DOCSLIB.ORG

Data Literacy of Reading Educators: Teacher Perception And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Data Literacy of Reading Educators: Teacher Perception And DATA LITERACY OF READING EDUCATORS: TEACHER PERCEPTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE USE OF READING DATA TO INFLUENCE INSTRUCTION A Dissertation by RACHEL RAYBURN BEACHY Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Erin McTigue Committee Members, Emily Cantrell Nathan Clemens Hersh Waxman Head of Department, Michael deMiranda May 2017 Major Subject: Curriculum and Instruction Copyright 2017 Rachel Rayburn Beachy ABSTRACT This dissertation is developed around two studies created with the goal of describing and quantifying current educators’ knowledge and perceptions of reading assessment and subsequent data-based instructional decision making. Unique to the field, a critical component of this study is an emphasis on educators’ development of data literacy as a knowledge base necessary to the successful education of students in today’s classrooms. Study 1 documents the development and validation of a new survey instrument, the Perceptions, Knowledge, and Interpretation of Reading Assessment (PKIRA) survey, to assess the perceptions and knowledge of current educators of reading/language arts in grades PK – 12. The final version of the PKIRA consists of five sections and/or subscales; 1) demographics, participants general experience and perceived instructional preparedness section; 2) teacher perception of reading assessment and instruction subscale; 3) teacher reading assessment knowledge and data literacy subscale; 4) teacher knowledge of language structure subscale; and 5) the teacher ability to use data to drive instruction open ended response section. The reliability and validity of this new instrument were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, item response theory and inter-item correlations. Results indicate the PKIRA is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the knowledge and perceptions of inservice reading teachers. The purpose of Study 2 was to collect data on the knowledge and perceptions from a unique group of inservice reading educators to further validate the PKIRA and ii determine which aspects of teacher training or experience were associated with reading content knowledge, reading assessment knowledge and data literacy knowledge. Cronbach’s alpha, confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data collected. Results provide further support for instrument validation. Results also indicate participants’ certification and master’s degree status have no statistically significant differences on their mean knowledge score. However, differences in mean knowledge score were found to be associated with teachers’ total years teaching and more strongly with, their total years teaching reading. The value of these studies lies in the creation and validation of a reliable new survey instrument that can be used to support the growth and development of data literacy in current educators nationwide. As the PKIRA can provide extensive data on teacher knowledge and perceptions of reading and reading assessment, those who prepare or supervise educators could use the tool to better differentiate and align their instruction to the ever changing needs of the classroom teachers of today. iii DEDICATION For Boede and Matthew. Thank you for your time, patience, and love throughout this whole process. For my mom, Elaine Rayburn. Thank you for teaching me kindness and persistence. And finally, for my daddy, Ralph Rayburn. You better be smiling down from Heaven right now. We did it. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS One of my favorite quotes is by the famous Jim Henson, who brought so much happiness, to so many children, for so many years; “Kids don’t remember what you teach them. They remember who you are.” I have set out to save the world, and I would never be able to do that without my people. To list each of you here would take pages, but please know that if you have listened to my whines, prayed for my success, or been at my side these past seven years, you are loved and appreciated more than you know. I would like to thank my committee members, who have hung in there for years past the norm, with this teacher-student-learner. Thank you Dr. Emily Cantrell, Dr. Nathan Clemens, and Dr. Hersh Waxman. Thank you for your guidance, brilliance, and patience. And thank you most of all to Dr. Erin McTigue. Without you by my side giving up would have been easy. You are the true definition of a mentor, leader, and friend. Good work, team. Good work! Thank you to my teacher friends near and far, my colleagues, and Team McTigue. This journey is not easy while also balancing being a wife, mother, teacher, daughter, and friend, and without you I would have lost my mind five years ago. Finally, thank you to my in-laws, Steve and Mary Alice Beachy. The barbacoa stand is the place where most problems can be solved. Thank you for sharing your refuge. Everyone deserves a place like that. v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES This dissertation was supported by my committee members; Dr. Erin McTigue, Dr. Emily Cantrell, and Dr. Hersh Waxman of the Department of Teaching Language and Culture at Texas A&M University, and Dr. Nathan Clemens of the Department of Special Education at the University of Texas. Dr. McTigue, as chair, has the most input as to the organization and development of this dissertation. Dr. Katherine Wright, with the Department of Literacy, Language, and Culture at Boise State University, provided support and guidance for the confirmatory factor analysis presented in Chapter IV. All other work conducted for the dissertation was completed by the student independently. This dissertation did not receive any outside funding or financial support. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ..................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION, DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS, AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND PERSPECTIVES ..................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Definitions of Key Terms .............................................................................. 