Data Driven instruction - Testing For What's to Come

In the world of communal Relations, accountability has often been a loosely defined concept. "Hey Mr. Ceo, I got your face on the cover of X magazine. That press issue is being picked up by the media too - score!" Then clients started asking a pesky question: What is that publicity placement absolutely worth to me?

Suddenly "trust me, your campaign is doing great!" didn't cut it; the industry was pushed into operating under real accountability.

When I worked at an Internet-based Pr agency at a Cleveland marketing firm, we were faced with a new question: What is a mention of a client in a blog post absolutely worth, in real dollars? What if that blog includes a hyperlink back to our client's website - what then is the value?

We created a metric, the first of its kind in the nation, to measure the value of online Pr placements. The purpose was two-fold: We could share actual value with clients, but we could also meet as a team and thought about analyze our Pr campaigns... Turning on a dime and pushing off in a new direction if that's what the data suggested. The use of metrics is now often the variation in the middle of floundering campaigns and those employing responsive, prosperous tactics.

What are the parallels to education?

Again the disclaimer: I'm new to education. I've had a lot of study and a rich student-teaching taste but I won't have my own classroom until fall. But the parallels in the middle of business and teaching appear strong.

What if testing were frequent, the results transparent, and quick activity teams were in place to analyze data and act upon it?

I've seen estimation used primarily to validate what's been done - versus what should be done next. At Walsh University we had the understanding of metacognition drilled into us - mental about one's own thinking. We learned to analyze how we can improve our lessons, and do good when covering that material or understanding again. We weren't pushed to turn what we are going to do next. The next day - the following week. Chapter plans aren't written in concrete slabs, and the great teachers I've seen think fast on their feet.

I concede all this testing is time taken away from teaching. But I still think short, frequent assessments for the purpose of driving instruction, are an idea whose time has come.

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