Instructional Interventions
The effectiveness of instructional interventions, as well as other aspects of teaching, depends on the decisions based on data collection. Educators need information regarding their students’ needs, progress, and achievements. New teachers will benefit from reviewing this handout that includes helpful data concerning effective sources of information that can be employed for instructional purposes. Seasoned educators may also find this brief review helpful and motivational!
Online Assessment Platforms
What source?
The use of technology has already become a part of teachers’ daily practice, but many are still reluctant to use it to the fullest. Online assessment platforms are gaining momentum due to their efficiency and positive outcomes (Ledoux, 2016). With the help of these instruments, educators can make data-driven decisions and ensure that their instructional practice is appropriate for every student.
Where to find?
These resources are Internet-based, so they are rather easily accessible. Some of these tools are free to use, but a school may need to allocate some funds to use an online assessment platform.
How can it help?
These platforms are helpful in collecting and analyzing data. The teacher may develop classroom instructions in an individualized manner making sure that the needs of every learner are addressed properly (Ledoux, 2016). These tools are used to implement assessment, present data effectively, analyze and share information, and even make certain decisions regarding classroom instruction.
Ideas and Tips
Online assessment platforms are instrumental in assessing students’ progress and the most challenging topics or aspects. This valuable data should be utilized to adjust instructional practice. Although many use such instruments for assessment purposes only, they can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions as well. Educators may set goals and track learners’ progress as well as the gaps they still have.
Data-Based Decision-Making Approach
What source?
The data-based decision-making (DBDM) approach implies four basic steps to be undertaken (Filderman & Toste, 2018). First, the teacher implements an intervention to help a student achieve some academic objectives. Then, the educator monitors learners’ progress on a regular basis. After that, the teacher implements a diagnostic assessment if the student is struggling with some aspects of the intervention. Based on the obtained data, the teacher changes the intervention to meet the needs of the student.
Where to find?
Filderman and Toste (2018) described the method in detail in their article. The assessment tool can be online-based, but it can also be a specifically designed assessment type.
How can it help?
This strategy can be utilized in any educational facility as schools can use the existing assessment tools (online platforms, standardized options, individual assessment). The framework contains clear steps and stages of implementation, which is also critical, especially for new teachers.
Ideas and tips
When implementing this strategy, Filderman and Toste (2018) suggest using the points-below or slope method to make a decision concerning the changes in a given intervention. The former method involves the focus on the last three data points collected during the assessment. The latter implies the comparison of the learner’s slope and outcome goal slope when adjusting the intervention.
Embedded, Collaborative, Comprehensive
What source?
The Chicago Educare data utilization model can assist in assessing students’ progress and adjusting instructions to learners’ specific needs (Yazejian & Bryant, 2013). The model is characterized by three features: embedded, collaborative, and comprehensive. The model is embedded, meaning that diverse types of data, including but not confined to scores and attendance, are used. The strategy is collaborative as interdisciplinary teams (educators, administrators, families, and children) are involved in evaluating students’ outcomes. The model is also comprehensive as it covers such levels as child level, program level, and system level.
Where to find?
The details of the effective implementation of the program can be found in the article by Yazejian and Bryant (2013).
How can it help?
Teachers, using the Chicago Educare data utilization model, can use a data-driven approach to achieve several goals. These are student progress assessment, intervention effectiveness evaluation, parent engagement, instructional practice adjustment, and the improvement of the educational process and overall performance of the facility.
Ideas and tips
In order to implement the model effectively, it is advisable to form a committee that would include educators and administrators. The use of this assessment program may need the provision of training to the staff, so the teacher initiating the adoption of this paradigm may need to justify this choice. However, the outcomes of the utilization of this program are remarkable, and several facilities have already managed to improve their performance with the help of this framework.
Standardized Assessment
What source?
Clearly, formal assessment should also be seen as an appropriate form of assessment that will have an impact on instructional practice. Every state has specific guidelines regarding student assessment, and schools comply with these standards. The system has been criticized considerably, but it is still common nationwide (McAfee, Leong, & Bodrova, 2015). Therefore, teachers should make sure this assessment effort is used to its fullest potential.
Where to find?
All schools choose certain platforms to conduct this standardized assessment, so teachers have access to vast materials.
How can it help?
Standardized tests can be instrumental in identifying the gaps in students’ knowledge and skills, so the teacher can adjust instructional interventions to help learners achieve their academic goals.
Ideas and tips
The analysis of the collected data will unveil the most challenging areas for the child. However, it can also highlight the weaknesses of the instructional interventions used by the educator. The teacher should pay attention to the trends that occur in the class alongside the performance of every learner. These trends will reveal the effectiveness of the instruction as the low performance of the entire class or its significant part clearly shows that instructional interventions did not work.
Student Portfolios
What source?
Student portfolios are widely used in the educational sphere due to the insights they provide into the learner’s progress, the challenges they face, and other aspects of the educational process. Student portfolios are created by learners, so they can reflect on their learning and progress, which is a valuable experience (McAfee et al., 2015).
Where to find?
McAfee et al. (2015) provide quite a detailed description of this strategy. This method is affordable and can be used in every school and class.
How can it help?
Portfolio conferences help in achieving several goals that can improve student performance and achievement. First, students review the entire learning process and can identify the most challenging aspects, as well as the points of their satisfaction or pride. The latter is important for learners’ motivation and further engagement. Parents are also involved in this process, which is also critical for students’ academic achievement.
Ideas and tips
In order to make all students properly involved in the process of creating their portfolios, it is possible to arrange a competition. The teacher should also ask for students’ feedback regarding specific tasks or projects, as this information will also assist in improving instructional practice.
References
Filderman, M. J., & Toste, J. R. (2018). Decisions, decisions, decisions: Using data to make instructional decisions for struggling readers. Teaching Exceptional Children, 50(3), 130-140.
Ledoux, M. (2016). What data-driven improvement really looks like. Principal. Web.
McAfee, O., Leong, D., & Bodrova, E. (2016). Assessing and guiding young children’s development and learning (6th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Yazejian, N., & Bryant, D. (2013). Embedded, collaborative, comprehensive: One model of data utilization. Early Education & Development, 24(1), 68-70.