Learning Analytics Collaborative

  “It’s important to remember that behind every data point is a daughter, a mother, a sister – a person with hopes and dreams.” — Melinda French Gates Image and wordcloud from ncec.catholic.edu.au I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to visit a number of schools over the past few weeks, and see first-hand how teachers are making countless decisions every day to personalize learning. It strikes me that one of the positives to come from our years of lockdowns is a deeper understanding that context matters, and a willingness to find out more about the unique context that our students bring with them to our classrooms each day.  One aspect of context that I am interested in learning more about is “hopes and dreams”: What do our students wish for their future and how does that impact their learning in the present? How might your grade 10 geography lesson plans change if you knew what career your students were aspiring to? How would you group students in PHE class if you knew each student’s ch

In my work with schools, I’m always on the look out for a school’s data champions: the early adopters of a culture where data is valued and is used to improve schools and student outcomes. Data champions help colleagues understand how to find, interpret, and use data effectively. They are also translators, able to turn complex findings into clear and actionable insights.  Image by  Mohamed Hassan  form  PxHere  - CC0 Public Domain We often go looking for data champions in the IT office, or failing that, in the math department, but the truth is that data champions are hiding in plain sight everywhere; anyone who believes in using data to inform choices, and who can convince others of the value of data, has the potential to become a champion.  So how do we find and grow these “sleeping champions”? Jim Collins share strategies for building “enduring greatness by cultivating a talent pipeline”. In a data context, this could include: Modeling data-driven decision making Provide opportuniti