Universal Design for Learning Implementation Trials
myImpact, a classroom-based data collection and transformation tool, was originally developed for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation trials described in the UDL Implementation Trials Mentor Toolkit (free registration required). The myImpact app aids educators in collecting and analyzing data, facilitating evidence-based decision-making, and supporting the implementation of UDL principles.
UDL Implementation trials resemble action-research inquiries based on Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles of continuous improvement to design, deliver, and assess learning.
During an implementation trial, a team of teachers chooses an instructional practice aligned to UDL foundations and principles that they hypothesize will make a difference in student engagement and academic learning.
myImpact empowers educators to make evidence-based decisions for inclusive and equitable learning environments by providing a comprehensive platform for capturing data, analyzing the trial's focus impact on student outcomes, and fostering collaborative reflection. By analyzing the data collected through myImpact, educators can gain insights into the effectiveness of specific UDL learning design approaches and make data-informed adjustments to their instructional practices.
Professional Learning Community or Collaborative Groups
myImpact, a classroom-based data collection and transformation tool, plays a crucial role in empowering professional learning communities (PLCs) or collaborative groups in education. By providing a comprehensive platform for data collection, analysis, and collaboration, myImpact facilitates evidence-based decision-making and promotes continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
One key advantage of myImpact is its ability to streamline the data collection and analysis processes within PLCs or collaborative groups. The tool allows educators to gather student engagement and academic progress in response to learning design choices in each classroom. This data can be inputted easily and all calculations are performed automatically,
reducing administrative burdens. As a result, PLC or collaborative group members can focus their time and energy on analyzing the data and deriving meaningful insights.
myImpact's data analysis and visualization empowers teacher teams to delve deeper into their data. The tool provides various metrics and visual representations, enabling educators to identify patterns and trends. These insights facilitate informed discussions and collaborative problem-solving within teams, as teachers can share, compare, and consolidate their data to gain a comprehensive understanding of effective instructional practices.
myImpact is especially beneficial to rural district PLCs or collaborative groups. Smaller schools often have a single teacher per grade level or content area. myImpact has a built-in focus on two high-impact, research-supported teaching strategies - clear learning goals and student self-assessment - with data designed to study the impact on students. The focus on engagment and a common academic focus can concentrate teams of diverse teachers on meaningful discussions and idea exchanges as they work collectively to improve student outcomes and learning design.
Implementation
myImpact supports multiple Implementation Drivers and the Improvement Cycles described by Blase, Fixen, Sims and Green in the Active Implementation Frameworks (AIF) developed to support the implementation of innovations (https://implementation.fpg.unc.edu/implementation-practice/drivers/).
Implementation Drivers: "Methods to assure the development of innovation-related competencies, organization changes, and engaged leadership that support high fidelity use of innovations in practice."
Decision Support Data Systems: Classroom-level observations of student impact can be one of the formal or informal measure of an innovation in practice described in AIF. myImpact is an ideal tool to reduce the time-consuming tasks associated with data collection and analysis, leaving more time for decision-making conversations.
Technical Leadership: myImpact is designed to support a process of plan-do-study-act cycles, giving leaders the context to support and encourage practitioners' use of an innovation.
Adaptive Leadership: The trial framework engineered into myImpact fosters a culture and climate conducive to experimentation and risk-taking. Leaders support psychological safety in teams by embedding systems, such as those enabled by myImpact, designed to establish such a culture.
Staff Training: Users of myImpact and the trials process report an enhanced sense of self and collective efficacy, as well as the establishment of common beliefs and language.
Staff Coaching: Users of myImpact and the trials process also report increased reflection and problem-solving to increase the use of high-leverage, research-supported practices.
Improvement Cycles: "Implementation Teams employ Improvement Cycles in order to intentionally identify problems and solutions. As a result, practices are improved and hospitable environments are developed to support more effective and efficient ways of work."
The trials process design of myImpact is informed by the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) Cycle developed by Walter Shewhart of Bell Laboratories and systematized by Dr. W. Edward Deming (https://deming.org/explore/pdsa/). The trials process design supports the use of data as feedback to those that can improve; identifying and overcoming barriers; and generating enthusiasm and accomplishment in a learning environment.
Educator Effectiveness
States have expanded their Educator Effectiveness (EE) systems to include Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). SLO's are "measurable goals, or objectives, based on the specific assignment or class, such as the students taught, the subject matter taught, the baseline performance of the students, and the measurable gain in student performance during the course of instruction” (Race to the Top Technical Assistance, 2010, p. 1).
myImpact is the ideal tool to collect student engagement and academic progress data to support student learning objectives and educator professional development goals. This is especially beneficial for teachers in content areas lacking state or local standardized testing areas, testing schedules mismatched to EE system timelines, or testing frequencies that do not allow for meaningful reflection.
One key advantage of myImpact is its ability to streamline the data collection and analysis processes. The tool allows educators to gather student engagement and academic progress in response to learning design choices. This data can be inputted easily and all calculations are performed automatically reducing administrative burdens. As a result, educators can focus their time and energy on analyzing the data and deriving meaningful insights.
Continuous Improvement
The trial process design of myImpact is informed by the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) Cycle developed by Walter Shewhart of Bell Laboratories and systematized by Dr. W. Edward Deming (https://deming.org/explore/pdsa/). The trial process design supports the use of data as feedback to those that can improve; identifying and overcoming barriers; and generating enthusiasm and accomplishment in a learning environment.
