Student Data Literacy
Whose Data Are These?
In recent years schools have adopted the professional learning community (PLC) model where educators work in collaborative teacher teams (sometimes called CTTs) to answer four questions: 1) What do we want students to know, understand, and be able to do? 2) How will we know if they have reached those milestones? 3) What will we do if they haven't? and 4) What will we do if they have already reached them? In a learner-centered MTSS framework, learners are at the center of those questions and are part of them team that determines next steps. This requires that students--in addition to teachers--have data literacy. After all, the data are THEIRS!
Data Literacy
Introduction to an Exemplar Resource
The Learning Accelerator (click for their website) shares their expertise with visitors to their site and identifies three key components of supporting student ownership of their learning:
- "Co-create student goals, utilizing data to identify both academic and personal goals."
- "Co-design learner profiles to centralize holistic data, track progress, and celebrate student success."
- "Constantly review data and goals through 1:1 conferences, partnering with students to continually reflect and strive for ongoing growth."
They suggest the following think-abouts when starting to incorporate co-ownership of data:
- "Student autonomy – How can I set up structures to gradually build student autonomy, allowing for appropriate ownership and choice?"
- "Guidelines, protocols, and tools – How can I use protocols to guide students in analyzing and using their data? What (technological) tools can I use to track data and goals?"
- "Instructional actions and individualized pathways – How will both students and educators use data and goals to inform learning and individualized pathways?"
Options for working learning activities that incorporate data literacy into daily routines include:
- Station Rotation models and structured work time
- Creating student playlists
- Combining these with flipped instruction to create a personalized learning model for secondary schools (see our Personalized Learning Toolkit page for the elementary model and other ideas for structural and procedural shifts)
- Create visual stories with data as models for students and then help them create their own
Click this image to go to EL Education's Using Data: Engaging Students.
Engaging Students in Data
In addition to the videos about learner-led conferences below, EL Education outlines how learning targets, goal setting, and tracking progress are key components of learners owning their data.
Visit EL Education's website to log in and access these Resource Downloads
- Diagnostic2008 (240.05 KB)
- Eled Tracking My Learning Primary 1215 (347.35 KB)
- Diagnostictrackingandreflection (65.84 KB)
- Leadersof Their Own Learning125 127 (119.48 KB)
- Working Folder Quick Reference Guide El 2011 (52.02 KB)
- Leadersof Their Own Learning101 109 (260.72 KB)
Learner-led Conferences
Introduction to Exemplar Resources
Once students own their data, they can use their self-awareness to engage in critical thinking about where they have been, where they are, where they need to be next, and how to get there. One powerful school structure to help students engage in reflection, goal setting, and complex communication is learner-led conferences. These are for learners at any level and when coupled with learner profiles, personalized learning plans, and learner portfolios, they lead to increased purpose, engagement, and empowerment for students, parents, and educators.
EL Education: Student-Led Conferences in Middle School
From EL Education on Vimeo: "Gabriella, a seventh-grade student at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS) in New York City discusses her academic progress with her father at her student-led family conference. Learning targets, derived from Common Core standards, anchor Gabriella’s reflections on her progress.
This video accompanies the book Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools through Student-Engaged Assessment."
EL Education: Student-Led Conferences in Kindergarten
From EL Education on Vimeo: "Kindergartner, Trinity, shares her academic progress, supported by evidence from her portfolio, with her parents and teacher, Jennifer Rocker, at Delaware Ridge Elementary School in Kansas City, KS.
This video accompanies the book Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools through Student-Engaged Assessment."