course component
Turning Data Into Information
John Snodgrass
Subject Area: All content areas
Course Title: Turning Data Into Information
Course Requirements: Video Program and Assessment
Course Description: Educators work with sets of data every day. Teachers look at daily classroom assessment scores to determine whether the class moves on to the next objective or not. Counselors compare local student scores on standardized tests with other districts and with national results. Administrators examine the number of daily absences for students and staff. More informed decisions result from organizing, summarizing, and interpreting the numerical data that confront the people who provide all the services a school district provides. This enterprise - organizing, summarizing, and interpreting numerical data - is an exercise in descriptive statistics. Graphs aid understanding by presenting an overall pattern that one can visually assess. In this course, participants look at a handful of data distributions, focusing on stem-and-leaf plots and dot plots to display and interpret data. The presenter demonstrates how a classroom teacher can quickly examine daily classroom assessment scores to determine whether "any child is being left behind." The strategies are so user-friendly that teachers will learn how to prepare students to examine their own grades.
Course Objectives:
Participants will gain awareness level knowledge about:
1. Organizing data
2. Describing data
3. Interpreting data
Course Assessment:
A certificate of completion will be awarded to participants who successfully complete the online assessment after viewing the video program.
Professional Development Points: 2
Additional points may be earned through completion of follow-up activities.
Additional Helps: Follow-up activities and resources
It is recommended that participants in the video course complete follow-up activities to deepen their knowledge and skills. When these activities are completed in accordance with local staff development guidelines, participants may be able to earn additional professional development credit. Contact your local staff development office for determining how you might receive credit for completing the video program and additional credit for completing follow-up activities.
Activity 1: Class Scores
Activity 2: Disaggregating Data
Activity 3: Ask Your Colleagues
