2024 Data Digs have started

At Knox Grammar School we have launched our Senior School Data Digs for 2024.

What did we look at?

Teachers spend lots of time writing reports ?? at the end of each academic year. Very rarely do we use this data source to inform teaching practice. This is what we spent time doing in our Friday morning PL session in Week 1. Teachers worked in departmental groups to access old student reports to facilitate teaching and learning conversations centred on their 2024 classes.

In order to make the experience as effective as possible for "people who aren't numbers people", I based the step-by-step manual on the work of Dr Selena Fisk. to include the following sections:

1) how to locate the data

2) interpreting the data

3) key questions to ask

4) where to from here?

This format has become a consistent feature in our data work.

Time was also spent by out Year 12 teachers looking at the results of our first KAI (Knox Academic Indictor) for the students in their class.

Key questions included:

1) How many units does the student study?

2) Is there a pattern in the subjects studied ie many extension subjects, practical subjects, humanities subjects etc?

3) Are there subjects of study that complement the subject I teach?

4) Does the study study subjects which require the completion of a major or multiple major works?

5) How does my subject contribute to the KAI?

6) Where does my subject rank for the student?

7) Is there a notable difference between my subject and other subjects with respect to what it contributes to the KAI?

8) Is there a pattern to the results ie most high results and one subject considerably lower?

Questions for discussion with our students

1) What do you do in the subject that you are most successful in to: revise, prepare for assessment to ensure success? ie spaced retrieval, begin tasks early, work with a friend, complete all formatives, complete past papers.

2) How could those study habits be transferred to the subjects you find more challenging?

3) In which subject order do you complete homework/study/assessment preparation?

4) Share with me some teaching strategies or positive classroom experiences from other subjects.

The Data Dig Manual is prefaced with the Elephant and the Blind Men parable. Time spent looking at old report data and Knox Academic Indicator facilitates a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the young men who partake in our lessons everyday. As a learning community the sharing of wisdom through data discussions is an invaluable PL experience.