Professional Certification Program in Secondary Education
Kristen A. Schaefer
Making Data Collection Teacher Friendly
Kristen A. Schaefer
This action research project investigated ways in which a teacher-designed
tracking system could record data and student goals in the secondary humanities classroom. Given the increased emphasis on data-driven instruction and demands on schools to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) according to NCLB, the research project examined the structures and support necessary to effectively implement the use of data and goal setting in the classroom. Focusing on a small group of students, the project tracked goals for students in the area of reading, using various assessments, conferencing,
and observations on a teacher-created goal-tracking sheet. Overall, the findings indicated that if schools are going to prioritize the use of data, administration must provide support, scaffolding, and professional development in order to help staff set individualized student goals and use data to inform instruction.
Kristen A. SchaeferThis action research project investigated ways in which a teacher-designed
tracking system could record data and student goals in the secondary humanities classroom. Given the increased emphasis on data-driven instruction and demands on schools to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) according to NCLB, the research project examined the structures and support necessary to effectively implement the use of data and goal setting in the classroom. Focusing on a small group of students, the project tracked goals for students in the area of reading, using various assessments, conferencing,
and observations on a teacher-created goal-tracking sheet. Overall, the findings indicated that if schools are going to prioritize the use of data, administration must provide support, scaffolding, and professional development in order to help staff set individualized student goals and use data to inform instruction.