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Software aids in student assessments [Ames Tribune, Iowa :: ](Ames Tribune (IA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) April 23--Teachers in the Ames school district are using a new interactive software program to help them better evaluate how well students are grasping what they're being taught. Students in the Ames district are assessed frequently and teachers use those results to determine how to adjust instruction throughout the learning the process, according to a news release issued by the district. Last year, the district began using Tableau, an interactive data analysis software program to help teachers keep track of data and understand it. Tableau makes it possible to filter and analyze student, class, school, and the district data and view the findings online. Unlike static education reporting tools, this software allows teachers, principals, and administrators to track trends in real time, the release said. For example, teachers can view data they've entered from an assessment based on recent instruction to quickly identify students who may need support or would benefit from additional challenge. When teachers input the database with subsequent assessment results,Tableau updates the reports with information that teachers can easily use to adjust teaching decisions. Data and Assessment Coordinator Dan Andrews said the District is just starting to unlock all Tableau can do to track trends for student learning and attendance, for example. It's a powerful tool that supports the Ames Schools' responsive and individualized approach to teaching and learning, he said. "The Tableau reports are dynamic and they organize the data visually so it's easier to understand," Andrews said. "Those features are already making us more agile in our decisions and responses." ___ (c)2014 the Ames Tribune, Iowa Visit the Ames Tribune, Iowa at www.amestrib.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |