Data Lit

Data Lit

By Data, Research, and AccountabilityEducation
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Data Lit episodes

  • Data Literacy Jenga

    Data literacy is like a game of Jenga, as each skill is a brick that can topple the tower if it’s pulled. In this episode, we’ll talk through six foundational concepts that support the development of data literacy as defined by the National Forum on Education Statistics:

    • Data Quality

    • Meta-data

    • Data Privacy

    • Data Ethics

    • Data Governance

    • Data Visualization

      • To make the metaphor a bit more literal, we’ll play a game of Jenga as we do so! Tune in to learn about data literacy and find out who wins.

      Research & resources from the episode:

      • The Forum Guide to Data Literacy by the National Forum on Education Statistics

      • DRA’s Data Literacy Micro-Credentials

        • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

        Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

        Theme music provided by Ligon Middle School’s Alex Scott
        Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

        28 min
      • Research in Action: Thoughtfully Adaptive Teaching with Kim Corvi

        In this inaugural episode of Research in Action, we sit down with Kim Corvi as she sheds light on thoughtfully adaptive teaching - an emerging field of study which focuses on the targeted moves teachers make in response to the unique needs of their students. Join as we learn more about Kim’s findings and how she uses the results to support her work with teachers.

        Research & Resources from the episode:

        • Link to conduct research in WCPSS 

        • Elementary ELA 24-25 Professional Learning


          • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

          Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

          The theme song for this episode is Dreamscapes by Ligon MS’ Alex Scott
          Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

          19 min
        • Decoding District Data: Insights from Superintendent Dr. Robert P. Taylor

          Join us as we sit down with Dr. Robert P. Taylor, Wake County’s new visionary superintendent who possesses a passion for transforming education through data. In this exclusive episode, Dr. Taylor shares his unique perspective on data literacy, reveals the key metrics that drive his decision-making process, and explains why he’s a staunch advocate for teachers engaging more deeply  with educational research. Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on the power of data in our district - one conversation at a time.

          Research & Resources from the episode:

          • Educational Leadership: Eight Data Points to Ponder

          • Data Lit’s Street Data series

          • College Social Experiences between First-Generation Students and Other Students Enrolled in a STEM Discipline at a Historically Black College and University

          • Assessment Validity & Reliability Video

            • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

            Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

            Theme music is Dreamscapes by Ligon Magnet MS’ Alex Scott

            Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

            21 min
          • Season Five Opener

            Data Lit is back for our fifth season! Tune in to hear what’s coming your way from WCPSS' Data, Research, and Accountability department. 

            Research & Resources from the episode:

            • Educational Leadership’s July 2024 Issue: From Absent to Engaged

            • Quantitative & Qualitative Data: Why they matter in the classroom

              • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

              Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

              The theme song for this episode is Dreamscapes by Ligon MS’ Alex Scott

              Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
              You can contact us at [email protected]

              13 min
            • Season Four Finale: Reflections & Anticipations

              From the role of AI in education to bus routing to the history of standardized testing, the 14 episodes in Season Four covered a wide variety of topics in the world of assessment and data literacy. Join the team as we share some of our highlights from the past year, as well as touch on what we would like to explore in the upcoming fifth season. 

              WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

              Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

              Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman

              Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

              Questions or comments? Contact us at [email protected] 

              20 min
            • History of Standardized Testing in America

              In this episode, we explore the fascinating evolution of standardized testing in the United States. From its humble beginnings in the 1800s to its central role in modern education, we delve into the origins and impacts of these assessments to discover how standardized tests have shaped educational policies and influenced students’ lives.


              Research & Resources from the episode:

              •  NEA - History of Standardized Testing in the US

              • JSTOR - A Short History of Standardized Tests

                • The Atlantic’s piece on testing

                • UNC - Making the Grade

                • NC ABCs Accountability Model from 1997 to 2012

                • U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Testing in American Schools: Asking the Right Questions, OTA-SET-519 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, February 1992).

                  • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

                  Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

                  Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman
                  Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

                  36 min
                • Live from NCTIES: What does data literacy mean to you?

                  Data literacy means many things to many people, so in an attempt to unpack this topic, we asked a room full of educators from across the Carolinas at NCTIES how they define this term and how they hope to enhance their data literacy. 


                  Research & Resources from the episode:

                  •  WCPSS Student Survey

                    • Quantitative & Qualitative Data episode

                    • Street Data Series

                      • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

                      Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

                      Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman

                      Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

                      15 min
                    • Data Bytes: Understanding the world of bus routing with WCPSS Transportation’s Bonnie Sluder

                      When you see that familiar yellow bus on the road, do you ever wonder about the data it takes to get students to and from school? In this episode of Data Bytes, our guest Bonnie Sluder from the WCPSS Transportation Departments shares what data she and her staff have to consider when managing the bus routing system in a district of our size. The fun facts she shares will make for great conversation starters at your next gathering.


                      Research & Resources from the episode:

                      • Data Bytes: Geospatial Analytics

                      • Exploring Multiple Measures in Your Data Story

                        • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

                        Hosts: Mellisa Smith, Serena Halstead, and Spencer Ziegler

                        Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman
                        Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

                        23 min
                      • Six Rules for a Pedagogy of Voice

                        At the core of the Street Data framework is hearing from our students, especially those whose voices are seldom represented. Join us as we discuss what it means to embrace a Pedagogy of Voice in our classrooms by sharing the six rules that can help us shift from a mind set where students are just passive participants to one where students are actively owning their learning.


                        Research & Resources from the episode:

                        • Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation

                        • Cognitive Coaching Course from the Office of Professional Learning (WCPSS only)

                        • Retrieval Practice post (WCPSS only)

                        • Authentic Audiences through Celebrations of Learning Video  

                        • Data Lit Feedback Series

                        • Data Lit Grading Series

                          • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

                          Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

                          Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman

                          Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

                          33 min
                        • Getting Streetwise in the Classroom

                          In this episode of Data Lit, we invite Wake County’s Sarah Stephens, Senior Administrator to the Northern Area Superintendent, to help us deepen our conversation around the book Street Data. Because of her proximity to the work of schools, Sarah shares with listeners ways in which educators can apply strategies in their classrooms to get to the core of how our students are experiencing instruction in their learning journey. 

                          Research & Resources from the episode:

                          • Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation

                          • WCPSS’ Equity Framework

                          • Critical Reflection Prompts

                          • For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y'all Too

                          • Digital Portfolios 101 Learning Central course for WCPSS

                          • Cult of Pedagogy: A Pathway Toward Equitable, Anti-Racist Schools

                            • WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.

                            Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler

                            Theme music provided by Rolesville Middle School’s Jamaal Wellman
                            Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System

                            29 min

                          About Data Lit

                          From the publisher's feed

                          Teachers are inundated with data, but none of those numbers will help if they're not paired with some accessible and informative data literacy training. This podcast seeks to empower teachers with the…