This book explores three challenges that school teams face - (1) committee without community, (2) time without tools, and (3) data without deliberation. Group members need to identify as a member of a group, be provided with efficient time use, and be involved in discussions about school data. Authors Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman offer strategies and tools to confront these challenges and turn struggling committees into powerful communities of learners. Each chapter ends with an applicable data story that expounds on the chapter topic and showcases a team confronting a data dilemma. Using the authors techniques for successful, collaborative data work, teams will be able to eliminate these hurdles and efficiently use data to enhance learning.
Chapter 1 introduces readers to the characteristics of high-performing data cultures and allows readers to assess their teams and their own work with data. Chapter 2 presents the collaborative learning cycle - a three-phase model for productive group work with data. Chapter 3 describes how to identify gaps, successes, and root causes before developing solutions. Chapter 4 introduces data teams to the essential definitions and descriptions of data types and offers methods for gathering data. Chapter 5 explains how to develop high-performing groups. Chapter 6 describes the three modes of discourse in data-based discussions: (1) dialogue, (2) discussion, and (3) decision making. Finally, chapter 7 shows teams how to turn their data-based decisions into goal-oriented, productive action plans. End-of-chapter resources allow readers to exercise and extend their learning of chapter topics.