In-Depth Notes on Educational Decisions Types

Types of Educational Decisions

Overview of Types

  • Instructional Decisions

    • Teachers collect both informal and formal information on student learning through:
    • Student tests and assignments.
    • Observations during small-group activities.
    • Monitoring structured and unstructured activities.
    • Key decision: whether to reteach a lesson or to proceed to the next topic.

  • Grading Decisions

    • Per Tierney et al.:
    • Purpose: Report on student achievement referenced to curriculum objectives (criterion-referenced).
    • Grades should accurately reflect achievement, with non-achievement factors reported separately.
    • Combine results from multiple assessments carefully, with appropriate weighting reflecting learning expectations.
    • Clear communication about grading to ensure understanding by all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers).

  • Diagnostic Decisions

    • Involves assessing a student’s current knowledge and views via various assessments.
    • Allows comparison of pre- and post-test results to track learning progress.
    • Examples of diagnostic assessments:
    • Journals, quizzes/tests, interviews, performance tasks, surveys, KWL, etc.
    • Decision-making based on student strengths and weaknesses to adjust lessons accordingly.

  • Placement Decisions

    • Involves admitting students into appropriate educational programs based on their needs.
    • Example: National Career Assessment Examination to identify suitable career fields for students.

  • Counseling and Guidance Decisions

    • Example of tools: Behavioral or personality inventories, assessing student characteristics (e.g., ease of working with others, preference for crowds).

  • Program or Curriculum Decisions

    • Focus on curricular revisions tailored to community needs or influenced by board exam results.

  • Administrative Policy Decisions

    • Includes assessing teacher competencies, analyzing research skill deficiencies of students and teachers, and conducting needs assessments.
Research Studies Mentioned

  • Hatch and Clark (2021)

    • Focus on highly effective rural teachers who emphasize the 'who' and 'what' of instruction and adapt teaching methods based on careful reflection on students and curriculum goals.

  • Isnawati and Sauka (2017)

    • Teachers view grading as a motivational tool and use both formal and informal assessments to enhance learning and skill application, adjusting grades based on various achievement and non-achievement factors.

  • Diagnostic Assessment Study

    • Fan et al.: Highlights the effectiveness of diagnostic assessments in providing instructional information by identifying individual learning strengths and weaknesses amidst similar scoring among students.