The Efficacy of Education

If something exists, then it exists in some quantity. If it exists in some quantity, then it can be measured.

Thorndike, R.
In education, the real question is, can we measure student achievement in a reliable, efficient, effective manner that we can communicate to make meaningful decisions about the educational programs for students?



 


  

NEWS


Highlighted Archives:

Recently a request was made on the ISPA list serve for a way to make a multi-phase progress monitoring chart similar to the one found in Curriculum-Based Measurement, Assessing Special Children (1995) Edited by Mark Shinn. In response to this request, I moved this relatively simple, not particularly flexible, multi-phase progress monitoring chart to the top of the list of downloads, and am highlighting it here as well. The feature that is unique to this file is that it allows the user to generate random data according to specifications of rand() function and a user specified maximum degree of error in conjunction with the standard OLS equation y=mx+b+E to simulate any pattern of response that you want to simulate. Because of the addition of the +E (where E is equal to a random value between 0 and 1 multiplied by a user specified value), the data have the same kind of bounce that we see with assessing real students.This template is intended to be used for instructional purposes. All of the formulas are open for inspection.


Tier 2 Behavior Data template added. This template is intended to be used to monitor and evaluate small group behavioral interventions. For each student receiving a small group intervention, enter the percentage of possible points earned per day into the data entry sheet, and both group and individual graphs are automatically produced. In addition, by selecting the option to show trends and evaluate progress, the template automatically compares the criteria you set up to the observed performance of students.


On 2/22/2011,  Dr. Gary Cates from ISU, and I presented a two-part series on Data-Based Decision-Making at NASP in San Francisco. The full slides for the Advanced session are now available here. This presentation covers Seven big ideas in Data-based Decision-making in schools including, RTI, Grouping Students for Intervention, Problem Solving, Goal Setting, Progress Monitoring, Resource Allocation and Program Evaluation.




"Words Their Way" Inventory analysis tool. Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, and Johnston have put together a fantastic book on teaching spelling along with three spelling inventories to help determine a starting point for students with their word sorts. The Tool that will soon be posted will allow a teacher to enter incorrectly spelled words on one of the three inventories, and switch tabs to instantly see how to group students for spelling.

On-line version of the Self-Assessment of Problem Solving Implementation (SAPSI) checklist coaching assessment .