Having a better grasp of student achievements and progress, as well as difficulties and areas of concern, has always been the difference between being an informed and switched-on teacher and one who is “flying blind”. Better use of student data means more effectively being able to inform teaching and assessment decisions, in ways that can benefit both teachers and students.
Data-gathering and utilisation, at the forefront of modern educational practice, are also at the forefront of the CARS & STARS Online program. Ongoing, accurate and transferable data collection at every stage of instruction and assessment allows the teacher to have a total picture of their class and individual students at any time, allowing instant identification of students requiring specialised care or instruction, and making differentiation a constant and ongoing process for every class rather than an afterthought.
According to the popular Edmentum blog, there are three main benefits that come from having access to high-quality student assessment data, like the kind CARS & STARS Online provides as a matter of course throughout the entirety of the program.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, data allows teachers to better forecast intervention requirements early on as they become apparent, as data-fuelled formative assessments can be used to shape instruction for individual needs during teaching, rather than simply at the end of a milestone piece of assessment. Just as the enhanced use of data can inform ongoing teaching, it can also be used to determine implementation success.
Secondly, data can be used to optimise teaching plans and tailor instruction – not just for individual student needs but for classes and groups as a whole, and just as helpfully for the teacher themselves. If you know your students have picked up something quicker than you planned, you can change how you teach that element the next time around.
Knowing exactly how your students are progressing also means knowing just how effective your teaching practice is – in real time, rather than having to wait till an end-of-year test or final milestone report.
Thirdly and finally, data gives you what you need to better allocate resources where they are needed – and to back up requests for help when needed.
A completely accurate picture of student results used to be like the holy grail of teaching, and just as unattainable. Now we have that picture, automatically updated and instantly accessible, for every student – and every teacher wanting to see.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
