Best of Class: There is a Solution to Universal Numeracy

Best of Class: There is a Solution to Universal Numeracy: I have for most of my professional education career and with more intensity over the past 15 months, devoted myself to the proposition that...

There is a Solution to Universal Numeracy

I have for most of my professional education career and with more intensity over the past 15 months, devoted myself to the proposition that we could, if we really wanted to, ensure universal numeracy.  So much so that I have been honored and privileged to work for DreamBox Learning.   

DreamBox Learning is "the" new breed technology that leverages intelligent analytics that literally learn, adapt, adjust and personalize learning as the learner is learning.  Though I experienced firsthand the power and results of DreamBox with learners in North Carolina and Texas respectively in my role as Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Academics, I am convinced, now more than ever, that universal numeracy is within our reach.

More than a pipe dream, universal numeracy and its' pursuit is within our individual and collective control.  To achieve it, three areas must shift – mental models, prevention from intervention, and “now” rather than “later”.

The first shift requires turning away from the long held belief that there will always be learners who are unsuccessful in math.  Universal numeracy is just that, universal.  Rather than focusing on "all" learners, we need to focus on “each” learner.  To do so, necessitates personalized learning that authentically adapts and adjusts specifically and individually to the learning needs of each learner as they need them - in real time.

The second shift is moving from a treatment or intervention model to a prevention model.  In many respects, treatment or response to failed learning in the form of an intervention was and is based on the limitations of assessment and data. Never before have we been able to peek inside the learning process to engage, equip, and empower teachers to activate learning specifically to the need of each learner.  Moreover, this activation of learning leverages the profound skill, knowledge and experience of classroom practitioners to build and reinforce learner capacity, confidence, and competence in math.

Lastly, "now" rather than "later” is the third and critical shift yet the most difficult to make.  The sense of urgency to address learner inexperience, skill or knowledge gaps must compel us to act now – not later.  What this means is suspending compliance to aspects of the broader grade level curriculum to ensure that the necessary skill and knowledge sets critical to numeracy are mastered.  This doesn’t mean learners are constrained to 6 to 8 hours of math instruction.  Rather, it means teachers have the access, means and permission to leverage insight about the individual learning needs to activate learning in the moment. – not wait until the next day due to “having” to move on to the next subject, special, or etc.

School and school system leaders must give permission to teachers as well as to themselves to ensure each learner is successful by leveraging, utilizing, and committing time – dedicated time to ensure mastery.  The days of marching on through the curriculum with the best hopes that those learners who are marching to a different “pace”, different "need" will catch up at some future date are over.

Rethinking, reprioritizing, and reallocating the use of time is a salient component of personalized learning.  Without it, all doesn’t become each, prevention doesn’t replace intervention, and the sense of urgency never manifests into action.

My passion for universal numeracy is fueled by the knowledge and experience that there is a powerful solution – one that authentically and intelligently learns from the learner as the learner is learning; one that authentically and intelligently adapts and adjusts to the learners needs albeit to relearn or stretch to a new concept, construct or procedural application; one that authentically and intelligently engages, equips, and empowers learners and teachers alike; and one that can ensure that each learner is successful in math.  That solution is DreamBox Learning.

Best of Class: Good Indicators Require Good Quality Data

Best of Class: Good Indicators Require Good Quality Data: The geneses of a new era creating a different awareness, understanding and application of measuring student achievement through multiple me...

Good Indicators Require Good Quality Data

The geneses of a new era creating a different awareness, understanding and application of measuring student achievement through multiple measures of “learning progress” is upon us.  Yet, do we have the capacity, competence, and confidence to pivot from a single metric defining achievement to several data points that create a mosaic of learner growth?

Our educators will be challenged in many ways to suspend practices to prepare for end of grade or end of course tests.  A renewed focus on the deeper, more enduring habits of learning will emerge.  This focus, if done right, will provide learners multiple ways to construct, apply, connect, collaborate, co-author, co-create, and demonstrate their learning.  The evidence of this focus, I offer optimistically, should be a collaborative effort through the lenses of learners, teachers, and learner guardians.

My best hopes are both the love of learning and the love of teaching will be fanned back into full flame.

Suspending practices is one thing, for many educators, they will have to learn a new set of skills to create a culture of growth replacing a culture of testing.  To do so will require making intentional shifts in thinking as well as doing.  With respect to monitoring and measuring the progress of learning, a seismic shift from focusing and fixating on lagging indicators (data) of learning to leading indicators of learning growth must take place.  This is easier said, than done.

Lagging or trailing indicators of learning have been, for the most part, easier to collect, easier to access and easier to report.  As has been proven, however, just because they are easy and accessible doesn’t translate into effective, authentic, or data of most worth.

By way of an analogy, would you ever drive a car relying on the rear view mirror?  Hardly! Focusing on where you were doesn’t improve where you are or where you’re going. Further, the rearview mirror provides little, if any, feedback on the quality of the drive or driver. Yet, this is the dominant practice in education. 

