8th Annual DATAWISE Users' Conference Session Descriptions
DATAWISE IN ACTION: Connecting the Platform, Assessment Content, and Data for Student Success!
TRACKS
- Using DATAWISE to Improve Student Learning
- Novice Users - these sessions will include some infused assessment-related professional development
- Advanced Users - these sessions will solely address system functionality and features and will not include assessment-related professional development content
- Creating rich assessments
- Purposefully Using Data to Boost Student Achievement
DAY ONE
8:30-9:30
Plenary: What's New in DATAWISE and Where are we are Headed - Showcase of Features and Resources - We will kick off the conference by surveying the latest system enhancements, which were driven by client requests and researched best practices. We will also provide a glimpse of our vision for the future of student assessment and data management solutions.
9:45-10:45 Concurrent
DATAWISE NOVICE
DATAWISE: Overview and Reports Part 1 - (This is a double session) Participants will learn how to navigate the reporting features of the DATAWISE platform, including how to access data from a large-scale view down to individual student information to look at strengths, needs, and improvements over time. They will also learn the underlying principles of a comprehensive assessment system that drive system usage. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Use the main menu, dashboard, and help center
- Understand how to access the Performance Explorer reports
- Use Easy Analyze to access multiple DATAWISE reports
- Produce student profile reports
- Access Analyzing Results - Results by Students, Item Analysis, Results Over Standards, Proficiency over Standard Analysis
DATAWISE ADVANCED
Supporting Collaboration - In this session, participants will discover how easy it is to create a DATAWISE Team that allows them to share dashboard widgets with their colleagues. Participants will also learn about the various types of widgets available and how to publish agendas, links, documents, and dynamic reports that support workshops and team meetings. This session will also cover how to create roles and allow staff to access certain groups of students.
RICH TESTS
Writing Effective Items - In this session we will expose participants to essential principles of effective item writing and will engage in several hands-on activities. Participants will learn about the basic principles of Universal Design for item development as well as rules for writing effective test items based on recent research. Participants will also see a demonstration of a practical approach to writing, editing, and selecting test items using DATAWISE.
USING DATA
Making Sense of All that Data! - Gain a better understanding of how to make accurate interpretations about multiple measures of student performance through an inquiry-based analysis of different DATAWISE reports. From summary-level data to student-level data, learn practical strategies to further clarify and define student learning needs.
11:15-12:15 Concurrent
DATAWISE NOVICE
DATAWISE Overview and Reports Part 2 - (This is a double session) Participants will learn how to navigate the reporting features of the DATAWISE platform, including how to access data from a large-scale view down to individual student information to look at strengths, needs, and improvements over time. They will also learn the underlying principles of a comprehensive assessment system that drive system usage. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Use the main menu, dashboard, and help center
- Understand how to access the Performance Explorer reports
- Use Easy Analyze to access multiple DATAWISE reports
- Produce student profile reports
- Access Analyzing Results - Results by Students, Item Analysis, Results Over Standards, Proficiency over Standard Analysis
DATAWISE ADVANCED
Test Delivery Options - Save paper by using the powerful DATAWISE online testing feature for any test residing in DATAWISE. This session will cover scheduling, printing logins, and using multiple forms. We will also cover various options for capturing data for lower grades, including the use of scannable test booklets, the Maintain Results feature, and other methods.
RICH TESTS
Building Effective Assessments - This session will provide professional development and systems training on how to use a test blueprint to create assessments that align to performance expectations and inform instruction. We will review the basic construct of multiple-choice and constructed-response items. We will also practice selecting items from the DATAWISE item bank that match targeted standards as well as the levels of cognitive complexity as measured by Bloom's Taxonomy or Webb's Depth-of-Knowledge Levels expected in the standards.
USING DATA
Using DATAWISE Reports Target Student Interventions - This session focuses on how user-created and standard reports in DATAWISE can help educators effectively disaggregate data, track groups of students, and relate the results to instructional interventions. The case illustration during this session relates to the achievement gap and offers some powerful lessons in how to look at data and your students. Participants will learn how to identify required reports, create custom reports, disaggregate results by subgroup, and analyze the results for sound understanding and action.
