Unit Six focuses on using data-driven decision making to create action plans aimed at improved student outcomes. The unit discusses setting performance, process, and training targets to focus actions on improving motivation, engagement, goal setting and achievement. It also introduces using a SWOT analysis and data-driven decision making model to draft a customized action plan for a student named Susan who is struggling in her courses. The plan will draw on information about Susan's performance and insights from research on attrition to identify strengths to leverage and weaknesses to address.

1. UNIT SIX
USING DATA-DRIVE DECISION-MAKING TO
CREATE ACTION PLANS
Louis Cabuhat
Dean of Education
TEACHER
THE
TEACHER

2. “If you don’t know where you are going,
any road will get you there”
- Richard S. Sagor
Connecting Your Actions to the Target
IMPROVED OUTCOMES

3.  Performance Targets (INDIVIDUAL
OUTCOMES)
 Ask yourself,“What are students expected to gain
from our ‘actions”?
 Improved motivation √
 Improved engagement √
 Realistic goal-setting √
 Improved achievement √
 Process Targets (TECHNIQUES or
STRATEGIES)
 Development of an Early Warning System
Training Targets (Sagor, 2011)

4.  Unit One dealt with
 Motivation is driven by emotion
According to Chickering (2006), “motivation is the
key to persistence, moving through successfully, and
learning that lasts” (p. 13).
 Unit two dealt with
Learners who are Involved, Interested and
Connected are more likely to persist.
Recap: The path taken

5.  Unit three dealt with
“Learners who are unable to form positive
motivational “attitudes” towards goal
fulfillment are at greater risk of dropping
from program”
Recap
(Morrow & Ackermann, 2012)

6.  Unit Four dealt with
 Chickering’s Nonlinear Stages of Development
Recap
 developing
competence
 managing
emotions
 moving through
autonomy toward
independence
 developing mature
interpersonal
relationships
 establishing identity
 developing purpose
 developing integrity.

7.  Unit Five dealt with
“Technology enables students to accomplish
more than they could without the use of
technology” (Heafner, 2004, p. 48).
Recap

8. Unit Six: Using Data-Driven Decision-making to
Create Actions Aimed at Student Persistence
Learners will be able to:
 Define ‘attrition’ as it relates to a postsecondary
environment
 Apply knowledge of ‘Susan’ to offer actions that
influence her outcome(s)
 Build a simple, yet effective action plan using a
S.W.O.T. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats) approach
 Compose a ‘Data-Driven Decision-making’ model
that will be used with Susan

9. Attrition – What We Know
“…student departure from all forms of postsecondary
education prior to completion of a credential or
degree” (Wellman & Steel, 2012, p. 2)
 No one form of behavior adequately labels all
dropouts (Tinto, 1987)
 Enrollments are on the rise; completion remains flat
(Morrow & Ackerman, 2012)

10. Attrition – A Call to Action
 Discovering answers to explain attrition all depends
on ‘who’ is doing the questioning.
 Plan of Action:
 Use history to guide action
 Apply a methodical approach
 Create flexible plans
 Request assistance as needed
 Include all stakeholders in the process

11. How do you begin to write an action
plan?
 Create a Mindset
 Keeping Up!
 Not Giving Up!
 Doing It!
 Connecting
(Williams, 2010, p. 364)
 Adopt a universal framework

12. Methodical Approach to Data-Drive
Decision-making in Education

13. BE AWARE!
DO NOT FLY BY
THE SEAT OF YOUR
PANTS!

14. ‘SWOT’ Approach:
Enter Info before making decisions
SWOT Analysis Template:
Problem: ____________________________________________________________________________
(motivation, engagement, and achievement)
Strengths:
Anchored to Motivation
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Weaknesses:
Anchored to Engagement
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Threats:
Anchored to Goal-setting
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Opportunities:
Anchored to Achievement
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

15. Return to EduOs.net –
This week, your job is to read the evolving
scenario and select information that will be
used to draft ‘your’ action plan aimed at
addressing outcomes.

16. Susan’s Case
Susan is a new student who is attending classes at Bryman College – A for-
profit organization. As a new enrollment to the school, Susan has
demonstrated that she is able to satisfy some assignment deadlines, but she
also submits assignments late. Additionally, Susan evidently arrives to class on-
time, but there are also several instances when she is not exactly prepared to
participate. Recently, Susan explained to her classmates that she is attending
college because her ‘parents are paying her way’. Now, after failing her mid-
term examination, Susan has agreed to meet with her advisor (YOU) to discuss
the situation. You are anxiously awaiting the encounter and, in preparation,
you choose to speak with other colleagues at the college to present what you
know about Susan (so far). And, to her surprise, several of the other staff
members are dealing with a ‘Susan’ of their own. The instructors remind each
other of the facts (as known) related to postsecondary student attrition, and
then they help you plan an action plan to address Susan’s learning needs.

17. Reference List
Balduf, M. (2009). Underachievement among college students. Journal of
advanced academics, 20(2), 274-294. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ849379.pdf
Baxter, J. (2012). Who am I and what keeps me going? Profiling the distance
learning student in higher education. International review of research in open
and distance learning, 13(4), 107-129. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ1001708.pdf
Chickering, A. W. (2006, May/June). Every student can learn - if... Retrieved
from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dd514ab9-
a85f-48c3-9d53-3d83ca6df5e0@sessionmgr112&vid=15&hid=122
Heafner, T. (2004). Using technology to motivate students to learn social studies.
Retrieved from http://editlib.org/d/21905

18. Reference List
Ikemoto Schuyler, G., & Marsh, J. A. (n.d.). Cutting through the data-driving mantra:
different donceptions of data-driven decision making. Retrieved from
https://post.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-904317-dt-content-rid-
5675546_1/courses/EDU515.901034056062/EDU515.901034056062_ImportedCo
ntent_20120611073529/MasterCourseEDU515_ImportedContent_20120319113654
/MasterCourseEDU515_ImportedContent_20111015103835/Unit 1/Unit 1 -
Introduction to Measurement, Metrics and DDDM/embedded/What is DDDM - Ikemoto
and Marsh.pdf
Laskey, M. L., & Hetzel, C. J. (2010, August 30). Self-regulated learning, metacognition,
and soft skills: the 21st century leaner. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED511589.pdf
Morrow, J. A., & Ackermann, M. E. (2012). Intention to persist and retention of first-year
students: The importance of motivation and sense of belonging. College student
journal, 46(3), 483-491. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=efc82f3b-eac7-4d11-
91da-acc4e88f76d0@sessionmgr15&vid=7&hid=113

19. Reference List
Sagor, R. (2011). The action research guidebook: a four-stage process for
educators and school teams. (2 ed.). Thousand Oak, California: Corwin.
Tinto, V. (1987, November). The principles of effective retention. Fall conference
of the Maryland college personnel association. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED301267.pdf
Wellman, J., & Steele, P. (2012, September). Measuring (and managing) the
invisible costs of postsecondary attrition. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED536120.pdf
Williams, M. G. (2010, November). Attrition and retention in the nursing major:
Understanding persistence in beginning nursing students. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=44bc7424-c2fd-
431c-bbcc-e0891e243b25@sessionmgr15&vid=5&hid=19