Reflection - Module 4

As you have researched Data standards, please reflect on your discoveries. What are the three most critical factors that you would cite to a colleague about this architecture? Discuss why data standards are critical for educational organizations to employ.

I did not know that the Common Education Data Standards existed and can clearly see the importance of having a common language or vocabulary between schools and the state and federal departments of education.  

The three most critical factors I would cite to a colleague are:

1 - We need to make sure our own vocabulary and language matches the Common Education Data Standards architecture.

2 - That we need to be more strategic about using big data in the same way that other sectors of society and the business sector are using it to continually improve practice for successful student performance, while making sure student privacy is protected by focusing on aggregate data.

3- Educational Enterprise Architecture initiatives do not have to be large in scale. We can start with a smaller scope that is more manageable and on target with immediate goals, and incrementally increase the scope over time (Education Enterprise Architecture Guidebook, p. 8).

Data standards are critical for educational organizations to employ because schools need to be able to send understandable data to the district, who then sends it to the state department. If the data is not recognizable or readable by these other stakeholders, then those responsible for tasked with assuring student success will not know if students are succeeding in our school or know what tools and resources would be the best to implement to improve student success. They would also not be able to determine if public funds are actually helping students and the public would not have the data it is entitled to as the funders of our school. And as the video narrator of the video, "Who Uses Student Data," says: "When parents, teachers and leaders have access to quality data, students do better."