Everything is Data
As human beings were are data collecting and processing machines. We sense the world, analyze it, and use that information to make decisions and problem solve. I look at the world like that. Also, I am a nerd. As data collecting machines, however, we also need to work on our data analysis abilities, or in other words, learn different ways to sense, analyze, and problem solve. As a Forever Student I am looking at how I can use data about my own personal life as well as my work professionally with schools, students, and the educational system. How to collect, analyze, and utilize data to make continuous improvements.
The greatest part of my current job is to look at data and use that data to develop interventions for students that are off track. We look at attendance. We look at referrals and suspensions. Finally, we look at course performance. Specifically in Math and English. With these pieces of data we can focus on those students that are at risk of dropping out of school later on in their academic career. I want to take this data collection even further.
Have you ever heard of Green Goose? Its a series of sensors that records and counts anything and everything you do and uploads it to a website for you to go over. I want get these sensors and record the number of times I put the seat up and down. The number of strokes I use when brushing my teeth. The number of steps I take in a day. I want to know this information because it intrigues me. It is my way of following that age old advice from the Greeks, "Know Thyself" and "An un-examined life is not worth living." For a nerd like my that is how I take that advice to heart.
When applied to schools, what data would you get about kids if you take that toilet sensor and put it on a book cover? What would you find out about your students if pens and pencils had that toothbrush sensor or students had the pedometer. I am just nerdy enough to want that information and use it to better the practice of teachers.
The second aspect of data analysis is the connection of different data points to tell a story. What information would we get if we connected the data from student information systems that include attendance, behavior and course performance with the Green Goose data. What if we then connected that with personality tests, standardized tests, and some basic demographic data. We could find out how often boys vs. girls open their books and if that leads to better grades. How often they get out of their seats and what that does to office referrals. With all of this data connected to each other we can understand our students better.
The greatest part of my current job is to look at data and use that data to develop interventions for students that are off track. We look at attendance. We look at referrals and suspensions. Finally, we look at course performance. Specifically in Math and English. With these pieces of data we can focus on those students that are at risk of dropping out of school later on in their academic career. I want to take this data collection even further.
Have you ever heard of Green Goose? Its a series of sensors that records and counts anything and everything you do and uploads it to a website for you to go over. I want get these sensors and record the number of times I put the seat up and down. The number of strokes I use when brushing my teeth. The number of steps I take in a day. I want to know this information because it intrigues me. It is my way of following that age old advice from the Greeks, "Know Thyself" and "An un-examined life is not worth living." For a nerd like my that is how I take that advice to heart.
When applied to schools, what data would you get about kids if you take that toilet sensor and put it on a book cover? What would you find out about your students if pens and pencils had that toothbrush sensor or students had the pedometer. I am just nerdy enough to want that information and use it to better the practice of teachers.
The second aspect of data analysis is the connection of different data points to tell a story. What information would we get if we connected the data from student information systems that include attendance, behavior and course performance with the Green Goose data. What if we then connected that with personality tests, standardized tests, and some basic demographic data. We could find out how often boys vs. girls open their books and if that leads to better grades. How often they get out of their seats and what that does to office referrals. With all of this data connected to each other we can understand our students better.