scholarly journals Using assessment data to improve equity: How teachers use insights from the Scottish National Standardised Assessments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Richardson ◽  
Sladana Krstic
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
School Level ◽  
Assessment Data ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Sensemaking Theory ◽  
Data Usage ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Using Data

Evidence-based decision-making is regarded as an important indicator of quality in schools around the world. Using data gathered from assessments, in conjunction with other insights, can help school leaders and teachers better meet the needs of learners. In schools that cater to disadvantaged learners, using data to design targeted interventions plays an important role in improving equity. In this paper we report on a study with five schools in Scotland. All schools had learner cohorts characterised by multiple layers of disadvantage. Informed by the theoretical underpinnings of sensemaking theory, we investigated how teachers and school leaders used data from the Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSA). Our findings suggest that teachers and leaders are adept at combining assessment data with other insights – including their own observations. All schools were active in using data to inform decision-making, both at the whole-school level and at the classroom level. They reported multiple uses of data, from validating their own instincts to targeting support to particular cohorts of learners. We suggest that the way in which SNSA is designed – explicitly providing data to teachers to help inform their professional judgement – is a factor in the positive approach to data usage among these schools.

scholarly journals Data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Wolf ◽  
Joseph M. Reilly ◽  
Steven M. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Low Income ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Data Driven Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Rich Data

PurposeThis article informs school leaders and staffs about existing research findings on the use of data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters. Given that teachers are the most important school-based educational resource, decisions regarding the assignment of students to particular classes and teachers are highly impactful for student learning. Classroom compositions of peers can also influence student learning.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was conducted on the use of data-driven decision-making in the rostering process. The review addressed the merits of using various quantitative metrics in the rostering process.FindingsFindings revealed that, despite often being purposeful about rostering, school leaders and staffs have generally not engaged in data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters. Using data-driven rostering may have benefits, such as limiting the questionable practice of assigning the least effective teachers in the school to the youngest or lowest performing students. School leaders and staffs may also work to minimize negative peer effects due to concentrating low-achieving, low-income, or disruptive students in any one class. Any data-driven system used in rostering, however, would need to be adequately complex to account for multiple influences on student learning. Based on the research reviewed, quantitative data alone may not be sufficient for effective rostering decisions.Practical implicationsGiven the rich data available to school leaders and staffs, data-driven decision-making could inform rostering and contribute to more efficacious and equitable classroom assignments.Originality/valueThis article is the first to summarize relevant research across multiple bodies of literature on the opportunities for and challenges of using data-driven decision-making in creating class rosters.

Research Note: Shared Decision Making—Rhetoric versus Reality

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 569-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School Reform ◽  
Research Note ◽  
Teacher Participation ◽  
School Level ◽  
Whole School Reform ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Managerial Decisions ◽  
Reform Program ◽  
Three Samples

Based on three samples of teachers (n = 670, n = 390, n = 454) from 55 elementary and middle schools involved in New Jersey's whole school reform program, this research note describes teacher participation in various types of school-level decisions over a 2-year period. Decisions in which teachers participated were categorized into three domains—core, managerial, and associated. Analyses were conducted on each decision domain to determine frequency of teacher participation and opportunity to participate. Results indicated that teachers had less than desired levels of participation in all three-decision domains, which included 16 areas of school decision making. They were most involved in core decisions about what and how to teach and least involved in managerial decisions about budget and staffing.

Implications of Emerging Educational Reforms for Individuals With Severe Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
Rob H. Horner ◽  
James W. Halle
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
School Level ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Tiered System ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Education Of Students

We summarize three changes in education that have direct relevance for the education of students with severe disabilities: (a) adoption of multi-tiered system of supports as a framework for intervention, (b) delivering educational reform at the “whole school” level, and (c) advances in information technology that are altering the type and utility of data available not just for policy making but for day-to-day decision making in schools. The opportunities that arise from these three changes hold promise for improving the education of students with severe disabilities, but only if educators, advocates, and decision makers capture and shape how these changes are applied.

scholarly journals Students as co-researchers in a school self-evaluation process

2021 ◽  
pp. 136548022110346
Author(s):  
Shivaun O’Brien ◽  
Gerry McNamara ◽  
Joe O’Hara ◽  
Martin Brown ◽  
Craig Skerritt
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Student Involvement ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
School Level ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Team Student

