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Tracking Student Data

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Introduction

Tracking student data with Penda’s Class Mastery and Assignment Reports has never been easier. The class mastery and assignment reports feature an organized layout with common sense color-coding that makes interpreting and disseminating data a breeze for both teachers and students. Teachers are able to monitor student progress and proficiency by standard with the class mastery and assignment reports. Monitoring and evaluating student data allows teachers to determine next steps and drives instruction. Holding routine, mandatory teacher:student data chats fosters student accountability for learning expectations and helps the teacher implement prescriptive differentiated instruction. Involving students in tracking their own data “promotes intrinsic motivation, internally controlled effort, a mastery goal orientation, and more meaningful learning” according to James McMillan, professor in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Classroom/Instructional Practice

Teachers are no longer the only stakeholder in the classroom being held accountable for student growth. Students are now expected to take ownership of their learning in the classroom by tracking their data. Teachers can now use Penda’s class mastery and assignment reports to teach students how to track, interpret, and disseminate their data. Teaching students how to track their data can be done whole-class, with minimal time and effort needed to plan. Teachers can display a class mastery report and/or assignment report with student names redacted. Teachers would explain the purpose of the report and each of its components, then they would model thinking aloud about the patterns or trends they notice. Penda’s data reports are intuitively organized, making it easy to spot areas of strength and need with their simple, yet effective color-coding system. Teachers can have students share their thoughts regarding the data and ask questions to clarify their understanding of what is observed. Teachers would then demonstrate how students are to track their data independently using Penda’s platform and share the next steps in a  “what if...then I do…” format. Students would then go into their Penda account, click ‘My Progress,’ and follow the steps laid out by the teacher. Teachers can create a class chart ‘Penda Lessons - To Proficiency and Beyond’ where students can fill in a bar graph indicating and celebrating the number of lessons passed. A chart such as this would give students an idea of their overall performance in relation to the whole class or individual peers. Teachers can also post a schedule for students to choose a time to meet for a data chat. This mandatory teacher:student data chat would promote student self-assessment of their progress and self-reflection of ways to improve their performance in a manner that is confidential and judgment-free.

Impact on Student Learning 

Tracking student data can benefit both teachers and students in the classroom. Tracking data improves student learning by focusing the teacher’s instruction on what the students need, making it a more targeted and prescriptive approach as opposed to reactive. Data tracking promotes a student-centered learning environment that ensures achievement for every student and builds motivation. Providing opportunities for students to regularly own and work with their data can be transformative. Students are better informed about how they are progressing and hold themselves accountable to improve when they consistently track their performance. With both teachers and students routinely tracking data, the likelihood of teachers being able to quickly identify students who may have an underlying issue that is preventing progress increases. This fast response to intervention ensures that students receive the additional resources needed to achieve.

Give It A Try - Here's How:

1. During whole-class, show a fictitious ‘My Progress’ student report and model how to identify and select 5 activities that do not meet proficiency.
2. Demonstrate how to prioritize the 5 selected activities based on color coding (#1 - Red, #2 - Red, #3 - Yellow, # 4 - Yellow, #5 - Yellow) or by score (#1 - 52%, #2 - 56%, #3 - 64%, #4 - 67%, # 5 - 78%) .
3. Model how to document activities in order of priority (keeping personal records), plan for, and execute next steps.
4. Instruct students to log into their Penda account to track their data independently, following the steps outlined.
5. Circulate the classroom, conferencing with students as needed.
6. Invite students to track the number of lessons passed on the class chart ‘Penda Lessons - to Proficiency and Beyond.’
7. Post a sign-up sheet for student:teacher data chats (mandatory).

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