Data and its impact on the modern classroom
As demand for English language learning grows in popularity across Asia, innovations in learning technologies are changing how educators are approaching the challenge of equipping learners with the English skills (and knowledge) required to succeed personally and professionally – in everyday life, in academia and in professional settings.
The rise of technology-assisted study – or in other words, pedagogy that is underpinned by technology – allows teachers to obtain and analyse student performance data in near real-time and it allows educators to use the gained learnings to tailor the learning experience to meet individual requirements, and it is having a profound effect on modern English language teaching (ELT).
Additionally, as a by-product of technology-driven pedagogy, educators can now leverage education data to provide invaluable insights for learners to help them shape their learning journey, for teachers to understand their cohort’s strengths and weaknesses, and for education leaders to get a clear view on their courseware infrastructure in order to make timely decisions on optimising the wider teaching and learning framework provided at their institution. This current shift is fundamentally presenting data-driven decision-making opportunities in education that simply weren’t possible in previous years.
And there are several variables that have allowed for a more data-driven approach to the modern classroom: an increase in training, coupled with the emergence of new technologies, and the implementation of new common standards, to name a few.
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This allows educators and learners to better understand the concept of “assessment-of-learning” and “assessment-for-learning”, which is the difference between learning for the purpose of testing, and testing for the purposes of improving the learning process.
For example, tools such as in-classroom online polls enable teachers to gauge students' engagement levels and their grasp of the core concepts being taught. And as remote learning applications have taken off in recent times, these technologies are incorporating polling features to allow educators to continue gathering data on student performance, despite not always needing to be physically present in the classroom.
The pivotal shift is that by using technology, teachers and students are able to “do something with the results,” says Kayo Taguchi, Pearson Asia’s ELT portfolio manager. “We’re able to answer the questions...around next steps.” This can be explicit, she says, pointing to a specific skill, or even perhaps more subtle, such as a change in teaching style. “Learning becomes a bit more focused when you link the courseware and assessment together.”
Gathering education data (or learning data) is increasingly becoming part of the modern educator’s playbook. Each student has their own needs, and it's important to have individual learning pathways, notes Kayo. Knowing exactly what a learner’s true level is and having clear goals for progress are key to managing their development. “Everyone learns at a different pace. In the same class, you could have slow learners as well as fast learners. Each of them has different strengths and challenges and these need to be addressed.”
This is made possible by the continuous collection and analysis of data, which provides an understanding of progress at a refined, granular level. When this information is fed back into the learning process, it helps to create a feedback loop that enables the development of a unique, customised and effective learning experience for learners.
Having that level of insight is key to keeping students enthusiastic and inspired to continue learning, according to Kayo. “Being able to identify an individual’s strengths and challenges will help educators build student motivation.”