1:30-2:30 Concurrent
DATAWISE NOVICE
DATAWISE Test Creation Using the Item Bank (Basic) - By the end of this session, participants will have the basic ability to navigate the test creation function of the DATAWISE platform. Participants will learn how to create and save tests using the item bank, access and view items for multiple content areas, access and use Quick Test, and use different delivery options.
DATAWISE ADVANCED
New Capabilities for Scoring Tests - Technology is making district, school, and classroom assessment easier all the time. See the latest enhancements from DATAWISE developers, including One-Step scanning, support for a range of clicker products, and the upcoming Camera Capture.
SPECIAL SESSION: Grants: Practical Tips for Funding Your Initiatives in Tight Times - In this session participants will explore grants as a revenue stream for funding school and district initiatives. Participants will receive information on grant resources and learn tips for writing winning grants. The agenda will include:
- Reviewing the diminishing pool of federal and state government competitive grants
- Exploring the world of private and foundation grants - an untapped resource
- Learning about grant resource websites and books
- Receiving winning grant writing tips
Participants should come prepared to be interactive and leave with some winning ideas!
USING DATA
Translating Data into Instructional Action - This session will address how school leaders create a culture for promoting collaborative inquiry and data-driven dialogue that moves beyond analyzing data to using data and student work as a catalyst for instructional improvement. We will share and explore strategies for facilitating learning teams or professional learning communities around using data to gain insights about student thinking and instructional implications.
2:45-3:45 Concurrent
DATAWISE ADVANCED
REPEAT COMBINED SESSIONS
Supporting Collaboration - In this session, participants will discover how easy it is to create a DATAWISE Team that allows them to share dashboard widgets with their colleagues. Participants will also learn about the various types of widgets available and how to publish agendas, links, documents, and dynamic reports that support workshops and team meetings. This session will also cover how to create roles and allow staff to access certain groups of students.
New Capabilities for Scoring Tests - Technology is making district, school, and classroom assessment easier all the time. See the latest enhancements from DATAWISE developers, including One-Step scanning, support for a range of clicker products, and the upcoming Camera Capture.
DATAWISE ADVANCED
Getting In-depth Test Results Quickly and Easily - Regardless of the features you use to capture assessment data, results are available immediately. In this session, we will cover features that support informed instructional intervention using timely data, including student feedback reports, item analyses, and the latest tools for grouping students based on assessment results. Participants will also learn how to access district resources online based on selected best practices.
RICH TESTS
REPEAT SESSION: Building Effective Assessments - This session will provide professional development and systems training on how to use a test blueprint to create assessments that align to performance expectations and inform instruction. We will review the basic construct of multiple-choice and constructed-response items. We will also practice selecting items from the DATAWISE item bank that match targeted standards as well as the levels of cognitive complexity as measured by Bloom's Taxonomy or Webb's Depth-of-Knowledge Levels expected in the standards.
USING DATA
Establishing a School-wide Infrastructure for Collaboration - This session will help educators understand researched-based principles of effectively establishing structures for systematic collaboration, i.e. data teams, professional learning communities, and learning teams. Participants will have the opportunity to examine their schools' current practices. After discussing these key principles, we will introduce participants to the concept of inquiry-based learning models to support effective data use. We will also discuss how educators can use the DATAWISE platform in collaborative settings.
DAY TWO
7:45-8:45
Plenary Session: Client Presentations and Panel Discussion - Putting DATAWISE into Action - In this session DATAWISE clients will describe how they are using the system and will respond to questions.
