DFI Week 6 - Dealing with Data

Today's session has been incredibly helpful! Sheets have been a tool I have been utilising but not to the full extent possible. Today's session has really opened up the possibilities, especially as someone who has to deal with data frequently as a Curriculum Leader. I know I am now able to take and use some of today's tips within spreadsheets I have created for data, and not only saving myself a ton of time with calculations I was making manually, but also with ways of making the spreadsheets more visually appealing and user friendly (If only we had this session pre ERO!). The ability to use the explore tool is incredibly valuable as it is doing some of that 'oh so important' analysis for you.

The afternoon has been spent playing with Sheets and looking at how we can analyse student blog data, or more importantly, get our students to analyse their own blog data, using the range of tools available. As our students are beginning to use their blogs over time, I can see this being a valuable way of them learning analysis and data handling skills. Now to get the World Maps working on our blogs! I also find looking at other student blogs a valuable experience as it gives me ideas of other ways in which I can utilise blogging within the classroom. After initially concentrating on getting my students posting, the focus is now more on ensuring they are quality posts and include a DLO and explanation of what they have been doing. Some of the class are beginning to do this quite well and i need to bring everyone up to the same point. I think participating in Tuhi Mai Tuhi Atu has definitely helped with this as they are much more aware that they have an external audience viewing their blogs.

We also spent some time today looking at google forms. Forms are a tool I have used previously in a range of ways. From surveys to gathering data about a particular topic, I have found them to be a valuable method for gathering information. I want to further investigate the option of having different pathways depending on the response given. I could see this as being really useful to help guide next steps for students and for my own planning. I have also shown students how to use google forms when they are conducting research, so that they can get a range of responses on a topic they are researching. I think the next step with this would be to go in to greater depth with them about how they can use the data they gather.