3 Theoretical Framework and Perspectives ..................................................... 8 Purpose .......................................................................................................... 13 Research Questions ....................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................... 17 Introduction ................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER III STUDY 1: DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERCEPTIONS, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTERPRETATION OF READING ASSESSMENT SURVEY ................................................................................................................... 37 Methods ......................................................................................................... 37 Results ........................................................................................................... 46 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 81 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 86 CHAPTER IV STUDY 2: TEACHER KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................... 87 Methods ......................................................................................................... 87 Results ........................................................................................................... 89 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 117 vii Conclusions ................................................................................................... 124 CHAPTER V GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .......................... 127 Introduction ................................................................................................... 127 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 135 APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................... 152 APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................... 160 viii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Overview of Studies, Research Questions, and Analyses ........................... 15 Table 2. Prior Survey Research Consulted for Instrument Development ................. 29 Table 3. Study 1: Participant Demographics ............................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Engaging All Readers Through Explorations of Literacy, Language, and Culture
    Engaging All Readers Through Explorations of Literacy, Language, and Culture The Fortieth Yearbook: A Double Peer-Reviewed Publication of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Co-Editors Juan J. Araujo Alexandra Babino Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas A&M University-Commerce Nedra Cossa Robin D. Johnson Georgia Southern University Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Copyright 2018 Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Photocopy/reprint Permission Statement: Permission is hereby granted to profes- sors and teachers to reprint or photocopy any article in the Yearbook for use in their classes, provided each copy of the article made shows the author and year- book information sited in APA style. Such copies may not be sold, and further distribution is expressly prohibited. Except as authorized above, prior written permission must be obtained from the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers to reproduce or transmit this work or portions thereof in any other form or by another electronic or mechanical means, including any informa- tion storage or retrieval system, unless expressly permitted by federal copyright laws. Address inquiries to the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) April Blakely. ISBN: 978-1-883604-04-2 ALER Board of Directors 2017-18 Executive Officers President: David Paige, Bellarmine University President-Elect: Tami Craft Al-Hazza, Old Dominion University Vice President: Past President: Julie Kidd, George Mason University Past-Past President: J. Helen Perkins, University
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Questions in Education Conference Academy For
    Critical Questions in Education Conference Presented by the Academy for Educational Studies 2018 Conversation Themes: 1. What book has changed the way you understand human life, teaching, learning, and the task of education? 2. How should we assess (and grade) students—from elementary school to graduate school? 3. What is the best, deepest, and richest kind of professional development we can offer teachers? Benson Hotel Portland, Oregon March 5—7, 2018 The Academy for Educational Studies is an independent, non-profit corporation registered in the state of Missouri. Please see our website for more information about the Academy: https://academyforeducationalstudies.org/ Co-chairs of the conference: Christopher Clark, Michigan State University Steven P. Jones, Missouri State University Cover design: Carsen Miller, MAT student, Missouri State University 1 Critical Questions in Education Conference Monday, March 5th Conference Registration Light breakfast buffet Cambridge / Oxford 7:30—9:30 Greetings and Announcements Cambridge / Oxford 8:00 Steven P. Jones and Christopher Clark Co-chairs of the conference ________________________________________ First Concurrent Session 8:20 – 9:20 1. Building cultural competence Paper/presentation — Windsor Building cultural competence: Helping teachers close the achievement gap Linda E. Denault, Becker College Nadine M. Bonda, American International College Judith L. Klimkiewicz, American International College Building cultural capital may provide a way for educators to support all students in closing the achievement gap among diverse groups of students. This presentation explores that potential impact. The involvement of teachers in global education: Promoting the development of cultural awareness and understanding Melinda R. Pierson, California State University, Fullerton Practical ideas will be presented for how teachers currently enrolled in a teacher induction program or master’s degree can become involved in international contexts around the world to improve understanding of cultural diversity.
