Prompt: Roblyer and Hughes (2019) discuss the importance and use of data collection and analysis in Chapter 4. Address examples of how you collect data from your students and how you use that data. Have you taught your students how to collect and organize data? What methods worked well for you?

Video Transcript

Hey family,

Since I principally identify with a personality of a perfectionist reformer and systems thinker, I often overanalyze my data collection and assessment feedback loops. For example, several years ago, I developed an algorithm in a spreadsheet to quantify a learner metric based on multiple weighted categories of assessed data. The algorithm produced a simple numeric score that I could use to evaluate the learners’ performance. However, without getting into the technicalities, my mentor quickly pointed out how my metrics measured right things in wrong ways to effectively judge the learners. I had accurately measured the data to produce a feedback loop that reinforced or balanced the system according to the wrong functions and purposes. Therefore, according to Meadows (2009), I needed to change my data collection paradigm and my meta-understanding of systems thinking in order to better utilize leverage points for learning improvement. The real world’s many complex dynamic systems produce big data and education has barely begun to measure a fraction of the available information (Petrilli, 2018). We must first “[p]ay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable” and “[m]ake feedback policies for feedback systems” before we can hope to “[l]isten to the wisdom of the system” (Meadows, 2009, p. 194). In this way, I often collect quantifiable raw performance data secondarily to learners’ qualitative affective data. To be honest, I struggle to describe how to practice these counterintuitive concepts. Thus, instead of continuing my vain monologue, I want to again encourage an ongoing learning dialogue about systems analysis and how to effectively collect and use data in feedback loops. Will you join me in learning dialogue? Thanks!

    

References

Meadows, D. H. (2009). Thinking in systems: A primer (D. Wright, Ed.). Earthscan.

Petrilli, M. J. (2018). Big data transforms education research. Education Next, 18(1), 86–87.

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.