Inquiryfocused Practice: Making Decisions about Learning in the Classroom

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Inquiry-focused Practice Making Decisions about
Learning in the Classroom
Margaret Heritage
CCSSO Leadership Conference September 9, 2008
Milwaukee, WI
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Overview

• Inquiry-focused Practice
• Data for Inquiry
• Framework for Inquiry-focused Practice
• Knowledge and Skills Teachers Need

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The Question.

• Cheshire , Alice began rather timidly, would
  you tell me please, which way I ought to go from
  here?
• That all depends a good deal on where you want
  to get to, said the Cat.
• Lewis Carroll

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Inquiry-focused Practice

• Where are my students now?
• Where are my students going?
• How will they get there?
• How will I keep them on track?
• How will I know when they have arrived?
• How can I improve my teaching?

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Where are my students going?
Curriculum, Instruction, and Feedback
How can I improve my teaching?
How will they get there?
Data
Analysis
Action
Student Learning
How will I know when they have arrived?
How will I keep them on track?
Interpretation
Decision
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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Assessment of Learning (AoL)
Assessment for Learning (AfL)
Purpose
What students have learned at a given point
Where students are in their learning
Judgment
Compare performance to an agreed standard or goal
What to do to move learning forward
Action
Adjustments to curriculum, instruction,
programs.Monitoring. Reporting. Inform PD needs
Adjustments to ongoing instruction
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Assessment Cycle (Wiliam, 2006)
Focus
Length
Type
Short Cycle
Within a single lesson
Five seconds to one hour
Between lessons
Medium Cycle
One day to two weeks
Long Cycle
Between instructional units
Two weeks to one year or more
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Data Sources
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• Different levels of granularity for different
  purposes

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Data Sources
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Decision Model

• SIMPLE DATA
• Illuminate one aspect
• Come from one perspective
• Come from one point in time

• SIMPLE
• TO COMPLEX
• DATA
• Time frame
• Type of data
• Level of detail

• SIMPLE ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING
• TO COMPLEX ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING
• Type of analysis
• Frequency
• Reliance on knowledge
• Extent of participation

• COMPLEX DATA
• Composed of two or more
• interwoven parts
• More multidimensional

• Adapted from Cutting through the "data driven"
  mantra Different conceptions of data-driven
  decision making. Ikemoto Marsh, 2007

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Types of Data
Quarterly/Monthly/End of Unit Assessments
Daily, WeeklyAssessments
Achievement and Other Data
Annual State Tests
Level of DataAnalysis
Simple
AggregatedDescriptiveDisaggregatedDescriptive
AggregatedDescriptiveDisaggregatedDescriptive
Annual State Tests Strengths/weaknesses
in curriculum and instruction Differences among
groups Strengths/weaknesses in individual and
groups learning
Quarterly/Monthly Assessments Strengths/weaknesse
s in curriculum and instruction Differences
among groups Strengths/weaknesses in individual
and groups learning Progress monitoring for
individuals
Achievement and Other Data Factors contributing
to results
Daily/Weekly Reveal reasons for individual
weaknesses in learning Identify individual
misconceptions Identify the gap between current
learning status and desired short-term learning
goals
Distribution
Distribution
Comparative Analysis
Classroom-wide Patterns
Multiple Probes During Instruction/Learning
Longitudinal Analysis
Correlation Analysis
Classroom-wide Patterns/Trends
Students Current Level of Functioning
Complex

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Knowledge

• Validity
• What data can be used for what purpose/decision
• Alignment
• Reliability
• Interpretation of scores
• Interpretation of single test score
• Item analysis
• Triangulation

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Skills

• Asking questions
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Action to improve learning

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Professional Inquiry

• The more teachers developed methods of
  professional inquiry, articulated ways of
  knowing, and determined standards for knowledge
  in practice, the more teachers would have
  interpretive power, which could contribute to
  improving both their own teaching and theirs and
  others learning.
• (Ball Cohen, 199916)

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The Answer.

• Cheshire , Alice began rather timidly, would
  you tell me please, which way I ought to go from
  here?
• That all depends on what your data tell you?
  said the Cat.
• Lewis Carroll

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Margaret Heritage mheritag_at_ucla.edu