    [Show full text]
  • Developing a Theoretically Founded Data Literacy Competency Model
    Developing a Theoretically Founded Data Literacy Competency Model Andreas Grillenberger Ralf Romeike Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Computing Education Research Group Computing Education Research Group Erlangen, Germany Erlangen, Germany [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT data management and data science, the awareness for data-driven Today, data is everywhere: Our digitalized world depends on enor- technologies and methods has strongly increased. In particular, mous amounts of data that are captured by and about everyone and data-intense scientific discovery is nowadays even considered a new considered a valuable resource. Not only in everyday life, but also in research paradigm (cf. [14]) alongside empirical, theoretical and science, the relevance of data has clearly increased in recent years: computational/simulation approaches. But not only scientists come Nowadays, data-driven research is often considered a new research into contact with data regularly, instead data-driven technologies, paradigm. Thus, there is general agreement that basic competen- results of data analyses and the task to store data appropriately can cies regarding gathering, storing, processing and visualizing data, also be recognized in various situations throughout daily life. In often summarized under the term data literacy, are necessary for recent years, data has become a topic of societal discourse, in par- every scientist today. Moreover, data literacy is generally important ticular focused on rather problematic aspects, such as the unautho- for everyone, as it is essential for understanding how the modern rized disclosure and analysis of data (as recently done by Facebook 1 world works. Yet, at the moment data literacy is hardly considered and Cambridge Analytica ) or the influence of elections with the in CS teaching at schools.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Is Not Political: the Need to (Re)Politicize Data Literacy
    ISSN: 1504-4831 Vol 17, No 2 (2021) https://doi.org/10.7577/seminar.4280 Critical is not political: the need to (re)politicize data literacy Fieke Jansen Data Justice Lab, Cardiff University Email: [email protected] Abstract Data literacy is slowly becoming a more prominent feature of contemporary societies, advanced on the premise of empowerment it aims to increase the learners ability to grapple with the negative externalities of datafication. Literacy as such is seen as a social emancipatory process that should enable people to make informed choices about their data environment and increase their ability to actively participate in the discussion that determines the socio-technical systems that will impact their lives. If we accept the notion that data literacy is a key social response to datafication we need to reflect on the politics embedded within the practice, as such I will argue that the mere act of centring data in a literacy approach is political and value ridden. This demands critical reflection on the conceptualization of the learner, the perceived competencies needed to actively participate in a data society and the seemingly 'neutrality’ of the practice in itself, which I refer to as the (re)politicization of data literacy. To conclude, this act requires those active in the field to reflect on their own practices and learn from other disciplines who have a more bottom- up approach to dismantling power structures, understanding inequality and promoting political participation. Keywords: big data, data literacy, surveillance, privacy, discrimination, justice, critical social studies, critical data studies ©2021 (Fieke Jansen). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
    [Show full text]
  • Contributions of Paulo Freire for a Critical Data Literacy
    Contributions of Paulo Freire for a critical data literacy Alan Tygel Rosana Kirsch Graduate Program on Informatics – UFRJ, Brazil EITA Cooperative, Brazil [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT puters. And with the growing presence of ICTs in the society, spe- Paulo Freire is the patron of education in Brazil. His main work cialized questions arise inside digital literacy. - the Popular Education pedagogy - influenced many educators all over the world who believed in education as a way of liberating From the mid-2000s onwards, governments in the whole world, poor oppressed people. One of the most important outcomes of including Brazil, started to publish on the Web big quantities of Freire’s work was a literacy method, created in the 1960’s. In this data [4]. It was the beginning of a worldwide movement, and also paper, we propose adapting elements of the Paulo Freire’s Literacy when, at the same time, the term data literacy started to be used, Method for use in data literacy, i.e., the act of building capacities for even without a formal definition. The promises brought by the working with data. After tracing some parallels between literacy open data initiatives relates to a more transparent society, a deeper education and data literacy, we suggest some data literacy strategies participative democracy, and possibilities of generating value from on generative themes, thematization, problematization and system- data [13]. Meanwhile, with the severe social inequalities, directly atization stages, and derive from it a definition for critical data lit- reflected in the education level of the population, there is a strong eracy.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Data Literacy Tools for Advancing Data Justice: a Guidebook
