Head versus heart in evaluation Last Friday, I had a blast presenting at the Ohio Program Evaluators Group (OPEG) Spring Exchange about how we can use our evaluation skillset to empower and engage communities that are being silenced and harmed. My presentation was the last one on a full-day agenda featuring the work of many… Continue reading Head versus heart in evaluation
The good, the bad, and the really bad of data viz When I see a really great chart or graph (data visualization or “data viz”) … or a really terrible one, I’ll take a screenshot of it. I’m cool like that. But here’s why I do it. The really good ones get me excited, and… Continue reading The good, the bad, and the really bad of data viz
When numbers help, and when stories matter more I know I talk about data … a lot. But for me, it’s really not about the numbers. It’s not about the spreadsheets (I do still really love spreadsheets though). It’s not about the reports and fancy graphs and charts. It’s about the people behind those numbers. … Continue reading When numbers help, and when stories matter more
The scary things that data use is NOT I’m not going to lie, I still have occasional nightmares about high school calculus, even though that was … a lot of years ago. That class really made me feel like a failure. Clearly, deep in my subconscious, that has stuck with me. So I understand when… Continue reading The scary things that data use is NOT
When the data speaks for itself (I’m back! Let’s just say that working from home full-time with an infant and no childcare is not for the faint of heart. I’m hoping to share with you more regularly throughout the summer and beyond.) As I’m sure has been the case with you, the past few weeks… Continue reading When the data speaks for itself
“I couldn’t have put it better myself…” We all know how powerful a startling statistic can be. Maybe you’ve seen a PowerPoint presentation where there is just a huge number on the slide or a newspaper headline that highlights the stark realities of a situation. Remember the New York Times’ cover early on in the… Continue reading “I couldn’t have put it better myself”
Preparing for Another Uncertain School Year I think we had all hoped that after two school years disrupted by COVID-19, the 2021-2022 school year could be a return to “normal.” Yet with the Delta variant surging throughout the country and children under 12 still unvaccinated, it’s becoming clear that educators and families are in for… Continue reading Preparing for Another Uncertain Year
Reframing data analysis as meaning-making This summer on the Engage with Data blog, I’m exploring different ways to answer the question: “So what?” My goal is to remind us of the human element of data — we are in the field of student and family engagement, after all! But I do get it – data… Continue reading Reframing data analysis as meaning-making
Summarize, visualize, analyze In my last post, I asked for feedback about what you’d like to learn about in our summer of figuring out the “so what?” of our data. To my amusement, a longtime colleague and friend replied to my LinkedIn post with the following topic: “How to turn raw data into meaningful information… Continue reading Summarize, visualize, analyze
Looking for the “so what?” in our data If you’ve read this blog for any period of time, you’ve probably figured out that data tracking is kind of my thing. My super Type-A personality gets a lot of satisfaction from crossing every “t” and dotting every “i” and making sure that I can quickly access… Continue reading Looking for the “So What?” In Our Data
