Sharing Good Practice
6 . Do we use both sheet and street ?
As anyone who has worked with me will know , I love quantitative data , and I believe that used effectively , it can plant myriad flags , each of which can open doors , remove barriers and catalyse both learning and wellbeing . However , if we do not complement this with a qualitative approach , hearing and harvesting the authentic voices of our learners , we will only ever get part of the picture . My thinking has been reinvigorated by Safir and Dugan ’ s work on ‘ Street Data ’, and I would argue that we should all , in part , be ethnographers too .
7 . Are we data-led or datafed ?
When I work with schools , I emphasise the necessity that data remains as ;
a ) a flag , not a fact
b ) a signpost , not a label
c ) a question , not an answer
d ) a conversation
e ) a jigsaw puzzle
In other words , we must engage with the data , not be directed by it ; in this way , it can and should empower educators just as it should learners . Do your teachers feel comfortable talking about data ? Are they able to place it at the centre of their professional dialogue ? And , crucially , are they brave enough to allow the data to challenge their preconceptions too ?
8 . Do we triangulate ?
together in one space . Do you ensure that your data is triangulated ?
9 . Do we have a data team ?
Using data effectively - measuring the right things , in the right way , at the right time , and using that measurement to impact the learning and wellbeing of every learner - is a complex and timeconsuming process . In our schools , we typically have a team for ‘ finance ’, a team for ‘ admissions and marketing ’, a team for ‘ tech support ’ etc . So why does every school not also have a ‘ data team ’? This should include an SLT data lead , enough admin members to ensure clean data goes in and out , and staff representation from across the school . It is the engine of effective data and assessment .
10 . How can we visualise our data for each audience ?
Data comes alive when we turn it into stories . And if we want each stakeholder to read the story that is most useful for them , we need to craft that product carefully . This is where effective data visualisation comes in . Be it a parent , a student , a teacher , or even a board member ; it is imperative for the relevant data stories to be visualised , such that they provide the quickest and easiest impact . This is where schools have long been crying out for or trying to create themselves efficient , authentic , accessible dashboards on which that triangle is clearly presented . How will you achieve this ?
In the wake of the upheaval wreaked by the pandemic , for all the talk of shifting the educational paradigm , we are at risk of perpetuating it instead . So , if we are to avoid squandering the opportunities offered to us in these unusual times , we need to do things not just better but different . I hope that these questions will help schools to make that shift .
The power of data triangulation comes from looking at three very different types of data simultaneously in order that each dataset can illuminate the others . The ‘ classic ’ data triangle is one of a ) aptitude and abilities , b ) achievement and progress , and c ) attitudes and wellbeing . However , one could also triangulate , for example , a ) ECA participation , b ) attendance and punctuality , and c ) value-added . The principle is the same , and it is one of context . We must look in different places , but examine what we find
Formerly , Principal of an award-winning school in the Middle East , Matthew Savage is now a consultant , trainer and coach ; speaker , writer and content creator ; architect of # themonalisaeffect ; and host of the ‘ Jack and Me ’ and ‘ The Data Conversation ’ podcasts . He has worked with thousands of educators , in hundreds of schools across more than 60 countries , including many in the MENA region .
Class Time Term 1 Sep - Dec 2022 09