School self-evaluation (SSE) or data-based decision making is now a common feature of mainstream education in an increasing number of jurisdictions. The participation of stakeholders including students, is promoted internationally as a key feature of effective SSE. Despite this, very little research has been carried out on how education systems might involve students in SSE and even less research has explored how student involvement can move beyond mere tokenism. Similar to many other jurisdictions, Irish schools are encouraged to include students in SSE. However, the research to date would indicate that while students are frequently consulted through the use of surveys they have little or no involvement in decisions that are made as part of the SSE process at a whole school level. This case study explores an atypical approach to student engagement in SSE which was tested in one Irish post-primary school where students participated as co-researchers along with their teachers in the SSE process. In doing so, student participation in SSE shifted from student as data sources to students as co-researchers. Students became members of the SSE Team, responsible for consulting with the wider staff team, student body and parents. They were actively involved in the completion of a whole school self-evaluation report on assessment and the development of a school improvement plan. The study outlines the key stages of the project and how student participation evolved through the process. Interviews conducted with both the teacher and student members of the SSE Team illuminates the experience of the students and staff on the SSE team. The findings indicate that this approach resulted in significant positive outcomes for the school and the individuals involved, but there were also a number of challenges. Student involvement resulted in greater awareness among, and participation of the wider staff team in the SSE process. However, it required more resources and time than is usually the case for an SSE process in Irish schools. The research suggests that this level of participation by students may require a more systematic and sustained engagement of students in decision making at a classroom level in order to build capacity of students to contribute to decision making at a whole school level on an ongoing basis. This study may have an application in jurisdictions aiming to include students in SSE, particularly at a higher level, and it also provides a glimpse into the deliberate planning and structures required if schools are to move beyond an instrumentalist, compliance model of ‘student voice’ towards a more authentic model of inclusive democracy.

STRATEGI MAKSIMALISASI ANGGARAN BELANJA PADA BALAI PENELITIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN LINGKUNGAN HIDUP DAN KEHUTANAN MANOKWARI

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arif Hasan ◽  
Dedi Budiman Hakim ◽  
Irdika Mansur
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
The Third ◽  
Swot Matrix ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Using Data

This study aims to analyze causes of the low uptake of the budget and formulate a strategy of maximizing the absorption of expenditure on Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari. Respondents involved are 20 people that consist of: treasury officials and holder output of activity. The data used were secondary data in the form of reports on budget realization (LRA) quarter I, II, III and IV of the fiscal year 2011 to 2015, and the primary data were in the form of interviews with the help of a questionnaire. While the analysis of the data used was descriptive analysis using data tabulation, and the analysis of the three stages strategy of the decision making used IFE and EFE matrix, SWOT matrix and QSPM matrix.The results showed that there are 19 factors causing low of budget absorption until the end of the third quarter, and there were 10 drafts of policy as a strategy for maximizing the absorption of the budget on Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari.ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis penyebab rendahnya penyerapan anggaran belanja dan merumuskan strategi maksimalisasi penyerapan anggaran belanja pada Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari. Responden yang terlibat adalah 20 orang yaitu pejabat perbendaharaan dan pemegang output kegiatan. Data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder berupa laporan realisasi anggaran (LRA) triwulan I, II, III dan IV tahun anggaran 2011 sampai 2015, dan data primer berupa wawancara dengan bantuan kuesioner. Sedangkan analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif menggunakan analisis tabulasi, dan analisis analisis strategi tiga tahap pengambilan keputusan menggunakan matriks IFE dan EFE, matriks SWOT dan matriks QSPM. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat 19 faktor penyebab rendahnya penyerapan anggaran belanja sampai akhir triwulan III, dan terdapat 10 rancangan kebijakan sebagai strategi maksimalisasi penyerapan anggaran belanja di Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari.