9:00-10:00 Concurrent
DATAWISE NOVICE
REPEAT SESSION: DATAWISE Overview and Reports Part 2 - (This is a double session) Participants will learn how to navigate the reporting features of the DATAWISE platform, including how to access data from a large-scale view down to individual student information to look at strengths, needs, and improvements over time. They will also learn the underlying principles of a comprehensive assessment system that drive system usage. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Use the main menu, dashboard, and help center
- Understand how to access the Performance Explorer reports
- Use Easy Analyze to access multiple DATAWISE reportsProduce student profile reports
- Access Analyzing Results - Results by Students, Item Analysis, Results Over Standards, Proficiency over Standard Analysis
DATAWISE ADVANCED
New Multi-Roster Report - In this session, we will introduce the new Multi-Roster option for the Percent Proficient report. At the request of our clients, DATAWISE users now have various additional options available when running this trends report, whether they are breaking down data by subgroups for AYP or viewing data by school, grade levels, etc. We will familiarize participants with new graphs and drill-down capabilities that we have added to this new report within Easy Analyze.
DATAWISE ADVANCED
Extended Reports - Tips and Tricks - In this session participants will see how easy it is to instantly access data they need using Easy Analyze, One-Click reports, Custom View, and other features. Whether educators are using data to inform their own teaching practices or leading a team in data-driven dialogue, this session will show users how to quickly locate what they want and create, save, and share reports they can readily access themselves as well as share with others with just a click.
USING DATA
An Introduction to Formative Assessment, a Powerful - Often Misunderstood - Set of Strategies to Improve Student Learning - In this session, we will clarify the difference between formative assessment and using assessments formatively. Through a demonstration of each of the key strategies that make up the formative assessment process, participants will reflect on ways to use DATAWISE to engage students in the assessment process within their own classrooms.
10:15-11:15 Concurrent
DATAWISE ADVANCED
REPEAT COMBINED SESSIONS: Getting In-depth Test Results Quickly and Easily - Regardless of the features you use to capture assessment data, results are available immediately. In this session, we will cover features that support informed instructional intervention using timely data, including student feedback reports, item analyses, and the latest tools for grouping students based on assessment results. Participants will also learn how to access district resources online based on selected best practices.
Extended Reports - Tips and Tricks - In this session participants will see how easy it is to instantly access data they need using Easy Analyze, One-Click reports, Custom View, and other features. Whether educators are using data to inform their own teaching practices or leading a team in data-driven dialogue, this session will show users how to quickly locate what they want and create, save, and share reports they can readily access themselves as well as share with others with just a click.
DATAWISE ADVANCED
New Tools for Monitoring Progress - In this session, participants will see the latest tools in DATAWISE 2011 for working with groups of students. We added new features that allow educators to group students based on their assessment results - from performance level down to item-response level. We will also cover the new Alerts feature, which will assist teachers and administrators in tracking students based on various demographics or interventions. See how you can view these important groups on your dashboard and immediately explore individual student data.
Measured Progress Fixed Forms -
- the development process, including the psychometric foundation;
- the standards used and alignment considerations;
- reports and the different ways to measure student growth; and
- such key features as the ability to augment the forms with your own items, delivery options, resources to support teacher scoring of open-response items, and more.
USING DATA
E-learning Opportunities for DATAWISE Users - This session will explore options tosustain implementation and to support learning teams and leaders. Participants will learn how they can use webinars along with integrated consultation and facilitation from a Measured Progress professional development assessment specialistto provide training in assessment and data use. This session will demonstrate the use of technology and distance learning to build capacity and embed low-cost professional development within your district or school. Participants will learn about our online resources, including a free help center, professional development tutorials, web-based tools, and a social networking site.
12:15-1:15
Plenary Session: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - Implications and Measured Progress Response - With the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) adopted by most states and multiple consortia developing high-stakes assessments to measure student achievement of the standards, districts and schools must now adapt their curricula, instruction, and assessments to them. We will share our perspective regarding the fundamental implications of the standards and the need for fresh assessment content built to - not just aligned with - them, an effort now underway at Measured Progress. The topics we will cover include:
- Why Measured Progress is building new items, rather than retrofitting existing items
- Implications for item development with some examples of new items
- Opportunities to be involved in field testing the new items
