The Auckland Literacy Project

DATA DISCUSSIONS

Core Purpose The key to inquiry is in identifying causes that we can have some

influence over – and acknowledging that it is our responsibility to take action. A common response to patterns of inequity is to point to factors that affect students’ lives like poverty, family circumstances, and historical discrimination. While very real, we cannot by ourselves change these. What we can change, however, is how we support students in succeeding in spite of the challenges they face. It is possible to change the statistical odds for students, but we must begin by looking at ourselves: What is not working about what I’m doing? Where can we improve our approaches or program? This can be hard and bring up emotions and conflict. But if we avoid getting defensive – and instead get curious – we can construct deeper understandings and better solutions.

Adapted from the Essential Analysis from Bay CES, CCE & NSRF tools and resources www.essentialanalysis.org/.../data_analysis_for_school_improvement.pdf (2007)

Current ThinkingWhy?

Literacy is the vehicle through which learning occurs

It is a fundamental requirement for student achievement

Needs existing and ongoing classroom data to develop a collaborative understanding of where we are and where we need to go next.

Where we are to date:

Identified what data would be collected, when and by whom.

Data collection from week 4

The Process

DATA Analysis Today’s Task:

Compiling all the collected data

Use the Data Discussion Template for analyzing data patterns

As you collect your data ask yourself:

- Data sources/purpose

- What do we see in the data?

- What is the data telling us?

- What does it mean in relation to our hypothesis?

DATA Discussion The focus of the group discussion:

To uncover patterns and relationships among the data.

Suggested Strategy:

Start with your hypothesis and ask “WHY”?

Now look at the data and what does it show? Why? Repeatedly ask the question “WHY” (five is a good rule of thumb). This should help peel away the layers as it should lead to another question and another to analyse what is revealed by the data.

At the end of the session:

Completion of the template with sample data included.

Group Feedback (1-2min)

DATA Discussion

Where to next: Collation of data to identify common trends

and patterns to determine the next action. Professional learning and deploying

resources Introduction of classroom

observations/transcripts around the shared goal