Data-Driven Solutions

I recently bought a FitBit and when doing some research, I found an article which said, “The FitBit is just another device in the trend where we use fancy devices to quantify everything, but for most people, the numbers are useless.”  This is true.  A FitBit is useless if you don’t apply the data.  You can track calories, steps, sleep, and even your heartrate.  But if you don’t use the data to eat better, exercise more intensely, or find some quality sleep, it doesn’t mean anything.
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Last week, I attended the Achieving the Dream (ATD) Conference in Atlanta.  One of the primary goals of ATD is to gather data at community colleges to build and improve programs for a better student experience.  After speaking with many other educators at the conference, I realized that most colleges fall into one of three categories:

1.  Colleges that don’t gather any data, but are desperately trying to improve retention, persistence, and graduation rates by creating a multitude of programs.  This is known as the “throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks” approach.  I taught at a school like this once.  We had three different models of tutoring, two different models of advising, and no one was communicating with each other about what they were doing to promote student success.
2. Colleges that are gathering data, but not using it, much like people who wear a FitBit, but don’t change their patterns of behavior.  I worked at a school that did this as well.  We were able to identify the ethnicity, age, gender, interests, and geographical location of students who were likely to drop out.  Unfortunately, no solutions were proposed to give these students more support or prevent them from leaving school. It was data for the sake of data.

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3.  The golden goose:  Colleges that gather data and use it to improve the student experience.  They realize that numbers fall outside of school politics and personal interests.  Data can be manipulated at times, but numbers don’t lie.  Schools utilizing data create more effective programs.  Different departments work together to reach  students. They increase student, faculty, and staff satisfaction, and  are innovators in their field. 

Are students reporting that they’re disconnected?  Change orientation to be more personal, develop learning communities, hold workshops and professional development sessions for faculty to improve student-centered teaching strategies.  Are older women with children dropping out?  Develop solutions to provide childcare or connect with local services such as Head Start and free after school programs.

Author Wes Moore spoke at the closing session of the ATD conference, and while I love his book, hearing him speak in person was even more inspirational.  He said, “It's not just about data.  It's about using data to better connect with our students, and using numbers to build relationships.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.