Disclaimer: This post is for a graduate school (University of Maryland University College) assignment.
First we "notice"
As a teacher I have used the “Notice and Wonder” strategy with my students in a variety of ways. We have used this protocol to spark conversations about problem solving in math, specifically with 3 Act lessons. My students and I have also “noticed and wondered” about paintings, primary source documents, and scientific phenomenons. This week I had the opportunity to utilize this teaching strategy as a professional while analyzing data. My data team and I held a virtual meeting on Sunday, February 21, 2016 through Google Hangouts. We thoroughly enjoyed using this professional development protocol that Venables describes in How Teachers Can Turn Data into Action.
The first step to hosting a successful data meeting with online classmates involved frequent communication. Through email and the UMUC learning management system, LEO, we were able to determine a good date and time to meet virtually. We chose Google Hangouts as the tool for this virtual meeting because of its strong connectivity and ability to screen share.
The first step to hosting a successful data meeting with online classmates involved frequent communication. Through email and the UMUC learning management system, LEO, we were able to determine a good date and time to meet virtually. We chose Google Hangouts as the tool for this virtual meeting because of its strong connectivity and ability to screen share.
Prior to the meeting, each member chose a data sample from their own class to study. Although it was not a requirement, all groups chose macrodata. I specifically chose my students’ winter MAPs Math scores. We each took time to develop notice statements on a shared Google Doc. By the time we were ready to meet virtually each member of our group was ready to discuss their own data.
Then we "wonder"
On a Sunday evening we collaborated on a Google Hangout for approximately 1 hour. During this meeting, we each shared our data to the screen in a round-robin format. We offered each other “wonder whys, wonder ifs, wonder whethers, and wonder hows” type questions as described on page 26 of the course text. (Venables). These questions led to great discussions about implications that could be made from each data sample.
Exploratory Questions
At the end of each discussion we transformed the wonder statements into exploratory questions. Each of us attempted to record at least one exploratory question that required a call for action on our shared Google Doc. In Venables’ words, exploratory questions often “contain the kernel of an implied problem and a curiosity about how to do better or how to fix the problem.” Once each member of the team shared their data and developed exploratory questions we closed up the meeting and began our independent work. Specifically, I was required to create a presentation that summarized my data and the notice and wonder statements that accompanied it. That presentation can be found below:
| edtc_615_week_3_deliverable_1-__individual_-exploratory_questions-_assignment.pptx |
Overall, the first data meeting was extremely successful and engaging for all team members. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see how teachers from other schools viewed my students’ data. This was particularly interesting because these teachers do not have any prior knowledge about my school’s SLO or School Improvement Plan (SIP) as well as my personal SLO. I certainly look forward to working with this group and engaging in the second data meeting.