Data Literacy For Leaders and Teachers: What is it, what do we know about how to make it happen and why is it important?Albany, NY

June 18, 2014

Ellen B. Mandinach, WestEd

Why is Data Literacy Important?

• Emphasis by policymakers

• Philosophical shift to continuous improvement

• Evidence not gut feelings

• No longer a passing fad

• Helping administrators and teachers to help all children learn

Why Now?

• Emerging technological solutions from complex data systems to data dashboards

• Proliferation of diverse data sources

• The building of human capacity has not kept up with the development of the technological infrastructure

• Even if educators know they should become data-informed, there are still many challenges

Data Use is NOT New

It has been around for a long time

Let’s Take the 30,000 Foot ViewLeadership is one of the most important components found to help enculturate data in a school and district.

What is Data Literacy?(from Mandinach, Friedman, & Gummer, in press)

The ability to transform information into actionable instructional knowledge and practices by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting all types of data (assessment, school climate, behavioral, snapshot, longitudinal, moment-to-moment, etc.) to help determine instructional or administrative steps. It combines an understanding of data with standards, disciplinary knowledge and practices, curricular knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and an understanding of how children learn.

Now To Get Down Into the Weeds

What is Needed?

•Vision

•Provision for resources and support

•Data coaches

•Data teams

•Professional development opportunities

•Trusting, open, non-threatening, and non-evaluative culture

•Support

•Time, time, time, time!

Getting Specific: Leadership Strategies(from Wayman, Spring, Lemke, & Lehr, 2012)

•Ask the right questions – Identify problems of practice

•Communication – With educators and other stakeholders

•Data system support – Access to the needed information

•Distributing leadership – Shared responsibility

•Engaging in personal learning opportunities – Improve personal data skills

Getting Specific: Leadership Strategies (2)(from Wayman, Spring, Lemke, & Lehr, 2012)

•Ensuring adequate professional learning opportunities – Frequent and ongoing professional development

•Facilitating collaboration around data – Working with faculty around data to solve problems

•Focus data on larger context – Consider a broad range of data

•Fostering common understandings – Shared definitions and objectives

Getting Specific: Leadership Strategies (3)(from Wayman, Spring, Lemke, & Lehr, 2012)

•Goal setting – Aligned with school improvement plans and educational objectives

•Modeling data use – Faculty need to see leadership using data

•Structuring time to use data – Provide dedicated time for data teams and data use

This Work is Not for the Faint Of Heart

I Hope You Understand My Point – You Can Make IT Happen!

What’s the difference between elephants mating and establishing the importance of data literacy?