We know the rearview mirror is helpful as are our side mirrors when making certain maneuvers albeit changing lanes, passing, or backing up to name three.  Though teetering on the obvious, the dominant view while driving is looking forward with anticipatory scanning from left to right.

Automotive technology has advanced to include monitoring, analyzing, and measuring not only our car’s performance but the actual driving and performance of the individual driver.  The vehicle is constantly and consistently informed by analytics that adjust and adapt to the driver in real time.  Further, automotive analytic intelligence provides warning signals and in some vehicles will actually override the braking or turning controls of the vehicle if unsafe conditions are detected and anticipated. The abilities of these technologies to interrupt, disrupt and prevent accidents is nothing short of amazing not to mention will save lives. 

In a like manner, the teaching and learning frontier, inspired by a new breed of technology, equips educators with data that provides both information and insight to adjust, adapt, and apply instructional strategies personalized to the learner - in real time.  Robust intelligent analytics that learn from the learner as the learner is learning is the “gold standard” application of adaptive technology.  Similar to automotive technologies, the key to both, depends on the immediacy and accuracy of data.

To authentically and intelligently monitor and measure leading indicators of learning growth rather than relying on the trailing or lagging indicators is contingent upon a commitment to authentically interrupt, disrupt, or prevent the failure to learn – this, too, will save lives.  To do so will depend on several factors. 

Next, the factors for immediacy and accuracy of data: the first step to prevent the failure to learn.   

Best of Class: Taking a Turn to Predict the Future

Best of Class: Taking a Turn to Predict the Future: After reading various different predictions for education, I thought I would provide my own for 2016. In all humility, the only qualificati...

Taking a Turn to Predict the Future

After reading various different predictions for education, I thought I would provide my own for 2016. In all humility, the only qualification I offer to support my predictions are 30 plus years in education in various roles as well as the opportunity afforded me in my present role as Superintendent in Residence for DreamBox Learning. This combination has allowed me incredible access to both the provider and consumer perspectives necessary to advance teaching and learning to meet or exceed the expectations we individually and collectively desire for all learners.

That being said, here is the first of two predictions:

Prediction One: Prevention will replace Intervention.

There will be a shift from treating failed learning to preventing the failure to learn by the authentic integration of instruction with the application of robust, intelligent, and adaptive analytics. Although intervention, treatment or remediation of failed learning has been the dominant mindset and practice, the awareness, understanding and application of technology will usher in a new mindset and transformative instructional practices.

The difference between failed learning and the failure to learn is akin to the difference between treatment and preventative medicine. Treating failed learning comes after instruction. Whereas, preventing the failure to learn is “in” process - during the construction of meaning as well as application of learning.

Prevention is centered on the congruency of instruction and assessment. They are simultaneous. This form of technology is unobtrusive and as such does not interrupt instruction but rather compliments, supports, and informs it.

Creating awareness and understanding of the what, why, and how learners develop and apply learning strategies, construct meaning, and formulate responses in real time, teachers are empowered with the ability, access, immediacy and unprecedented opportunity to adjust, modify or correct the failure to learn.

Intervention or treatment on the other hand, separates instruction and assessment as two distinct events.   Instruction takes place followed by an assessment. There is both a time and relevancy disconnect creating disadvantages for both teachers and learners.

The time lag between instruction and the measurable impact on learning often distorts the relevancy of feedback as well as its import to correct, adjust or amend previous learning. Though great strides have been made through technology, it is the lack of integration let alone congruency of instruction and assessment that remain limiting.

The time between instruction and impact on learning has always been problematic. Further exacerbated by the quality, reliability, timeliness, or misalignment of assessments with the intended, taught, and assessed curriculum.

Additionally, the capacity, competence and confidence of teachers to know, understand and address the causes or antecedents of failed learning varies widely. Culminating with the reality that treatment or intervention has failed to produce promised and envisioned results of scale; it is time for practices and programs that do not work to be systematically and intentionally abandoned.

For my prediction to become reality, there are two critical actions necessary. The first is for schools and school systems to authentically examine their current programming and practices through the lens of prevention versus intervention.

To do so will require a careful, thoughtful, and comprehensive evaluation of core instructional practices as well as all supplemental programming for effectiveness and efficiency. Simply asked, are the practices and programs in use designed to prevent or treat failed learning?

Further I would query by asking how much is currently spent in time, effort, and money to remediate failed learning?

The second action is for school and school systems to review their formative assessments.

What is the extent to which current formative assessing practices provide, in real time, information, insight, and intelligence within and between learning activities for both the learner and teacher?

These questions are critical. Moreover, the answers illuminate the readiness to shift from intervention to prevention.

More than a prediction, the technology is here – take a look at DreamBox Learning.  The challenging question is whether or not we sincerely want each student to succeed.  If yes, we must replace intervention with prevention.

Next week, my second prediction – reimagining formative assessing.