53. Mr. Data (But With a Human Touch!) - Meet Chris Smith and Learn to Embrace Educational Data Artwork

Educators Going Global

Our mission is to inform both veteran and aspiring international educators about working overseas - What it’s like and how it's changing, Where to find more information, Why "going global" is so attractive and How and When to work through the recruiting process. We do this via targeted episodes where we give informational interviews as well as sharing personal vignettes related to all aspects of international education. We work to tell the full story so you are really in the know about international schools. We invite you to travel, teach and connect with us!

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Educators Going Global

53. Mr. Data (But With a Human Touch!) - Meet Chris Smith and Learn to Embrace Educational Data

May 24, 2024 • Audrey Forgeron and David Carpenter • Season 2

"Mr. Data, make it so"

For the non-Trekkies out there, meet Chris Smith, academic data analyst.

Chris joined us to speak about the importance of using data to improve multiple aspects of our schools.

Through his 25 years in international education, Chris noticed schools and educators collecting data but seeming overwhelmed by it or needing help knowing what to do with it. So, he began coaching, teaching, and consulting with schools and educators to help them discover what data they needed and how they could turn it into information that led to useful insights and informed decision-making. Chris has engaged with school districts in the United States and international schools worldwide through this work. Chris is passionate about helping educators and school leaders save time and make sense of their data.

Here are a few of the topics covered in this episode:

Defining the term “data” in education
Instead of data-driven decision-making using the term data informed decision-making
The big areas and some lesser-known ones that data can be drawn from in our schools
Gathering data in the classroom to inform instruction and further assessments
Data Visualization
Drawing data from qualitative and experiential learning experiences, including concept-based learning experiences
Where international schools stand now regarding their use of technology and information processing in teaching and learning including roles and job titles in this field
Digital citizenship and digital wellness
GenAI in schools
Recruiting and important skill sets regarding technology, information use and data gathering and interpretation – which connects to data literacy for educators

Our Guiding Question was, “Why is data gathering and analysis so important in our schools? Second, how are technology and information processing integral to teaching and learning in our schools?”

The show was recorded on March 27, 2024.

Chris’ Contact Information: LinkedIn

Categories: School Life | Data | Instruction
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

ISTE Standards
Information and Communication Literacies (ICL)
Smith Visualizations

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.

People on this episode

Audrey Forgeron

Co-host

David Carpenter

Co-host