5-1 Debriefing & 5-2 Organizing Data

I used Google Spreadsheet and Forms.  I tried Zoho, but since I've never done anything like this before, I felt like I needed to start from scratch.  I didn't understand what I wanted the final product to look like, so Zoho was too advanced for my neophyte level.  It took me several hours to get the spreadsheet to look the way I wanted it, and then I imported data from one sheet to another.  My team teacher and I have been dabbling in this, so that basic premise was the smallest of my hurdles.  Once I had the form created, and that data imported into the collection sheet, I set up conditional formatting for the incorrect answers to stand out.  Finally, I had to call my brother, the software consultant, to explain how the "if" statements work.  I wanted the one sheet to import the names of students who missed each standard into a list on another - he helped me with this.  I must admit, it felt great when he was rattling off symbols and phrases that I understood.  Who knew we actually can speak the same language (he's five year my junior)?

Live form for teachers to fill in data:
https://docs.google.com/a/yarmouthschools.org/forms/d/18tp9KDnPtoCzqRj8nYVh0PDgrTpLdbxxqwBOalR7ODg/viewform

Student Data:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As-OQpU74y-pdGdsYnFlU2psdEJZckcwcUpldjdfLXc&usp=sharing

The Student Data spreadsheet is broken down into several sheets.  The standards from the assignment are on one, so additional standards can be added if necessary.  DataCollection contains the answers from the form the teachers complete based on their students' responses.  Incorrect answers are color coded so they stand out.  The form remains live so teachers can input additional student data.  Finally, the Student to Standard Missed sheet contains a list of each standard as well as the students who missed it.  Each sheet is formatted for up to 50 students.

As you can see from the data, M:01:NO:6.4 (S) seems to be answered incorrectly most often.  I also noticed that Zorian and Zamsung missed quite a few of the questions and would probably benefit from additional support.  I'd strongly suggest daily review skills; there are some great programs available for practice on basic skills.

Now that the spreadsheet is set up, I could use this for any standards and for any content.  I'd love to include a list of websites that would accompany each standard as well.  I'd like to think our Lead Math teacher has resources for each standard categorized somewhere, but since these standards are for NH, I didn't bother asking her.  The whole process was much more interesting than I expected.  From a teacher's perspective, I despise data collection.  My students are kids, not numbers.  I know that the numbers collected will help me determine their skills and abilities, but to get the numbers we rely on so much testing.  My poor kids are tested out after the first month of school!  I just wish the whole process didn't require them to test three hours a day for four straight days.  I wish there was a more practical, less intrusive way to collect the data.  I'm get off my soapbox now.

My team teacher and I have used spreadsheets with one of our social studies units quite extensively.  During the unit, students pick and choose from a list of assignments in order to earn points toward their final grade.  The grading used to be a nightmare; everyone turns assignments in at different times, the score sheet were in individual folders, and the criteria for each assignment on a separate sheet.  In the end I had to record scores in multiple places.  

To alleviate a lot of the paper work, we created a spreadsheet with a list our kids, the list of assignments, the criteria, and the possible points per assignment.  Then, we created a spreadsheet for each kid that imports the data from their line on the master spreadsheet.  Consequently, each time I grade something, my kids immediately see their score.

Student View

It also facilitates an emphasize on submitting work prior to the deadline, so they can revisit an assignment if they want more points.  Another benefit is that I'm not inundated with 5-10 assignments for 20-24 kids at the end of the unit.  It also reinforces the idea that completing a variety of assignments increases their overall understanding of the material and ultimately more helpful on the final assessment.
Click here for the "menu" of options from which the kids can choose for our Gilded Age unit.
Click here to see my grading spreadsheet.