Data.
Some educators dread the mention of it. Some enjoy digging into it. But most struggle at some point with fundamental questions:
- How do you know you have the right data?
- Based on that data, how do you know what the next right step is?
- How are you supposed to find the time to dig through all the assessments to find the right data in the first place?
With Mastery View in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) powered by D2L Brightspace, finding and analysing data is no longer the daunting task it once was. You can now differentiate, individualise and personalise feedback in a few clicks. Without having to dig around for the right data, Mastery View can give you more time to quickly plan effective next steps, whether in a year-long or short course setting.
In this blog, we’ll look at what Mastery View is, how you can use it in your learning environment, and the power it gives you to bridge insight to intervention and enrichment for your learners.
What Is Mastery View?
Mastery View provides educators with data on learner and whole-cohort progress toward curriculum expectations. After you’ve aligned expectations to assignments, quizzes and rubrics in the VLE, you get a colour-coded dashboard that displays learners’ individual achievements, as well as the ability to see how the whole cohort is performing against grade-level expectations. You also have the ability to use your own professional judgment to override a suggested level of achievement based on a learner’s actual performance.
How Can I Use Mastery View in My Learning Environment?
Demonstrated learning is much more than arriving at a percentage or letter grade. In Mastery View, you have the power to set the calculation method for assignments and how they show up in your dashboard.
Many educators find that categories such as Outstanding, Satisfactory, Almost and Not Yet make a solid four-tier system to work with in Mastery View, as they pertain to curriculum expectations. But different regulatory boards can set their own custom tiers for context and grade level so that you get a clearer insight into learner achievement.
Now, instead of solely seeing a percentage grade for a learner, you have a clear visual that shows how a learner is performing holistically.
As you attach curriculum expectations to assignments over time, you have several options on what you can look at in Mastery View, depending on the data you need.
- Learner Achievement Over Time
Examine how an individual learner is performing over time across all curriculum expectations you’ve attached to your activities. Spot upward trajectories to encourage learners, and areas of growth to help them identify what to improve on. - Learner Achievement Against Specific Curriculum Expectations
Aside from seeing every assessment a learner has taken, you can also zoom in on individual curriculum expectations to see learner progress. - Cohort Achievement Over Time
If you need broader data, you can take a look at how the cohort as a whole is performing against curriculum expectations to get insights into where to concentrate your efforts. Identify potentially at-risk learnresor small groups for quick intervention, or areas where the group needs reinforcing.
Mastery View also helps you see which different assignments and assessments have covered grade-level expectations and which need further assessment. Instead of taking a best guess as to what you still need to cover in the year or in a short course, you have a quick and efficient overview of what you’ve covered and assessed and where you need to go next.
From Insight to Intervention and Enrichment
Now that you’ve got the ability to access broad and specific data with just a few clicks, you’re freed up to plan the best next steps for your learners.
It’s easy to form small groups when you can view which learners need intervention with certain curriculum expectations. Simultaneously, you can see which learners would benefit from extra help with another expectation.
Individual enrichment is possible when you see that a learner is consistently exceeding certain expectations. Conversely, you can quickly identify learners who are potentially at risk by seeing where they need extra support. In shorter periods of time, like during a short course, you still have the data you need to quickly step in and offer extra support to individual learners who need it.
Mastery View enables you to enter conversations with learners, administrators and other invested parties with clear data on what the learners have achieved, where they excelled and what their growth areas might be. Percentages and grades can help, but bringing insight into learner performance against curriculum expectations gives actionable steps to take next.
The Ease of Next Steps With Mastery View
Whether you have a group of learners for a small period, like a short course, or for a year-long or semester-length course, actionable data is easy to access through Mastery View in the VLE. By attaching grade-level curriculum expectations to assignments and assessments, you’ll pave a smooth road forward as you see where learners are mastering content and where they need intervention or enrichment to help them achieve more.
To discover more about how Mastery View can help determine effective next steps, log in to the VLE today.
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