WELCOME TO USING DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS

Making decisions based on data is very common for all of us -- weather reports, grocery prices, stock markets, and doctor's visits all involve data. Yet, in education, we often make many decisions based entirely on supposition and intuition. This course focuses on the advantages and applications of using easily available information to guide us through the selection of instructional strategies, school processes, and educational materials. The underlying premise is that if instructional change is based on data-driven decision making, student learning will increase to a higher level.

Using Data to Make Decisions outlines techniques for collecting and analyzing data.  It contains practice exercises, links to relevant articles, and case studies of teachers who are using data in their classrooms.  The course is designed to illustrate methods for collecting and analyzing data that do not require complex mathematics.

The course is divided into five lessons, based on the Continuous Improvement Cycle of Plan, Do, Study, and Act. Throughout the course, you will see links to many resources, including a website called Data Use: School Improvement Through Data-Driven Decision Making (an online resource created by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory).  Before starting the course, take a minute to read through the Data Use Home and the Overview of the Data Primer. The sections listed in the Data Primer will be included in this course -- along with practice activities and other articles.

This course can be used as a "self-study" or it can be used for continuing education units (if your district has a facilitator). Each lesson contains sample assessments along with multiple activities.. At the end of the course, a survey will be available.