Big Data means better student outcomes and career readiness but before we map out the tools and technology of big data, we need to put its benefits into human terms to which we can relate. Big data is more than just a tool to help top administrators make decisions. It can positively impact every level of education. First and foremost, we need to come to that true realization that our students are digital natives. They are used to working with technology and electronics. So, we should take advantage of students' technological fluency and seemingly unsolvable problems in education: How do you provide remedial help without stigmatizing students, isolating them or embarrassing them in front of their peers?
Big data as working hand-in-glove with other technology initiatives that have developed over the past few years, including bring your own device (BYOD), pervasive wireless networks and advanced networking that connects institutions to the outside world.
Student polling has the potential to enrich and direct daily instruction. Instead of waiting weeks to determine where the students are in terms of mastery of the subject, the teacher can have that data at his or her fingertips instantaneously. The teacher might decide to retool the instructional lesson right at the spot. We don't have to take the stack of papers to grade that night to figure out that as a teacher I might have missed an opportunity earlier in the day.
Leveraging data is simply expected these days. We are more and more dependent on technology to do our jobs, and if you're using chart paper and Sharpies to analyze your data, then we're not doing justice for our students. Access is a must and it begins with a wireless infrastructure that allows students to access the network.
Big data is full of possibilities. Some specific benefits anticipated by education leaders are:
- identifying at-risk students before the trouble starts
- Targeting research-based interventions in real time
- Improving professional development strategies
- Implementing student, teacher and instructor value-added growth models (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-added_modeling)
- Improving student outcomes
- Achieving career readiness what is college and career readiness?
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