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in the Psychological Sciences

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Shero ◽  
Sara Ann Hart
Keyword(s):  
Data Envelopment Analysis ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Organizational Management ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Component Skills ◽  
Using Data

Using methods like linear regression or latent variable models, researchers are often interested in maximizing explained variance and identifying the importance of specific variables within their models. These models are useful for understanding general ideas and trends, but often give limited insight into the individuals within said models. Data envelopment analysis (DEA), is a method with roots in organizational management that make such insights possible. Unlike models mentioned above, DEA does not explain variance. Instead, it explains how efficiently an individual utilizes their inputs to produce outputs, and identifies which input is not being utilized optimally. This paper provides readers with a brief history and past usages of DEA from organizational management, public health, and educational administration fields, while also describing the underlying math and processes behind said model. This paper then extends the usage of this method into the psychology field using two separate studies. First, using data from the Project KIDS dataset, DEA is demonstrated using a simple view of reading framework identifying individual efficiency levels in using reading-based skills to achieve reading comprehension, determining which skills are being underutilized, and classifying and comparing new subsets of readers. Three new subsets of readers were identified using this method, with direct implications leading to more targeted interventions. Second, DEA was used to measure individuals’ efficiency in regulating aggressive behavior given specific personality traits or related skills. This study found that despite comparable levels of component skills and personality traits, significant differences were found in efficiency to regulate aggressive behavior on the basis of gender and feelings of provocation.

Influence of Confucian culture on entrepreneurial decision making using data from China's floating population

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ran Xiong ◽  
Ping Wei
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Floating Population ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Confucian Culture ◽  
Chinese Nation ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Entrepreneurial Decision ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

Confucian culture has had a deep-rooted influence on Chinese thinking and behavior for more than 2,000 years. With a manually created Confucian culture database and the 2017 China floating population survey, we used empirical analysis to test the relationship between Confucian culture and individual entrepreneurial choice using data obtained from China's floating population. After using the presence and number of Confucian schools and temples, and of chaste women as instrumental variables to counteract problems of endogeneity, we found that Confucian culture had a significant role in promoting individuals' entrepreneurial decision making among China's floating population. The results showed that, compared with those from areas of China not strongly influenced by Confucian culture, individuals from areas that are strongly influenced by Confucian culture were more likely to choose entrepreneurship as their occupation choice. Our findings reveal cultural factors that affect individual entrepreneurial behavior, and also illustrate the positive role of Confucianism as a representative of the typical cultures of the Chinese nation in the 21st century.

Parents and educators: Partners working together in an inclusive setting

1993 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 33-49
Author(s):  
Sebastian (Nello) Raciti
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School Level ◽  
Collaborative Consultation ◽  
Local School ◽  
Participatory Decision Making ◽  
Intervention Plan ◽  
Consultation Model ◽  
Working Together ◽  
The Right ◽  
Contextual Setting

Parents have the right to participate in the educational planning for their child with a disability, however they often need assistance when interacting with professionals to ensure the best programs for their children. Professionals also require guidelines and opportunities to develop appropriate communication skills when interacting with other professionals and parents. This paper investigates the level of participatory decision-making which exists between parents and professionals, and professionals amongst themselves. The present thrust for including children with a disability in mainstream schools is used as the contextual setting for this investigation. Furthermore, the author presents an intervention plan based on the Collaborative Consultation Model to enhance the participatory decision-making skills of parents and professionals at the local school level.

scholarly journals Relationship between Changes over Time in Factors, Including the Impact of Meteorology on Photochemical Oxidant Concentration and Causative Atmospheric Pollutants in Kawasaki

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 446
Author(s):  
Akinori Fukunaga ◽  
Takaharu Sato ◽  
Kazuki Fujita ◽  
Daisuke Yamada ◽  
Shinya Ishida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Moving Average ◽  
Atmospheric Pollutants ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Photochemical Oxidant ◽  
Oxidant Concentration ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

To clarify the relationship between changes in photochemical oxidants’ (Ox) concentrations and their precursors in Kawasaki, a series of analyses were conducted using data on Ox, their precursors, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and meteorology that had been monitored throughout the city of Kawasaki for 30 years from 1990 to 2019. The trend in air temperature was upward, wind speed was downward, and solar radiation was upward, indicating an increasing trend in meteorological factors in which Ox concentrations tend to be higher. Between 1990 and 2013, the annual average Ox increased throughout Kawasaki and remained flat after that. The three-year moving average of the daily peak increased until 2015, and after that, it exhibited a slight decline. The amount of generated Ox is another important indicator. To evaluate this, a new indicator, the daytime production of photochemical oxidant (DPOx), was proposed. DPOx is defined by daytime averaged Ox concentrations less the previous day’s nighttime averaged Ox concentrations. The trend in DPOx from April to October has been decreasing since around 2006, and it was found that this indicator reflects the impact of reducing emissions of NOx and VOCs in Kawasaki.

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