Unit Two, Assignment two

The following are questions for my interview with our principal regarding SIS, CIA and data warehouses used at our school:

In what ways is the data collected by the SIS used for students?

Who provides our SIS? 

How was it decided to use this SIS provider? A panel of teachers and administrators met with the provider for a presentation on the overview of the system. Each person gave input to the presentation and they usefulness of the provider. No other provider presentations were given for comparison.

What are the ways the SIS used in other ways outside of attendance for students?

What other technology based data systems, such as a curriculum/instruction/assessment management system is used at LPS?

How are these systems used by teaching faculty or other staff members?

If no systems are used, has the school researched using these systems?

Why were the systems not chosen to be used?

As an administrator with experience in a larger district, do you have any experience using a SIS and CIA management system?

What systems did your district use?

Were the teachers trained on how to translate the data into information they could apply in the classroom?

What benefits and disadvantages did you experience with these systems?

Based on your knowledge and experience, do you believe that our staff and students would benefit from having a CIA management system?

To date, has LPS looked at extending how it uses the SIS system?

Has LPS looked into CIA systems or a database warehouse?

What areas do you see that a SIS, CIA and data warehouse could improve how teacher time is used to assess students and produce raw data on student achievement?

Unit Two, Assignment Two

The following questions will be asked of our school principal regarding Student Management Systems and Data Warehouses:

1.In what ways is the data collected for input SIS?
Daily attendance sent by teachers

2.Who provides our SIS? 

3.How was it decided to use this SIS provider? (I can begin to answer this because I was at the meeting; our principal is new to the district this year) 

Personal input: A panel of teachers and administrators met with the provider two years ago for a presentation on the overview of the system. Each person gave input to the presentation and they usefulness of the provider. No other provider presentations were given for comparison.

4.What are the ways the SIS used in other ways outside of attendance for students?

5.What other technology based data systems, such as a curriculum/instruction/assessment management system used at LPS?

6.How are these systems used by teaching faculty or other staff members?

7.If no systems are used, has the school researched the pro's and cons of any of these systems?

8.Why have the systems not chosen to be used?

9.As an administrator with experience in a larger district, do you have any experience using a SIS and CIA management system? In your opinion are there benefits to the investment?

10.What systems did your district use?

11.Were the teachers trained on how to translate the data into information they could apply in the classroom?

12.What benefits and disadvantages did you experience with these systems?

13.Based on your knowledge and experience, in what ways do you believe that our staff and students would benefit from having a more extensive SIS that would allow a grade book and parent access? 


14. In what ways do you believe our school community could benefit from a CIA management system?

14.To date, has LPS looked at extending how it uses the SIS system?

15.Has LPS looked into CIA systems or a database warehouse?

16.What areas of improvement do you see a SMS could provide. For example, long-term management and accessibility to information.

*All answers are only to be used for assignments pertaining to the class and not extended into any other reports or discussions regarding the interviewee or school.

Week One, Assignment Five

What assessments are used on the following levels:

State:

• NJ ASK/APA (Alternative Proficiency Assessment)

• 1st Grade Writing Portfolios (began as a pilot this year)

• WIDA (for ESL students)

• TerraNova and NJCustom (2nd Grade) - not state mandated, but

we do order them through the state and choose to use them

School/District (one in the same):

• Fox in the Box (K-3)

• DRA (Directive Reading Assessments) - can be done at all grade

levels and are currently used by Basic Skills on an as needed

basis (I hope to do more of this in the future)

• Unit, Chapter, and Weekly math assessment that are offered

through the McMillan MacGraw Hill Series

• Project READ assessments

• Study Island (3-6)

District:(perhaps any that WAS uses that you know of):

• DRA’s are used regularly

• OLSAT’s (test of ability - we will be doing this in the next couple

of weeks for the first time)

Distrcit/School

The school I teach at is the only is the only school in our district so I will comment on two of the assessment tools we use.

Study Island

Our school started using Study Island two years ago as a preparation tool for NJ ASK. Students in grades 4-6 use Study Island is used in the areas of Language Arts and Math in grades three through six; science is used in grade four as well.

