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Data Motivates Students to Achieve

by Jana Bennett

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In a past blog post, we discussed four powerful ways student data helps inform instructional and intervention efforts, including:

  • Identifying at-risk students early
  • Informing and differentiating instruction to close the learning gap
  • Predicting student achievement on end-of-year targets
  • Promoting student success in subsequent grade levels

Without doubt, data is an unrivaled asset in today’s educational landscape, but to fully leverage the power of data to improve student achievement, students should be included in the process.

Ron Berger, Chief Academic Officer for EL Education, wrote in his book “The most powerful determinants of student growth are the mindsets and learning strategies that students themselves bring to their work—how much they care about working hard and learning, how convinced they are that hard work leads to growth, and how capably they have built strategies to focus, organize, remember, and navigate challenges.”1

Why Sharing Data with Students Matters

Partnering with students to collect and analyze data helps students, Berger says, “become active agents in their own growth.”1

Using easy-to-understand, seamless data with students gives them a valid starting point for progress, allows them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, and infuses motivation to set goals and achieve.

Student-engaged assessment practices – when students work in tandem with educators and are empowered to view and analyze their own student data, according to Berger2 – can inspire and motivate:

  • Students to care about their success in the classroom

Some students become disconnected with school and lose their love and excitement for learning. Students who struggle to progress feel that intelligence is something one is born with, and their poor grades, low test scores, and difficulty keeping pace with higher-achieving classmates keep them in the mindset that they’re just not as “good at school.”2

Strategically sharing data with students puts them back in control of their own success. Valid, reliable data gives them the opportunity to analyze their performance, track their progress, and see their hard work pay off.

  • Students to adopt a positive mindset

When students see actual progress and begin to experience success, their mindset shifts from disconnected and unmotivated to engaged and driven. Data helps students see the connection between practice, effort, dedication, attitude, and increased aptitude.2

  • Attentive reflection

Mindful reflection is built into data-driven learning efforts, and it helps students become self-directed learners. Once students complete an assessment or assignment and receive feedback, reflection begins. Students can begin to analyze their errors for patterns and learn what the data is saying about their current level of performance.2

  • A culture of collaboration and trust

Berger explicitly states that “making data transparent requires a safe classroom culture.” When students know that their teachers care about them and their success, and when students know that their student data is not shared with any other student, meaningful trust is established. From this level of understanding, students and teachers can collaborate on new ways to use data to progress and achieve.2

Does your district employ student-engaged assessment practices?

Using a seamless web-based assessment, data management, and reporting system, your district can capture, manage, report, and share assessment data with students and parents. Start fully leveraging all data-driven efforts by discovering aimswebPlus.

Resources:

1 Berger, Ron, Rugen, Leah, Libby, Woodfin. MindsShift. “Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment:” [Excerpt from chapter: Using Data with Students]. Retrieved August 19, 2016. https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/08/how-students-can-be-partners-in-data-driven-approaches-to-learning/

2 Berger, Ron, Rugen, Leah, Libby, Woodfin. EL Education. “Why Student-Engaged Assessment Matters.” Retrieved August 20, 2016. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjY6o7GltDOAhUDOCYKHXmtBn4QFggnMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Feleducation.org%2Findex.php%2Factions%2Fvmg%2Fdownload%2Fasset%3Fid%3D1246&usg=AFQjCNHPZLlEqDTOn4W7QQKWpL4ND8E5WA&sig2=IsR87TPSagbmbFtOI9PFzQ