    Critical data literacy tools for advancing data justice: A guidebook Jess Brand and Ina Sander June 2020 1 Critical data literacy tools for advancing data justice: A guidebook About this guidebook This guidebook is intended to provide anyone interested in critical data literacy with an up- to-date overview of a range of different types of data literacy tools available, keeping a diversity of audiences and skill levels in mind. The literacy tools in this guidebook are resources that are freely available for anyone to use and which educate citizens about datafication and its social consequences, by explaining relevant topics in an engaging way and by facilitating active participation in datafied society. For each tool page there is a brief explanation of how the tool works and how to use it, followed by a suggestion of which audiences (non-experts, civil society, communities, teachers etc.) and contexts the tool is most suitable for based on what the tool creators have indicated. For instance some of the tools can be used widely, whereas others have more specific applications. Further, the “What you’ll need” section indicates if any prior skills are necessary to use the tool, whether additional resources such as pens, paper and print- outs are required and, where applicable, how much time is needed to use the tool. Finally, every tool page has a “Literacy outcome” section that highlights what citizens will gain from using each tool, for example greater critical understanding or privacy tips that can be implemented on their device(s). Tool
    [Show full text]
  • 17 Key Traits Of
    17 KEY TRAITS OF 17 key TRAITS OF DATA LITERACY Data literacy is A Highly Data Literate Person: Data literacy is the ability to “read, If poor data literacy is such an understand, create and communicate incredibly large opportunity for data as information.1” It’s quickly the advancement of our corporate HAS KNOWLEDGE OF: becoming a fundamental requirement cultures and for society as a whole, 1. Basic Elements of Data ...........................................................................................................05 for professionals in every discipline and I believe that it is, then it behooves 2. Data Storage Methods ...........................................................................................................05 and industry. Much like word us to have a clear understanding of 3. Data Analysis Principles ..........................................................................................................06 processing or internet navigation in what it means to possess it. previous decades, data literacy has 4. Data Visualization Rules of Thumb ................................................................................ 07 shifted from a specialized skill to a I have collaborated with a number commonly sought-after attribute, as of industry thought-leaders to come PUTS TO USE THE FOLLOWING skills: companies both small and large seek up with a starting-point list of 17 5. Reads Visual Displays of Data ............................................................................................09 to transition
    [Show full text]
  • Creative Data Literacy Bridging the Gap Between the Data-Haves and Data-Have Nots
    Information Design Journal 23(1), 6–18 © 2017 John Benjamins Publishing Company DOI: 10.1075/idj.23.1.03dig Catherine D’Ignazio Creative data literacy Bridging the gap between the data-haves and data-have nots Keywords: data literacy, empowerment, data visualization, publishers, tool developers, tool and visualization inequality designers, tutorial authors, government, community organizers and artists. Working with data is an increasingly powerful way of making knowledge claims about the world. There is, “The future is already here. It’s just not however, a growing gap between those who can work very evenly distributed.” effectively with data and those who cannot. Because – William Gibson it is state and corporate actors who possess the resources to collect, store and analyze data, individuals 1. The problem: Data inequality (e.g., citizens, community members, professionals) are more likely to be the subjects of data than to use data Despite the grand hype around “Big Data” and the for civic purposes. There is a strong case to be made knowledge revolution it will create (Schönberger & for cultivating data literacy for people in non-technical Cukier 2013), there is profound inequality between those fields as one way of bridging this gap. Literacy, following who are benefitting from the storage, collection and the model of popular education proposed by Paulo analysis of data and those who are not (Andrejevic 2014; Freire, requires not only the acquisition of technical boyd & Crawford 2012; Tufekci 2014). Data has become skills but also the emancipation achieved through the a currency of power. Decisions of public import, ranging literacy process.
    [Show full text]
  • Roadmap for Educator Licensure Policy Addressing Data Literacy Key Focus Areas to Ensure Quality
    QUALITY IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAPS Roadmap for Educator Licensure Policy Addressing Data Literacy Key Focus Areas to Ensure Quality Where are we going? Skill 1 Access and gather relevant data from available sources: Knowledge of and ability to access information Data use should be integrated into teachers’ everyday from multiple available sources, including both state and practice as one tool for improving student achievement. local systems. To do this, teachers need to know how to use multiple types of data and how to translate data into decisions. Skill 2 Synthesize and analyze diverse data: The ability To ensure that teachers are ready to use data effectively to explore and organize many types of data. and ethically to improve student achievement, states can Skill 3 Know about and use student-level and other include data literacy skills requirements in their teacher types of data beyond assessment data: Understanding licensure policies. that multiple types of data beyond student assessments State licensure policies are meant to provide preparation can be used to inform practice. programs direction about the skills that teachers Skill 4 Understand how to use different types of need to be qualified to teach. States should make the data: The ability to know how different types of data demonstration of data literacy skills a requirement for are relevant to different problems or questions and the becoming a licensed teacher. relationships among data from multiple sources. How do we get there? Skill 5 Engage in a data-driven and cyclical inquiry process: The ability to engage in the ongoing process The ability to effectively use data includes a set of skills of identifying classroom and system problems, forming that teachers (and administrators) need to use data both questions and hypotheses about each issue, collecting collaboratively and individually to inform instruction.
