What is Evidential Data?
Evidence is the data we select to collect– the relevant information that we notice from our classroom and teaching practices and the reflective interpretations we make from that information. The process of interpretation is one of sense-making: pondering or asking questions of ourselves and others about evidential data, that in turn will help us create new and useful knowledge as learning.
Among the many models that have been used to inform data gathering as a process, the koru or knowledge spiral as illustrated here explains how classroom practitioners can use an on-going four step cycle to collect evidential data and make that reflective difference to their teaching practice:
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What Data Collecting Strategies will I Use?
There are a number of ways that evidential data can be captured:
Choose strategies that suit your purpose and incorporate this process as part of your classroom planning. It is also worthwhile that a reflective journal, blog or wiki be kept for documenting how you use the koru cycle to capture and continually reflect on evidential data. Know that both these practices require time, effort and patience.
- digital photos
- digital stories
- video recordings
- voice recordings using an MP3 or Easy Speak microphone presentations using Powerpoint or Slideshare
- handwritten accounts
- podcasting
- blogs, wiki
- web2.0 tools like survey monkey, voice thread etc.
Choose strategies that suit your purpose and incorporate this process as part of your classroom planning. It is also worthwhile that a reflective journal, blog or wiki be kept for documenting how you use the koru cycle to capture and continually reflect on evidential data. Know that both these practices require time, effort and patience.
How might I maintain Focus during Reflective Observation?
•Try to think differently and/or step back from situations
•Discover new meanings through new ways of moving and/or acting
•Carefully observe and impartially describe ideas and situations
•Concern yourself with what is true and/or how things really happen
•Reflect on prior experience in relation to new ideas
•Compare and contrast ideas and their implications
•Appreciate different points of view
•Give observations your personal meaning
•Discover new meanings through new ways of moving and/or acting
•Carefully observe and impartially describe ideas and situations
•Concern yourself with what is true and/or how things really happen
•Reflect on prior experience in relation to new ideas
•Compare and contrast ideas and their implications
•Appreciate different points of view
•Give observations your personal meaning
Collecting Quantative and Qualitative Data - What do these Two Words Mean?
Quantative data refers to numbers and/or letters and is usually associated with research methodology. An example could be that 70% of cluster staff use e-mail on a daily basis. Quantifiable data should be:
Qualitative data is associated with the expression of feelings, thoughts and behaviours. The information is not necessarily true and
accurate. Questionaires as an example are used for this purpose since personal responses are generally called for. Qualitative data should be:
- valid - directly matching is measured
- reliable- provides consistent answers
- objective- although certain answers might be hoped for, data is collected with a completely open mind
Qualitative data is associated with the expression of feelings, thoughts and behaviours. The information is not necessarily true and
accurate. Questionaires as an example are used for this purpose since personal responses are generally called for. Qualitative data should be:
- credible - results need to be believed as achievable
- confirmable - other colleagues are able to produce similar results
- dependable - information comes from a reliable source
- transferrable - close attention is made to the data context and the assumptions made.