Session 3 - Data Driven Dialogue

Phase 3: Inferences (10 minutes)

Now that we've carefully observed the data and identified key patterns and trends, it's time to move to the next level: making inferences.

In this phase, we'll go beyond simply describing the data and start to interpret its meaning. We'll generate multiple conjectures, explanations, conclusions, and inferences based on the observations we've made.

Now we get to ask why the data is showing us certain patterns and trends. We're piecing together the clues we've gathered to understand what the data is telling us about student learning and our teaching practices.

Key Tasks:

• What does the data suggest? Make inferences based on the patterns and trends you observed in the data.
  • For example, "I believe the data suggests that students may benefit from additional instruction on fractions."
• What inferences can you draw from this information? Consider what the data might imply about student learning and your teaching practices.
  • For example, "I infer that students may need more opportunities to practice applying fractions to real-world problems."
• What additional questions may need to be investigated? Identify any questions that arise from your analysis of the data.
  • For example, "I wonder if students who struggle with fractions also struggle with other math concepts."

Be mindful to avoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions. Instead, focus on generating multiple possible explanations and interpretations based on the evidence at hand.

Let's delve deeper into the meaning of the data!