Philosophy of Educational Change and Data Use
As a selected educational leader, you met the other members of the mayor’s task force at the first meeting. Joining you are other educational and community experts with specialized expertise in early childhood education, special education, business, and technology.
This week, Mayor Keller’s task force gathered to review the data report collected by each member and to discuss how to advance educational and community change to better serve early childhood and K–12 students in Grand City. You and the task force analyzed community demographics, student achievement, and various other data sets to target areas needing improvement and/or change.
At the conclusion of the first meeting, to start the change process, Mayor Keller has asked each member of the task force to explain what educational change means to you and how data can serve as a foundational source for not only educational change, but as social change in the community.
For this Assignment, you will explore your philosophies related to educational change and data as a foundational source for educational and community change.
To prepare:
• Review the Fullan (2016) chapters for this module reviewing the history and context of calls for change in education. Fullan states that it takes “considerable energy” to implement change (2016, p. 37). What will be required of the stakeholders in Grand City to come together to enact change in education programs and the community? Think about what educational change means to you and how you work or have worked to make that change in your professional practice.
• Review the Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lacrin (2016) and Mandinach et al. (2015) articles regarding data collection in education. Think about your own beliefs about data as foundational sources for implementing change.
• Conduct a search to locate resources related to how your state (or locality) and/or program collects and uses student data. How does your state’s (or locale’s) and/or program’s processes compare to your own philosophy on the use of data?
• Review and reflect on Walden University’s mission and vision. What does it mean to be an agent of educational change in your professional field?
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that explains:
• Your philosophy as to what educational change is, how education and community leaders can work together to enact such change, and how you can become an agent of change in your specialization. Be sure to relate your philosophy to Walden’s mission and vision.
• Your philosophy about the use of data as foundational sources for initiating, planning, and implementing on-going change in both educational programs and communities
• How student/child data are collected and used in your state (or locale) and/or your program, such as your daycare center, district, school, community organization, or other institution. Support your response with specific reference to resources provided by your state (or locale) and/or program.
• How your state’s (or locale’s) process for data collection compares to or aligns with your philosophy regarding the use of data
Sample Solution