The path of this discussion thread illustrates one of the key challenges we face in finding a solution to the “data problem”: we have already traveled from a program providing data to students as an educational opportunity to data being used for teacher accountability to data being used for improving teaching and learning.

Often times “data” seems to become the four-letter lightening rod, maybe because the first few decades of massive data collection miracles, mis-steps, abuses and misuses have spawned many complex questions that we are still figuring out, as a society, how to answer. As educators we can probably all agree that questions this hard probably won’t have discrete scantron-able answers.

Everyone made good points, and I agree that there is often not enough discussion of the potential upsides of data (this community should be making sure there are more good examples of that!) But there are also very real concerns (e.g. http://blog.ponder.co/2013/09/22/risk-data-monopolies-education/) that need specific solutions, not just upsides.

Educators, edtech companies and ed policy makers can take some solace from the fact that other fields (medicine, finance) that started struggling with “data” earlier lack good solutions too. Outside of the recent NSA controversy, there was a starting point for the conversation in the form of a bill introduced by Senators Kerry and McCain a few years ago (http://blog.myplaceinthecrowd.org/2011/05/11/kerry-mccain-privacy-bill-what-it-got-right-whats-still-missing/) and not much since.

I think we can all agree that data is not an unqualified good, and it is likely that the solution involves regulation, but it has to be regulation built on models and recommendations from informed practioners (that’s us!)

Still it will take active consensus-building leadership from institutions with plausibly objective motivations (perhaps our graduate schools of education?) Any nominations?

-Alex

www.ponder.co

@PonderLabsInc

Controlled study shows Ponder engages at 12x discussion forum

From: [address removed] [mailto:[address removed]] On Behalf Of Steve Rappaport
Sent: Sunday, August 31,[masked]:23 PM
To: [address removed]
Subject: RE: [NYEdTech] My Brothers Keeper: How Can Data Empower Young Men of Color

Agreed, but we - the ed tech industry - need to reframe the debate over the role of data in public education so that it is not focused chiefly on concerns about privacy and the security of student data.  Those concerns are indeed legitimate and we must work with stakeholders in the education community to address them, but we must also not allow fears about misuses of data to undermine important, legitimate efforts - such as, must recently, inBloom - to leverage data to improve teaching and learning. 

To reframe the debate, we must develop another narrative, one that explains why data have been and always will be central to the mission of public education.  See my blog post about this at http://steverappaport.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/reframing-the-data-debate-an-open-letter-to-the-education-industry/.

Steve

Dr. Steve Rappaport

Rappaport Consulting

[masked] (home/office)

[masked] (mobile)

[address removed]

From: [address removed] [mailto:[address removed]] On Behalf Of Steve Zimmerman
Sent: Sunday, August 31,[masked]:42 PM
To: [address removed]
Subject: Re: [NYEdTech] My Brothers Keeper: How Can Data Empower Young Men of Color

Agreed, we shouldn't be afraid of data.

But we shouldn't worship it, either.

The efficacy of "data-driven" instruction and everything else is a shibboleth of accountability-based education reform and somewhat blindly accepted by most of us in EdTech because -- well, maybe because we build things that are very good at producing data.

Whether or not it really enhances the goals of education is far from certain. And there is much evidence to indicate that obsession with data and data-driven accountability is demoralizing to teachers.

I suggest reading this very thoughtful report by Marc Tucker from The National Center on Education and the Economy.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend, folks.

Steve Zimmerman

Open School EduTech, Inc.

[masked]th St. Suite 343

Long Island City, NY 11101

[masked]

www.openschooleportfolio.com

On Aug 30, 2014, at 8:41 PM, Mike Schoeffler wrote:

Nasir -

Cool article - I'm glad to learn about Data Jam.

We shouldn't be afraid of data. It can point to problems, suggest solutions, or measure movement. In the end, data's just a tool - and a very powerful one.

We're starting to hit success giving kids a jump on math in Newark. Only data can keep us from mistaking optimism for results.

Mike Schoeffler

www.brickcitythinks.com

On Sat, Aug 30, 2014 at 11:21 AM, Nasir Qadree <[address removed]> wrote:

EdTech Friends,

Check out a recent article from Edsurge that shares how technology and data could play a critical role in building platforms and apps for young men and boys of color. If you are a developer, data scientist, or engineer we need more of you building innovative tools that impacts our underserve students/communities.

https://www.edsurge.com/n/2014-08-27-my-brother-s-keeper-how-can-data-empower-young-men-of-color

Best,

Nasir 

"One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education."

--
Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list ([address removed])
This message was sent by Nasir Qadree ([address removed]) from NYEdTech.
To learn more about Nasir Qadree, visit his/her member profile
To report this message or block the sender, please click here
Set my mailing list to email me As they are sent | In one daily email | Don't send me mailing list messages

Meetup, POB 4668 #37895 NY NY USA 10163 | [address removed]

--
Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list ([address removed])
This message was sent by Mike Schoeffler ([address removed]) from NYEdTech.
To learn more about Mike Schoeffler, visit his/her member profile
To report this message or block the sender, please click here
Set my mailing list to email me As they are sent | In one daily email | Don't send me mailing list messages

Meetup, POB 4668 #37895 NY NY USA 10163 | [address removed]

--
Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list ([address removed])
This message was sent by Steve Zimmerman ([address removed]) from NYEdTech.
To learn more about Steve Zimmerman, visit his/her member profile
To report this message or block the sender, please click here
Set my mailing list to email me As they are sent | In one daily email | Don't send me mailing list messages

Meetup, POB 4668 #37895 NY NY USA 10163 | [address removed]

--
Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list ([address removed])
This message was sent by Steve Rappaport ([address removed]) from NYEdTech.
To learn more about Steve Rappaport, visit his/her member profile
To report this message or block the sender, please click here
Set my mailing list to email me As they are sent | In one daily email | Don't send me mailing list messages

Meetup, POB 4668 #37895 NY NY USA 10163 | [address removed]