    [Show full text]
  • Data Visualization
    Tips and Trends Instructional Technologies Committee related to color and accessibility. Researchers may DATA VISUALIZATION turn to libraries for help in selecting and presenting SUMMER 2017 their data visually, and librarians can offer support for the various stages in the visualization process. By LINDLEY HOMEL Overview and Definition Current Applications in Academic Libraries and Higher Education Data visualization, sometimes called information visualization, can encompass a variety of With the growth of data, institutions of higher graphic depictions of data or information, education are offering courses, or even entire including charts, tables, infographics, graphs, degree programs in data visualization. The New and maps, in both static and interactive School offers a MS in Data Visualization, formats. The visual representation of data Northeastern University offers an MFA in affords audiences the opportunity to analyze Information Design and Visualization, while Purdue and make connections across datasets that Polytechnic Institute offers an undergraduate major would otherwise be too large to examine, and in Data Visualization. Other schools, like Berkley, can aid in cognitive processing (Chen 2017). offer data visualization courses as part of data science or data analytics degrees. With the growing focus on data across disciplines, these data Basis for Current Interest visualization courses are also appearing in other subject areas, like journalism. Columbia’s Although presenting data in a visual format is Journalism School offers a Data Specialization nothing new, the growing trend of big data and Master’s degree, with a course in data visualization. analytics has fueled a corresponding interest in data visualization as a way to highlight trends, Library engagement with data visualization is connections, and linkages across large sets of data.
    [Show full text]
  • Centerpoint Blended Literacy Implementation Rubric1
    CenterPoint Blended Literacy Implementation Rubric1 What is Blended Literacy? Defined by the Robin Hood Learning and Technology Fund, this approach to literacy instruction seeks to amplify what is known about building literacy through a content-rich strategy combined with a blended approach that personalizes learning through technology in order to positively impact students’ literacy achievement. CONTENT-RICH BLENDED LEARNING The term "content-rich" refers to curriculum and The term "blended learning" refers to the intentional instruction designed to build students’ knowledge and use of technology, in combination with traditional, vocabulary around a wide set of topics. In such an teacher-led instruction, to provide students some approach, the units, vocabulary, skills and content control over the time, place, and pace of learning. The learning goals are grouped and organized around + goal is to tailor learning experiences to students’ broader themes and topics of study (e.g., the individual needs to deepen learning and advance rainforest, westward expansion, families). Within achievement. Ideally, the use of technology goes grade levels and subjects over the course of a school beyond superficial changes and enables distinct year, across grade-levels and subjects, and from year practices and learning experiences that would not be to year, essential concepts, language, and vocabulary feasible without it. connect to and build upon one another to build students' word and world knowledge to become stronger readers, writers, and learners. A Model of Blended Literacy Using the above definition as a starting point, we have developed a cohesive model for implementing a blended literacy approach with elementary (K-5) schools and districts.
    [Show full text]
  • Teacher Inquiry and Data Literacy
    Fostering Data Literacy through Preservice Teacher Inquiry in English Language Arts Steven Z. Athanases Lisa H. Bennett Juliet Michelsen Wahleithner University of California, Davis This is the pre-publication version of the manuscript. The paper is available in publication form at the website for The Teacher Educator Way to cite this paper: Athanases, S. Z., Bennett, L. H., & Wahleithner, J. M. (2013). Fostering data literacy through preservice teacher inquiry in English language arts. The Teacher Educator, 48(1), 8-28. Author Note: The research reported in this article was funded, in part, by a Catalyst Grant from the School of Education Board of Advisors, University of California, Davis. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Vancouver, 2012. The authors thank Meghan Jones for her contribution to data entry and early analyses. Abstract: Data literate educators can generate questions about learning in their classes, collect and analyze classroom data to answer them, and develop inferences and explanations. Two elements may promote data literacy: (a) breadth of classroom-based data collection, and (b) depth of analysis. We examined these in inquiries conducted by 80 preservice teachers of secondary English in diverse classrooms over a six-year period. Analyzing products, processes, and self-reports, we found inquiries evidenced a range in breadth of data collection and depth of analysis. Qualitative themes and two cases illustrate data analysis processes and challenges of pattern-finding, initially crude analyses in striving for depth, and the need for data literacy mentoring. Corresponding Author: Steven Z. Athanases [email protected] Athanases et al., Teacher inquiry, data literacy 2 Fostering Data Literacy through Preservice Teacher Inquiry in English Language Arts Gina, a preservice English language arts (ELA) teacher, is reflecting on her first experience with teacher inquiry.
    [Show full text]