"In an evidence-driven era, gathering comprehensive data will enable schools to meet their academic goals and to engage in a holistic approach to education."
—Avis Glaze, President
Edu-Quest International Inc., Valhalla, NY
"The challenges facing educators today are immense and the pressure to ′perform′ is clearly evident. This book provides a fresh and compelling argument to look far beyond test score performance when measuring success in our schools."
—Kurt Suhr, Principal
Newport Heights Elementary School, Newport Beach, CA
A comprehensive guide to data-driven school improvement
Schools aren′t one dimensional. Your decision making shouldn′t be either. If you want to look beyond student test scores to identify the specific areas that need improvement in your school, you will find practical tools for assessing multiple areas with confidence here. The authors detail a step-by-step framework for identifying, collecting, analyzing, and using data as a basis for driving school improvement in the right direction. Based on more than 40 years of research, this seven-dimensional model will help enhance your school′s curriculum, community, climate, and character by applying data to these key processes:
- Assessing student achievement
- Modifying instruction based on data findings
- Improving school performance
- Retaining effective teachers
The result is a holistic and accurate instrument for making the changes needed to improve student learning. Included are assessment tools, process charts, graphic organizers, rubrics, tables, numerous examples, and background research.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction: A New Lens by Michael W. Corrigan
I. Assessment
1. The Paradoxes, Oxymorons, and Myths of Education
2. The Seven Dimensions to Guiding Systemic Data-Driven Thinking
3. Connecting the Data Dots to Achievement
II. Improvement
4. The 4Cs Framework for Shared Leadership and Planning
5. The C of Curriculum
6. The C of Community
7. The C of Climate
8. The C of Character
III. Achievement
9. Gearing Up for Systemic Success
10. Rising Above the Standards
Appendix
References
Index
About the Author :
Dr. Michael W. Corrigan is a well-published Associate Professor and Director of Research at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. He teaches Educational Psychology, Human Development, and Research Methods. Dr. Corrigan’s more recent large scale research projects include five U.S. Department of Education grants studying character development and academic achievement in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia; as well as a National Science Foundation grant collaborating with NASA that studies the impact of science-based inquiry on academic achievement in at-risk youth. Corrigan’s earlier research into the deviant behavior of youth in relation to community engagement was funded through the Department of Justice. Dr. Corrigan has taught within a juvenile detention system and is also the founder of the nonprofit Neighbor’s Day Initiative Group that seeks to build safer communities for youth. Corrigan’s community work has been featured in the Christian Science Monitor and other national publications. Dr. Doug Grove is well respected from coast to coast for providing outcome and process evaluation services to local and state education agencies. Grove is an Associate Professor at Vanguard University of Southern California where he serves as Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Education. Grove has an extensive background in Educational Leadership, Research Design and Methodology. Dr. Grove’s broad experience in educational evaluation includes the management of numerous state and federal grants, as well as many other local education agency-based initiatives on the west coast. As a respected professor, Grove has taught courses on classroom assessment, statistics, research design and accountability in education. Dr. Grove has taught English, business, and physical education in public and private school settings. He has worked as a high school vice principal, the coordinator of a county office assessment unit, and school board member. Dr. Philip Fitch Vincent, known to many as the voice of character education, and to others as the Poor Dr. Phil, brings more than 25 successful years of experience as an educator and an administrator to his consulting, grant project management, presentations, workshops, and many books. Dr. Vincent received his Master’s degree in education from Appalachian State University in 1979 and his doctor of education degree in curriculum and instruction from North Carolina State University in 1991. Dr. Vincent has taught grades K-12 as well as being a site and central office administrator. Dr. Vincent has done more than a thousand presentations and keynotes related to character education and moral development in more than 40 states and Canada. In November of 2007 he received the Sandy McDonald Award for Lifetime Achievement in the field of character education from the Character Education Partnership in Washington, DC. Phil was also given the Canadian Achievement Award in Character Education for his work in Ontario.
Review :
"The authors have provided a useful tool that will serve as a starting point in the school improvement journey. The Multi-Educational Dimension approach reinforces the concept of system and school renewal based on the whole child."
"Improving academic outcomes requires far more than focusing exclusively on the curriculum. The book, Multi-Dimensional Education represents a welcomed approach to assisting schools and all their stakeholders in addressing the 4C’s of climate, curriculum, character and the community of a school. In an evidence-driven era, gathering comprehensive data on the 4C′s will enable schools to meet their academic goals and to engage in a holistic approach to education. The benefit of this book is that it provides educators and policy makers with a clear strategy to help students to be both smart and good human beings."
"Multi-Dimensional Education is an invaluable resource to help educators consider seven dimensions that contribute to school success and then interconnect them with the four C′s - curriculum, community, climate, and character to create a data system that can make a real difference in a school. The authors′ humorous writing style, combined with real-life stories, rubrics, and steps at the end of each chapter make this book a practical guide to help educators understand and use data to achieve excellence. Our students deserve no less!"
"The authors have provided solid foundational information and theoretical explanations for the model. The data collection instruments provided in the appendices are practical and can be used at a variety of levels and explained to stakeholders in the schooling experience."
"Multi-Dimensional Education offers fantastic recommendations and usable survey instruments for assessing a school′s current culture. It also has practical guidance for moving a school forward to meet NCLB requirements. I wish I had access to this book′s insights when I began reform efforts at my school. It would have helped us avoid some pitfalls by giving data points for the staff to see before changes were implemented."
"Multi-Dimensional Education addresses the use of data in a holistic fashion and does not confine data collection and usage to a single dimension (test scores). Rather than a piecemeal approach it treats data usage as a matter of scale - a systemic approach. This permits all stakeholders to acquire more comprehensive insight into the multiple dimensions that impact school effectiveness and student achievement - school climate, educational attitudes, faculty fidelity, community engagement, curriculum expectations, developmental perspective and leadership."
"The authors have developed a revolutionary system that empowers school districts to make informed decisions and accurate predictions, and control their future. This is an exciting new data system that provides us with the tools to develop a new lens for viewing what really needs to be focused on to make long-lasting positive changes for our students, schools, parents, and community."
"This book provides an intelligent system for capturing more information and knowledge in order to improve decision-making for teachers, principals, and superintendents. It represents a breakthrough in information acquisition and analysis - one that is likely to provide comparative advantage for individual classrooms, schools, and school districts. A fitting text for any coursework on organizational leadership or assessment."
"The Multi-Dimensional Education approach offers a robust picture of data which illuminates the complex system in which we work. It takes into account a myriad of variables, and it provides meaningful data that can contribute to students′ success. Relying solely on summative data gathered for federal and state requirements does not provide the rich information necessary to support student learning. The 4C’s and 7 Dimensions offer a framework for data analysis and comprehensive support for students."
"The challenges facing educators today are immense and the pressure to ′perform′ is clearly evident. This book provides a fresh and compelling argument to look far beyond test score performance when measuring success in our schools. The systemic model described in this book will help educators comprehensively assess, improve, and achieve in their schools."
