Importance of Data-Driven Decision-Making for School Improvement Planning

		Welcome to the first lesson on data-driven decision-making in schools. I am pleased you have chosen to learn about this exciting and powerful shift in the pathway to educational change. Before beginning the lesson, take a moment to collect your thoughts on this topic. What do you already know about data-driven decision-making? Some of you may have never heard of it, some of you may be familiar with the term but not the meaning behind it, and some of you may have some experience using data in your schools.

		Write down three things that come to mind when you hear the term "data-driven decision-making." Don't over-think it, just jot down the first three things that come to mind. This will give you an idea of your starting point, or baseline knowledge, before beginning this professional development series. It may be interesting to return to these thoughts after you have completed the course to see if your perceptions have been modified or confirmed.

		Next, read the abstracts that have been prepared for you, and if you desire, check out the articles themselves. These will give you additional perspective on how the topic of data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement is being portrayed in the education literature. Having read these, consider how this particular lesson, titled "Importance of data-driven decision-making for school improvement planning" might be relevant to you professionally and/or personally. Respond to these questions:

		What do you expect to learn in this lesson? How will you benefit from this information? How will you apply what you have learned?

		To review, here are the three steps you should take to ensure that you are well prepared to begin this lesson: Assess your baseline knowledge: Write down the first three things that come to mind when you hear the term, "data-driven decision-making." Read the three abstracts for this lesson. Assess the relevance of this lesson: Respond to the final three questions.

		After completing the lesson, return to what you have written during these preparation steps. Evaluate your baseline knowledge. Were your original perceptions accurate? Have your thoughts changed about data-driven decision-making? Reconsider the relevance of the lesson. Did you learn what you expected to learn? Did you benefit from the information? Have you identified new or different ways to apply this information to your profession? Enjoy this first lesson.

Introduction to Data-Driven School Improvement