Michael Fullan’s Topic Videos: Using Data

Take-a-Ways:

There are a surprising number of people claiming innovations without having any evidence to back up their claim.
- Even though I took this important thought away from the video, I’m confident that few educators would be surprised or disagree with this statement.
There needs to be some sort of evidence from data that something is working.
I wish there would have been some discussion about the importance of classroom/teacher data. Too often we wait on state/national assessments which doesn’t give teachers quick and efficient evidence of what their students do and don’t know.

My $0.02:

As a teacher and educator, my beef is rarely with data. My beef is that we often obtain and use data in the most ineffective and disparaging ways. I really liked the quote below taken from Michael Fullan’s website.

…When data are precise, presented in a non-judgmental way, considered by peers, and used for improvement as well as for external accountability, they serve to balance pressure and support.

Michael Fullan’s Topic Videos is a series of 22 short clips, 2-3 minutes each delve into a variety of educational topics . These videos include real life examples suitable for teachers, principals, and administrators. The videos are designed and filmed to illustrate ‘motion leadership in action’.