The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, hosted the Southeast Data Literacy Conference Sept. 5-7 in Cullowhee.
The educational event was open to educators who have had participated in the NCCAT Data Literacy Initiative and who had, by that time, achieved certified status. Teacher participants from the two-year program used the opportunity to formatively assess the effects of the program to dates and to plan for future possibilities. Twenty-seven participants attended the September conference, which was facilitated by Dr. Jonathan Wade, the Director of Programming at NCCAT, and Dr. Deb Tietelbaum, the faculty chair.
“NCCAT is glad that we were able to be a contributing partner to a statewide effort to give teachers better understanding of the ways that assessment can help them truly understand their students, their processes, and their classrooms,” said Wade. “This program has been a great opportunity for us to explore methods for creating useful tools using a confluence of cutting edge methods and expertise, state resources, and, most importantly, the combined experience and efforts of dedicated educators.”
Dr. Wade gave special thanks to Dr. Yvette Stewart and Dr. Cynthia Martin in the NC Department of Public Instruction for their support and dedication to the partnership that enabled the Initiative to thrive.
The initiative began in July 1, 2012. From 10 original teacher-experts, the program has grown to having more than 150 facilitators throughout the state and online. It is a four-module program that has been well received by participants. Fifty-two school districts have been served to date and digital delivery versions of the program are now available online through both NCCAT’s online learning management system and the NCDPI Homebase system.
"I feel empowered with data now rather than overwhelmed," said Davie County teacher Karen Martin, after taking the course. "Teachers, most of the time, use data, but we don't realize we are using it. I think it helps to put a name to the data when talking with parents."
Teacher Karen Martin speaking about course in YouTube video - http://youtu.be/rXXad6D0L6g
The online version of the program remains available as a part of NCCAT’s service to the schools of North Carolina. Schools or districts who would like to find an NCCAT certified data specialist to lead their teachers in any part of this curriculum should feel free to contact the programming department at NCCAT.
For more information on NCCAT Digital Learning courses visit - www.nccat.org.