Teachers use Study Island as a tool to assess students’ current knowledge in different areas of the curriculum. Through quiz scores (in percentages) teachers can assess a students prior knowledge as well as growth in a particular idea in the curriculum.

OLSAT

 An abbreviation for Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, OLSAT is used to measure student ability in curriculum areas. Our school has chosen to start using the OLSAT because it is a brief test can guide the placement of students in our gifted and talented program. Up to this point in time our school has measured this ability based on NJ ASK scores, student grades and teacher input. Our gifted and talented teacher determined there needed to be more data that showed student ability in order make a solid decision for student placement in the program.

I chose to know more about the role OLSAT’s will take in our school because I often get questions from parents about how students can qualify for our G&T program. I wanted to be able to give informed answers to parents that have questions about their students being chosen.

State

NJ ASK

Our school uses NJ ASK test scores for determining student proficiency. The break down of areas on the test and score assists teachers in identifying areas of student weakness and strength that are tested and scored by the state. Classroom teachers will take scores into consideration when forming groups for reading and other subject areas.

How true of a determinant the NJ ASK test is, is of course debatable. Often times elementary students become very emotional around the test. Some high performing students have shown anxiety and test scores that do not reflect their true abilities as thinkers and students.When using the NJ ASK as a true assessment, teachers keep these factors in mind when completing a picture of the whole child. On the other end of the learner spectrum, students who struggle in the daily classroom have returned scores, by several points, that have hindered their qualification for special services such as Basic Skills or Literacy programs.

Week One, Scholarly Article

Week One Assignment: Scholarly article review: May 22, 2011


With the involvement of teachers, affective analysis of data can contribute to an environment that improves practices and the overall environment of a school (Wayman, 2005). In his article, Jeffrey C. Wayman (2005) writes about these positive aspects as well as others, such as school atmosphere and faculty morale (Wayman, 2005).

Wayman’s work is driven by the idea that schools are, “data rich but information poor” (Wayman, 2005). The results of tests, like NJ ASK, that speak to the requirements of NCLB (Wayman, 2005) leave teachers to translate numbers and percentages into functional statements that improve practices (Wayman, 2005). However, Wayman (2005) raises the very valid point that translating data into applicable information is better achieved through technology based stored data, proper professional development and leadership (Wayman,2005).

Though paper filled cabinets are the traditional method for storing student information Wayman (2005) sees electronic databases as a more accessible tool for teachers to collect and streamline information about a student (Wayman,2005). Wayman’s (2005) answer to correctly infusing this technology into teacher implemented data is through well planned professional development (Wayman, 2005) Wayman(2005) supports the idea that large-scale professional development has few benefits over small scale and teacher-to-teacher training (Wayman,2005). Wayman also (2005) writes strongly about the importance of leadership that leads by example by providing time for educators to collaborate and reflect upon the data that is collected (Wayman, 2005). Giving teachers much needed time in their already strict schedule is a visual commitment by leadership to the staff that collaboration is a tool that can positively impact teacher growth (Waymen, 2005).

Wayman(2005) supports his motivations with studies that display improved student achievement as well as staff morale as a result of correctly using data for decision making (2005). Staff that correctly interprets and uses data to direct their curriculum feel more professional and are motivated to increase communication between departments because of the whole picture that data can paint of a student. In addition, data collected from assessments can change teacher expectations of low-performing students by changing the idea of the students’ potential and abilities (Wayman, 2005)

I felt that Wayman (2005) made a valid and strong case for his points with support and truthful reasoning. I admired that Wayman (2005) stayed neutral when discussing different commercially provided data warehouses; keeping his academic perspective grounded and true instead of a platform for promotion. Wayman is honest to point out that (at the time of his study) there is no database system that infuses the functionality of a student information system (SIS), assessment systems and data warehouses (Wayman, 2005). Wayman (2005), though admitting the high monetary commitment, is a proponent of professionally made data warehouse because of the time and labor it saves a teacher or administrator to make one from scratch (Wayman,2005).



Resource:

Wayman, Jeffrey. "Involving Teachers in Data-Driven Decision Making: Using Computer Data Systems to Support Teacher Inquiry and Reflection." Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR) 10.3 (2005): 295-308. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/YRRsD