Gathering Student Data to Improve Performance in Schools - Essay Sample

Introduction

Assessing both formally and informally helps to provide significant insight into the progress of students, curriculum effectiveness, and teaching strategies. Schools gather a variety of information that used differently. Research shows that using data collected from students in instructional decisions helps to improve students' performance (Black, 2017). Generally, teachers collect various types of information about how students attend, behave, and perform. The amount of information collected does not matter, but rather how information collected will be used (Le & Lam, 2019). Analysis of different data such as standardized tests, individual assessments, summative assessments, and formative assessments helps to improve teaching strategies in several ways.

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Data from standardized tests give the school leaders and tutors a view of what their students are. It enables teachers to be aware of what their students have and be able to identify areas of improvement which they need to devote additional time in before they go in a classroom. A summative assessment helps to measure student's learning (Pounder, Ho Hung-lam & Groves, 2016). Teachers can use this data because it helps them identify learning roadblocks and overall curriculum weaknesses.

Analyzing all these data enables instructors to know what students are capable of device plans for an overall improvement of students. Analysis of information in clinical settings helps to provide insights that help in improving strategies, policies, and crucial decisions. Challenges associated with data collection and analysis include loss of connection with students, unconducive environment to give information, and lack of confidentiality between the teacher and learners. Some roadblocks in analyzing test data in the clinical setting include; inadequately skilled professionals, lack of enterprise collaboration, and high costs for mid-sized companies (Sbitany, Gomez-Sanchez, Piper & Lentz, 2019).

Providing feedback has got a general impact on the performance of a student. To give input requires some skills, and time is one crucial factor. Feedback to students is essential as it helps reduce cognitive overload. When giving feedback, it is essential as a teacher to be very specific (Pounder, Hung-lam & Groves, 2016). Giving too general feedback may be ineffective as the student may not be able to identify the areas in which they made a mistake. When giving feedback, make sure that motivating words are used. The effectiveness of any feedback depends on when it will be provided. Studies show that students who are given feedback on time improved significantly than those who got their feedback late. When students are being given new concepts, especially complex ones, timely feedback helps prevent them from developing misconceptions. Timely feedback also allows students an opportunity to improve on their work. ( Black, 2017).

Giving and receiving feedback can possess significant challenges both in a clinical and academic setting when not delivered in time. It is also essential to identify some barriers which may hinder feedback from being given correctly. Privacy and the environment in which feedback is being offered should be considered. When giving feedback, I would plan. Planning will help me identify how to convey the message. When providing feedback, I will also ensure that I do it within 24 to 48 hours. A Plan will enable my learners to be able to work on their areas of weakness promptly. I will also do face to face with the learner and privately. Offering public feedback can sometimes be seen as a criticism of the learner. I will reduce forms distractions, including the use of smartphones so that my attention is not diverted from the learner. Once done with the feedback, I will ensure that I make a follow up to ensure that what we discussed with the learner is being implemented.

References

Black, P. (2017). Assessment of Teaching and Learning.

Le, Q. X., & Lam, T. T. (2019, July). Impact of Aptis Implementation on Language Teachers' Conceptions of Assessment and Teaching Practice. In VietTESOL International Convention 2019.

Pounder, J. S., Ho Hung-lam, E., & Groves, J. M. (2016). Faculty-student engagement in teaching observation and assessment143: a Hong Kong initiative. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(8), 1193-1205.

Sbitany, H., Gomez-Sanchez, C., Piper, M., & Lentz, R. (2019). Prepectoral breast reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiation therapy: an assessment of clinical outcomes and benefits. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, (1), 10-20.