Research & Data
Research & Data
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TQS: Adhering to Legal Frameworks and Policies. A teacher demonstrates an understanding of and adherence to the legal frameworks and policies that provide the foundations for the Alberta education system. Achievement of this competency is demonstrated by indicators such as:
maintaining an awareness of, and responding in accordance with, requirements authorized under the School Act and other relevant legislation;
engaging in practices consistent with policies and procedures established by the school authority; and
recognizing that the professional practice of a teacher is bound by standards of conduct expected of a caring, knowledgeable and reasonable adult entrusted with the custody, care or education of students.
- As an organization we believe in continuous improvement.
- High quality research in conjunction with the practical knowledge of teachers is used to inform our work as we strive for continuous improvement. As professionals, we continually challenge ourselves, our beliefs and our practices in light of research and understanding of best practices.
- Research and practice are interconnected: research informs practice and practice informs research (Government of Alberta, 2011a, p.2)
- At all levels of responsibility, clear-cut, specific goals for teaching and learning are established. These goals:
Convey a message that we are all capable of improvement
Provide a basis for decision making, for ways to organize and execute instruction
Enable teachers, schools and the district to gauge student success
Promote professional dialogue (Schmoker, 1999)
- We use data to measure our progress towards achieving our goals. While data "will never be totally accurate or reliable... in the hands of conscientious professionals, they promote successful, goal oriented effort" (Schmoker, 1999, p. 49).
- Data helps us answer the primary question, "What do we do next?" To use data effectively, we must continue to ask ourselves:
What are data telling us? What problems or challenges do they reveal?
What can we do about what data reveal? What strategies should be brainstorm? What research should we consult?
What are data telling us about how effective our current efforts are in helping us to achieve our goals? (Schmoker, 1999, p.49).
- The teacher "meets regularly with colleagues in professional learning communities... to analyze student performance data and samples of students' work and discuss instructional strategies that the data indicate are producing positive results" (Westerberg, 2009, p. 92).
- Data is used to monitor progress and inform instruction.
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