Informed Decision Making
As an educator, it is paramount to make data-backed decisions daily to improve teaching practices and student learning outcomes. According to Edutopia.org, (Houser,2017) Houser states that "educators make an average of 1,500 decisions a day, which implies a necessity to be aware of student progress, state curriculum, best practice, recent research and findings, as well as the needs of individual students. Therefore, the best decision that an educator can make, is to resolve to stay informed."
Houser, G. G. and R. (2017, July 19). Battling decision fatigue. Edutopia. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/battling-decision-fatigue-gravity-goldberg-renee-houser#:~:text=Teachers%20make%20about%201%2C500%20decisions,shortcuts%20or%20stops%20working%20altogether
The following artifacts illustrate my understanding and development of inquiry techniques for identifying necessary data to make well-informed decisions. These artifacts also demonstrate the steps that should be taken and the variables that should be considered before initiating actions to address and remediate a need.
The project below asserts that much research and revision must go into creating a proposal grant that will communicate the needs of a campus. The author of such grants must be well informed of the needs of those whom he/she aims to help, and also be aware of the empirical evidence that supports the need or desire of the beneficiaries in question.
For this reason, I have decided to classify this evidence of learning under "Informed Decision Making".
This artifact is a multimedia product used to present a grant proposal project culminating the research portion of the class, "Implementation of Educational Technology Programs", and was constructed through several stages of research, creation, and peer review. The purpose of this proposal is to secure funding for the purchase of technology that is required by the math department at the high school where I am currently employed and was inspired by the legitimate needs of the students and teachers at this school.
As an advocate of the school library program, it is crucial for me to be informed of the needs of the patrons of my program, and knowledgeable of research that supports the proposed solutions, and requests. These artifacts showcase my ability to interpret information, formulate a logical argument, and prepare a visual and written proposal to secure the technology that my library and school patrons need. Additionally, I am including the written proposal for the viewers' critique.
In the artifact below you will find evidence of interpretation of data to evaluate the effectiveness of an employee bereavement program. This project required analysis of multiple representations of data, as well as evidence of using data and various research method theories to draw tentative conclusions and make recommendations for further inquiry to inform possible solutions.
I chose this presentation as proof of making "data-informed decisions", since it demonstrates the final product of multiple- analysis/review/revision cycles, and recommendations for further research based on the available data.
Should it Stay or Should it Go?
These next artifacts show the results of an analysis of a school library's circulation data and selection/weeding criteria to maintain an excellent and up-to-date collection for the school community. These reports demonstrate my ability to use data and standards to make informed decisions about the management of my collection of resources.