Zurich International School (ZIS), an early and active member of the Learning Analytics Collaborative (LAC), has been steadily building its data culture in recent years. Structures, staffing, visualization tools, and protocols are now in place to help teachers and school leaders become more fluent in using data to inform teaching and learning.
As the work of building a data culture continues, the school is tackling its next goal: inviting parents into data conversations. This case study describes the strategies that have prepared the school to launch its innovative data platform for parents.
Focus on Infrastructure and Purpose First
Like many schools, ZIS began its data journey by identifying and gathering existing data. Andrew Blair, Head of IT Services and Solutions for ZIS since 2020, recalls that the very process of organizing data for visualization highlighted gaps and challenges with collection methods and longitudinal datasets.
With the data organized, Andrew was ready to guide the leadership team through discussions about the purpose of building a data culture. Visualizations created by LAC helped to make data more accessible. Andrew also used analogies to prompt discussions. He pointed out that using contemporary online applications people can easily access data about online streaming habits, sporting interests, and data related to finances and health. For example, horse racing enthusiasts can access a wide range of data about a particular horse’s history, weight, training methods, and more. Similarly, soccer fans can dive deep into data to create their own fantasy Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) teams, and Fitbit users can view data on movement, pulse, sleep, and calories. Then he asked, “How can you just as quickly get information about your students?”
Visualizations helped the leadership team pose new questions about how the data could be improved. For example, the team knew that Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores were useful for understanding students’ growth as readers during middle school. But MAP testing stopped at Grade 8. Andrew recalled hearing questions such as, “What happens when they get to Grade 9? How does a subject score in English align to a MAP score in reading? How could we see their growth over time?” As a result of those discussions, MAP testing has been extended from Grade 3 to Grade 9 to provide a better understanding of student growth in reading.
To engage teachers in similar conversations, Will Kirkwood took on the role of Educational Technology and Data coordinator in 2022. He has introduced structures such as data window meetings, held three times each school year, along with protocols to encourage questions about both internal and external data. Gradually, teachers are embedding data into their existing practices—from curriculum planning to professional learning to student support—with the goal of improving teaching and learning.
Designing a Platform for Parents
With the data culture starting to take hold for teachers and school leaders, ZIS considered whether and how to share student data with parents. Realistically, they know that many parents already use data in their professional and personal lives. Whether it’s with workplace applications or tracking personal fitness or financial goals, consumers are accustomed to accessing data quickly and conveniently, often on their phones.
In thinking about how to share student data with parents, the ZIS team wanted a single platform that would provide an overview of each student. “We want parents to be able to quickly check in on how things are going [with their child],” Will said. The goal wasn’t to overload parents with new scores or assessments. Instead, he adds, “we want to present what we already know in a way that is easier to digest.”
The new platform was not intended to replace existing tools, such as PowerSchool. Instead, it would let parents see at a glance how their child is doing over time—whether that’s this semester vs. last semester or year-over-year achievement. “For parents, seeing progress over time was not easy to visualize [using existing tools],” Will said. “It would require a bit of legwork—several clicks to see different screens.” The new platform needed to deliver a consolidation of information “which parents have had access to for years, but it’s been in different forums.”
Below are some examples of the views that ZIS parents will have access to.
Input From Parents
Before launching the platform schoolwide, ZIS presented a prototype to a parent group for feedback. “We shared a sample with a committee from our parent association. They were very positive about it,” Will said. “They wanted it released as soon as possible.”
More testing followed for quality control and functionality, involving both parents and a teacher focus group. Before launching, ZIS wanted to ensure that student data would remain private. This was a concern that LAC took seriously. Throughout the collaboration with ZIS in the iterative design process, LAC emphasized the importance of implementing robust privacy measures. The discussions regarding quality control and functionality were paralleled by rigorous assessments of data security protocols. The commitment stemmed from recognizing the significance of safeguarding student information and maintaining trust with stakeholders.
Preparing to Launch
With the design user-tested, ZIS was ready for the full launch of its Parent Visual Platform in April 2024. To prepare parents for the new platform, a communications plan was set in motion with the following steps:
Going Live
Andrew admits he was apprehensive about launching the data platform, particularly around matters of security, data privacy, and functionality. He was also very aware that, although there would be some great visuals for students who had been at the school for an extended period of time, recently admitted families may be disappointed because of the lack of data. However, a key communication during the launch was that, given time, new families who remain with ZIS will be able to visualize their child's academic growth.
Reflections
Sharing student data with parents may generate new questions and conversations about their child’s progress.
Will, a parent himself as well as a former classroom teacher, sees that as a healthy outcome. “I think the parent community will appreciate the attempt at transparency,” he said. “The hope is that this just becomes part of the school’s identity, that we openly share the data that we collect about our students with the parent community.”
Knowing that parents are more data-aware means teachers need to be ready to engage in discussions about students’ growth over time. “We hope the teaching community remains curious about the data,” Will said. When questions come up from parents, “hopefully this becomes part of our culture that we’re willing to engage in those conversations.”
In building its data culture, a school community needs to keep in mind key questions. Andrew added, “Think about what it is you really need to know related to your goals.” Launching the platform “creates a new feedback loop,” he adds, with teachers, leaders, parents, board members, and potentially students themselves engaging in deeper conversations about teaching and learning.
Read how Oberoi International School is Building a Data Culture.
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Suzie Boss is a writer and global educational consultant who focuses on the power of teaching, learning, and storytelling to improve lives and transform communities. The author of a dozen books on project-based learning and other innovative practices, she is a regular contributor to Edutopia and an adviser to Consilience. A frequent conference presenter, she consults with schools around the world interested in shifting to a more student-centered approach to teaching and learning.
Website: https://suzieboss.com/
