ABC’s of Data Collection

ABC’s of Education Planning- The Crucial Role of Data Collection in Informed Decision-Making for Deaf Education

• Analyze student baseline data
• Be aware of individual needs
• Collect additional information and monitor progress

Assessment Tools: Use various assessment tools such as pre-tests, diagnostic tests, or standardized assessments to gather baseline data on students’ current knowledge and skills.
Data Sources: Collect data from multiple sources like quizzes, homework, classroom observation, and any previous records to get a comprehensive view.

2. Analyze Baseline Data

Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Look for patterns in the data to identify which areas students excel in and which areas need improvement.

3. Set Learning Targets

• Specific and Measurable:  Define clear, specific, and measurable learning targets based on the gaps and strengths identified. 
• Incremental Goals: Break down larger learning targets into smaller, manageable goals to track progress more effectively.

4. Develop Instructional Strategies

• Differentiate Instruction: Create a range of instructional activities and resources to address different learning needs. For instance, use hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners and make visual aids to supplement auditory instruction for learners who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• Interventions: plan for additional support or intervention strategies for students who are significantly below the target.

For example, data on a student’s preferred mode of communication—whether it be American Sign Language (ASL), oral communication, or a combination of both—allows educators to implement teaching strategies that align with the student’s strengths.

5. Monitor Progress

• Formative Assessments: Use ongoing formative assessments to check students’ progress towards learning targets. This can include quizzes or quick check-ins like thumbs up/down, ticket out the door, and demonstration of skills.
• Feedback: Provide regular feedback to students on their progress and adjust instruction based on their performance.

Regular monitoring of academic progress through assessments and observations helps in adjusting instructional methods to better support the student’s learning journey. In this way, data collection serves as the foundation for creating a responsive and inclusive educational environment for DHH students.

6. Adjust Learning Targets and Instruction

• Review Data: Periodically review data to see if students are meeting their targets or if adjustments are needed.
• Refine Targets: Modify learning targets if necessary, based on student progress and emerging needs.

7. Reflect and Evaluate

• Evaluate Effectiveness: At the end of a unit or period, evaluate the effectiveness of the learning targets and instructional strategies.
• Reflect on Data: Reflect on the data collected and the overall impact on student learning to make informed decisions for future instruction.

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to collect data for potential ESY student candidacy. When students are away from instruction over the summer, assessing whether or not they have regressed in skill development, is a key factor in learning development. Familiarize yourself with your students’ 4th marking period, or end of year reports from the previous school year. Then, assess in a similar manner to determine if the skills remain the same, continued to develop, or regressed over the summer. If the student shows regression of a skill, determine how long it takes for the student to recoup the skill to the level of the last report period. This data can then be used for ESY determination factors.

Overall, data collection will ultimately improve a student’s individual educational outcomes, by screening for areas of need, targeting specific skills that need explicit instruction, monitoring interventions by determining progress over time, and helping determine if the educational program is working to meet the needs of the student.

For more information on assessment see the Steps to Assessment Book, Building Skills in the Fast-Paced Classroom, and Courses such as “WORKSHOP-Steps to Assessment, Cracking the Assessment Code: How to integrate listening assessment data into goals and classroom instruction, Understanding Assessments for Students with Hearing Loss, Using the FLE: Administering the Functional Listening Evaluation Using Sentences