improvement plans that align with the district improvement plan but recognize the individual student needs of each building within the district. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Exploring student achievement in Writing

Activate and Engage Phase I Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Building-Level Writing Grade 4 by Proficiency Levels 2013 2012 Blue (Advanced) Green (Proficient) Yellow (Partially Proficient) Red (Not Proficient) Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Building Writing – Grade 14 by Proficiency Levels – 2013 Econ. Advan. Econ. Disadv. Regular Ed Special Ed Boys Girls Blue (Advanced) Green (Proficient) Yellow (Partially Proficient) Red (Not Proficient) Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Predict What do your top and bottom 30% look like in terms of proficiency levels in 2013? How do they compare to 2012? % Blue % Green % Yellow % Red Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Predictions and Assumptions Purpose is to surface and understand assumptions (not about right/wrong) Prediction: something you expect to see in the data Assumption: something that you think but that will not show up in data Predictions Assumptions Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Pair, share, discuss Share your predictions with one person Discuss – why? (your thoughts) Form groups of 4 (or more) Put your predictions on chart paper, discuss Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Activating and Engaging What are some of our predictions and assumptions about student achievement in WRITING at Pleasantville Elementary School? What questions are we bringing to this discussion? What are some possibilities for learning that this experience presents to us? Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Activating and Engaging – FACILITATORS’ DEBRIEF Discuss what the data might look like. Make predictions and assumptions. Provides psychological and emotional safety and readiness for interacting with colleagues and with data. Process: develop predictions and assumptions concurrently, record them, use facsimile of the data display, accept different predictions or assumptions. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Explore and Discover Phase II Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Explore and Discover What important points pop out to us? What patterns, categories, or trends are emerging? What is surprising or unexpected? Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Analyzing Data - Process Individuals look at data silently. Individually document observations. Report out in groups (Round Robin). Chart observations. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Analyzing Data - Process Individuals look at data silently. (2-3 min) Individually document observations. (3-4 min) Report out in groups (Round Robin). Chart observations. (10 min) Refine observations by increasing specificity. (8 min) Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Narrative Statements The girls did better than the boys. In 2012 on the MEAP assessment in reading, the girls were 74% proficient and the boys were 53% proficient. Chart five (5) narrative statements. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Writing Grade 4 by Proficiency Levels 2013 2012 Blue (Advanced) 8 3 Green (Proficient) 54 62 Yellow (Partially Proficient) 35 30 Red (Not Proficient) 5 Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Writing – Grade 4 by Proficiency Levels – 2013 Econ. Advan. Econ. Disadv. *Regular Ed *Special Ed Boys Girls Blue (Advanced) 8 6 9 Green (Proficient) 58 46 55 20 53 Yellow (Partially Proficient) 32 43 34 37 33 Red (Not Proficient) 2 11 3 60 4 Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Exploring and Discovering – FACILITATORS’ DEBRIEF Embrace the spirit of exploration and discovery. Avoid explaining why the data look as they do. Create a shared focus, provide time to orient to the data, develop a sequence and process for exploration, and apply protocols to balance participation, establish public record keeping, use concise language, depersonalize the data. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

ORGANIZING AND INTEGRATING Phase III Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Organizing and Integrating Establishes the transition to formal problem finding and problem solving in two phases: causation and action. Generate multiple theories of causation, allow multiple theories, seek triangulation of data. Generate multiple theories of solution (SMART plans) Use decision-making process to choose the strongest solution. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University Causal Theories Infrastructure Leadership Curriculum Instruction Teachers Students Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Causal Theories Leadership Infrastructure Curriculum Instruction Systemic planning and implementation, knowledge, skills, disposition Infrastructure Schedules, programming, and resources Curriculum Design and implementation Instruction Methods, materials, and resources Teachers Knowledge, skills, and disposition Students Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Causal Theory As a group select TWO observations to explore further Individually generate multiple causation theories (why?) Stay focused on things that we can control Generate theories from MORE than one category Identify additional data needed Share theories, narrow to one or two, and identify additional data needs Repeat for other observation Prepare to share Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Example Observation The gap from 11-12 for ED students compared to Non-ED students was nearly 24%. This gap was closed to nearly 1% in 12-13. Causal Theories Our PD has increased our teacher’s ability to reach poorer students (Teachers) The number of ED student’s drastically increased from 11-12 to 12-13 (Students) Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Prepare to Share Review other posters Observations Similarities Create TWO posters, one for each observation Include on the poster: The observation At least two theories from different causal categories Additional data needs/questions Review other posters Observations Similarities Differences Surprises Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Potential Solutions In groups, identify 3-5 possible solutions Can be very specific (professional development program) or general (align curriculum) Create chart labeled “Potential Solutions” Review other posters Observations Similarities Differences Surprises Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Organizing and Integrating– FACILITATORS’ DEBRIEF Establishes the transition to formal problem finding and problem solving in two phases: causation and action. Causation (curriculum, instruction, teachers, students, infrastructure) Effective plans are SMART plans Generate multiple theories of causation, allow multiple theories, seek triangulation of data, generate multiple theories of solution, utilize SMART plans, use decision-making process. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Process Debrief How did it feel using a structured process to have a conversation? How might this structured conversation assist you in doing your work with your team? What additional support do you need in order to facilitate this protocol with your team? Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

References DuFour, R. & Marzano, R. (2012). Leaders of learning: How districts, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Got data? Now what? Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Additional Information www.mitoolkit.org Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University

Dr. Grant A. Chandler Director of Professional Learning Office of K-12 Outreach Michigan State University chand107@msu.edu Office of K-12 Outreach, Michigan State University